Don't own Chuck
"Crap" said Chuck because that summed up what had happened to his original plan. It all went to crap in that one moment. Chuck bent over Ševo and took his pistol from him as the old man fell to his knees looking at the body of Lau. In that instant the old man felt his full age catching up with him all at once. Beckman was yelling at Chuck to unchain her and he could hear the rest of Ševo's men start to come running. There was no time to think but Chuck knew what he had to do. He flashed.
"Ševo can you hear me! Listen if your men ask what happened here tell them I did this. Tell them Charles Carmichael killed Lau. I took your gun and we fought. Look at me," said Chuck as he grabbed the old man's face. "Do you understand? I can help you if you let me, you just have to trust me. Talk to me."
"Yes, yes I understand," said Ševo coming out of his state of shock.
"Good I'm sorry," said Chuck.
"You're sorry for what?"
"This," Chuck said as he darted the old man.
"Chuck, unchain me! Let me help give," yelled the General.
"I'm beyond help," said Chuck as he pocketed the two extra magazines and ran out the door and down the hallway to the stairs tranqing two men at the top about to step on off on to their floor. Chuck ran up to the head of the stairs and dropped two more at the bottom. They fired their AK47s wildly in the air as they went down. Chuck did a 360 off the top rung of the stairs springing off to the side dropping four men on the first floor before landing on the table in the middle where they had been drinking just a little while before. Then from a crouching position he continued to fire, dropping all his remaining attackers. Upstairs, all the General could hear was the sound of automatic fire and men screaming in Serbian then silence.
Chuck rose slowly panting, out of breath looking around the room at the mass of bodies he had dropped and as he surveyed he ejected his empty clips and reloaded. Satisfied that everyone was down he started back up to the Beckman. Just then Roan came barging in with weapon drawn Chuck almost dropped him at the door.
"Roan dude! I could've shot you. Well a day late and a dollar short."
"Better late than never," said Roan looking at the scattered heaps of men that Chuck had dropped.
"I don't think that applies to gun fights," said Chuck. "Roan go outside and get some zip ties then start tying everyone. Upstairs are two men, don't tie the old man's wrists too tight and the other one is dead so you don't even have to worry about him. I'm going to get the General."
Roan started to protest but Chuck jumped over the two bodies at the foot of the staircase running up and over two more at the top before disappearing. Once inside the room Chuck picked up Ševo's gun whipped it down then placed it in Lau's hand firing a round out the window.
"Chuck, Lau has my key give it to me and we can get out of here," said Beckman as Chuck threw Ševo's pistol out the window.
"Chuck hurry up we've got to go!"
"You're right we've got to go. I wanted to do this here but now I can't Sarah will be here soon and I can't let that happen. You know General Morgan once asked me something. He asked, what do you do when you see your girlfriend do something so horrific, it's permanently burned into your brain? I told him I don't know. But I do now you keep her from doing it even if you have to do it yourself."
"What? Chuck, are you alright? Is you intersect acting up again because you're not making any sense."
"No I'm not alright, not alright by a long shot," said Chuck as he darted the General. After unchaining her, he lifted her up over his shoulder then went back downstairs. Roan was busy zip tying all the Serbs when Chuck walked down.
"She isn't, well you know dead," said Roan.
"No she's just passed out. I'm going to take her outside for fresh air. Go upstairs and signal down to the rest that they can come up."
"You sure you don't want me to see to the old girl," said Roan.
"I don't think she'd appreciate hearing that but no Roan I wouldn't want you to hurt your back. I've got this," said Chuck as he went out the door trying to think of a safe house where they could have a private moment to chat. He grabbed his phone to look at google maps but as he picked up his phone he got feedback. Waving it over the General he found that it was coming from her.
"Crap a tracker," this put another kink in his plan but as he was starting to get desperate he flashed. "Thank you intersect," he said as he dropped the BMW in reverse then sped away. He felt bad about taking their vehicle but the Serbs had left two nice although dinged up Mercedes parked next to theirs the other could use.
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The group was down below waiting starting to get nervous. Time was passing and no word from above came yet. Sarah started pacing back and forth biting at the bit. Casey looked down at his watch calculating realizing that Chuck should've sent word down by now. Then all of a sudden they heard something like a gunshot.
"John is that-" said Sarah he cut her off in mid-sentence
"Yeah let's go," said Casey as he and Sarah started their ascent tied off to each other while Cole and Carina started over on the other side. As they were about halfway up they heard more gunfire then nothing.
"John," yelled Sarah panting almost out of breath. "When we get up there I need a moment alone with Beckman. You and the others have to wait outside."
"Crap," said Casey that's when he knew. "Beckman's the hit. We've come all this way so you can tap her. We could've sent in a drone as soon as we knew her location and done the same thing without all this hassle."
"John I'm not going to 'tap her' like you said I'm supposed to interrogate her find out if she's been turned or compromised then make a judgement call."
"Then you're going to tap her. Don't feed me crap you and I both know how these things go all you need is one little bit of doubt and the agency plays it safe. Better to cut off an arm then lose the whole body."
"I guess you're right. I can't recall any of these so call 'interviews' ever ending well."
"I can't believe Chuck went along with this?"
"No not at all, he and his mother had a big fight and, well, he keeps thinking that he can stop me from doing it somehow. Truthfully I hope he can but in my heart I also know what you just said. I don't see a way out."
"Crap we need to hurry up. You're an idiot," said Casey as he started double timing his way to the summit. Just then they heard a shot then something flew down past them. "Crap, I hope we're not too late."
"Excuse me John" said Sarah as she picked up the pace to keep up with him.
"You heard me you're an idiot, Mary, Roan and you. Well Roan's a functional alcoholic too but he's still an idiot."
"Do you mind explaining," said Sarah as she grabbed at piton and almost missed.
"You didn't ever wonder how Chuck was going to stop you from tapping Beckman? I bet he said something like he wanted to be present at her interrogation."
"As a matter of fact he did. He made me promise to let him be there."
"He made you promise to let him be there but did he ever say he'd let you be there? I bet if you think back to that promise you were never mention."
"I just assumed how else would he… No John he didn't you don't think he'd, well you know."
"Tap Beckman for you when it comes to you, Chuck will do anything and I mean anything. Christ almighty the type 54. If I wasn't on the side of this mountain I'd kick all of your butts. You gave me half the story and he gave me the other half if only I had put the two together. We need to get up there and I mean like yesterday. I just hope that last shot didn't mean we're too late."
"What about the type 54? What's so special?"
"The 54 itself nothing but I'm will to bet it was a type 54 model M20 made without factory markings to conceal its origins. A lot were provided to Vietnamese forces during the War. I've even got a couple. The Black Star it's called. They make perfect drop guns no markings, so nothing to trace. No good assassin leaves home without one."
"You're right John I am an idiot," said Sarah as they tried to climb even faster leaving Cole and Carina far behind.
Both were silent the rest of the way up conserving their energy to make the hazardous climb until they reached the top where they met Roan who helped them in.
"Roan, where's Chuck," said Sarah panting with John standing next to her. He was trying to get his breath too exhausted from the climb as they literally ran up the side of the mountain.
"Where's Cole and Carina?"
"There behind us, Roan where's Chuck," said Sarah as she grabbed Roan by the collar and shook him to get his attention.
"Christ, what's got in you he was just here. He took Diane outside to get some fresh air, the poor thing passed out or something."
"Or something is right," said Casey as he held up a tranq dart that was on a cot with a chain attached to the bedpost." Just then they thought they heard a car pullout and speed away. Pushing past Roan they ran out the door.
"Make a hole out of the way idiot," said Casey
"Well I never," said Roan as he was pushed up against the wall.
They got downstairs in time to see the taillights of the BMW as Chuck stopped for a moment looking back at them then drove off disappearing in a cloud of dust.
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In the Grand Casino back in Kotor Madame Wong was playing a friendly game of five card stud with Guido at a private table for two. She was beginning to get bored winning the last five hands. She sipped on her drink wondering if Guido was actually worthy of her attention.
"Lady has four of a kind, ace high," said Guido. She started to yawn and rake in the pot but Guido stopped her turning over his cards.
"Ace, king, queen, jack and ten of hearts a royal flush house wins," said Guido as he took the queen of hearts and handed it to her as a souvenir.
"Knave for a knave," she said jokingly as she picked up the jack and handed it to him.
"Why Madame I have no idea what you're trying to say," said Guido.
"Yeah, I bet you don't," she said as they got up from the table she passed him her room key. "You might need this later on."
"I certainly might." As they were standing there passing glances Madame Wong's phone rang. She looked at the number and the magic of the moment was over.
"I'm sorry but I have to take this. I'll be right back."
"No go ahead I need to check in with Dimitry, he wanted to speak to me anyway. If you mind I drop by later."
"No, okay until then," she said answering her phone. Guido smiled when he heard her say, "I hope for your sake this is important. What do you mean she's gone!" He wished he could've stayed longer to hear more but her men were hovering around her all worked up over something. He thought it more prudent to go see his boss.
"May I come in," said Guido as he knocked on Silijack's door then came in.
"Oh Guido come in and have a seat. I just wanted to say thanks for keeping Madame Wong off my back these days. Our poker tournament is set for next week and things are coming together quite well. I've got a fence who will be here the end of next week so with the tournament and the diamond we'll all be sitting in fat city soon."
"Really that'll be good," said Guido but he knew better. Silijack was up to his eyes in debt and he staved off creditors with the tournament money. The people Dimitry owed money to were the kind that didn't take late payments so easy at least not without breaking something. "Mr. Silijack, sorry Dimitry, I thought you should know something is going on with Madame Wong."
"What? Do you know what it is?" asked Dimitry worried he's been found out.
"I heard something about she's missing and everyone went code red. He men were scurrying about like the roaches in a cheap motel bathroom when you turn on the lights."
"You're sure what you heard 'she's missing'? Those are they her exact words?"
"Positive I couldn't help but recall the first time I met Madame Wong she mentioned a guest she needed an accommodation for and you offered a castle if I remember correctly. Could that be the person she's talking about?"
"Sometimes you might hear something that might not be in your best interest to remember like that," said Dimitry looking up at Guido over his desk.
"My bad I'm sorry if I over stepped my bounds."
"No not at all I was just saying. But you did the right thing coming to me after all I'm the boss and I need to know what's going on under my roof. What I was trying to say was talking to other people."
"Speaking about talking too much, you've got a Blackjack dealer with a big mouth. You know the one who lost all that money."
"Don't worry about him; he won't be talking for a while, had some sort of accident going home and somehow broke his jaw. I hear he'll be laid up in the hospital for some time."
"Then I guess I'll need to get someone to cover his turn."
"I should've told you as soon as I found out. I just didn't think I had too much on my mid with this guy winning all that money like that," said Dimitry as he fidgeted with a rubber mallet he had on his desk and probably the one he used on the dealer thought Guido.
"I still want him to get his cut of the tips," said Guido thinking how much he was going to like taking Dimitry's diamond and the best part was he was going to give it to him.
"I think that's fair," said Dimitry as Madame Wong came in without knocking.
"Am I interrupting," she said as the men suddenly stopped talking. She looked back and forth at the men obviously they were talking about something they didn't want her to hear.
"No just a personnel problem," said Guido, "I was leaving anyway. Until later," he said taking her hand and kissing it.
"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to take a rain check. I'm going to be out of town for a few days but I look forward to that card show in my room."
"Anything you want," said Guido as he left finding she had left two guards posted outside the door so he went back to his office to redo the weekly work schedule.
"Well what did Guido tell you? I know he overheard something so you might as well tell me."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Dimitry smiling. "Is something wrong?"
"Cut the crap I'm not some lonely heart spinster looking for a man. I know he works for you and you probably put him up to being nice to me. Although, I have to say I'd admire the window dressing."
"I'm glad you approve. Okay he might have said that you got a call that got you flustered and you've got men running around."
"Observant little rabbit isn't he. But yes seems Beckman has escaped, her tracker is on the move and I can't reach Lau. I'm taking some men and seeing if I can go get her. I've also got people monitoring NATO communications. She'll want to get airlifted out and if I get up there soon I can beat any flight they can send in for her."
"Well if that's the case you need to get a move on it. I'll handle everything on our end here."
"Don't worry I'm leaving a couple of my men behind to help you guard my stone until it gets sold. I wouldn't want you to get any vacation ideas while I'm gone." She turned and left before he could answer.
Dimitry got up walked over and poured himself a drink then looked up in the mirror and smiled as he toasted himself. He couldn't believe his good luck maybe he'd be able to pull it off after all. He tried to imagine himself on a beach somewhere with warm winds and a tropical drink.
"Thank you lady luck," he said as he lifted his glass to her.
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Casey and Sarah sat around the table in the castle as she tried to call Chuck on his phone but he didn't seem to be picking up. Roan hovered around behind while Carina and Cole sat opposite them wondering if what they had been told could be true.
"So you think Chuck is going to execute Beckman," said Carina. "I know getting dead is a hazard in our profession but not like this. I always imaged it happening to me by someone like Casey, no insult intended."
"None taken and if I were honest I've thought about shooting you a few times."
"Will everyone be quiet while I dial again. This isn't Chuck, it can't be."
There was a clicking noise then the line connected and silence on the other side but they could hear the sound of breathing.
"Sweetie, talk to me, tell me what you're doing? Please Chuck just talk to me."
"I'm sorry it had to be this way but I couldn't let you do this. I can't lose you again. Tell Casey not to bother trying to track the GPS in the car I deactivated the transponder. I'm about to go inside and have my talk with the General. Roan, are you there?"
"Yes Charles, this was not your mission." There was a long pause of silence.
"I'm making it mine. Call the director-"
"You mean your mother," said Roan interrupting Chuck but he didn't need to be reminded.
"Yes call my mother and tell her to stand by her monitor. She can record my interrogation and do whatever she wants with it."
"Sweetie is that wise. She told us nothing was to be transmitted and you could be compromising your situation later on."
"Presidential signature authority, that's what I'm supposed to have, remember, which means I can change the cards on the table and as far as I know that hasn't been revoked."
"Chuck, you planned this all out from when we were told," said Sarah in disbelief.
"I've got to go get started," said Chuck. "We're going to lose the line for a bit as I move inside."
"Chuck, I know about the gun," said Sarah and there was a long pause on the other side.
"When? How? Why didn't you ask me about it?"
"Why didn't you tell me? What about our pact, no secret, no lies?"
"I was waiting for today to tell you. What do you know about it? It's Chinese. Please don't get mad at Rachael, I asked for it and know they didn't want to give it to me at first but I insisted. Casey will love it and tell him it's his when I'm done if it isn't locked up as evidence."
"Don't say that this isn't you. Please stop and come back to me."
"This isn't you anymore either. I watched you walk away once before and I'm not going to stand by and watch that happen again. I did that once and I can't, I won't let that happen again. Love, remember when you told me, your safety is more important than mine. Now leave and don't turn back. Well this is me turning back."
"Have you thought about what this will do to our family, to Sam? What do you want our daughter to think? That her father was a killer."
"Love, Love," said Chuck as he had to stop himself from saying what he thought then he gained control. "I want Sam to know how much her father loves her mother and he loves her too. I want her to grow up and find someone who will love her like I love you everything else is gravy." Suddenly the line dropped and there was static.
"Chuck! Chuck!" yelled Sarah but nothing, "Casey what are we going to do?"
"Nothing like a little NSA magic," said Casey as he called Fort Meade and asked for help. "Thanks boys, I owe you. Here's where we start searching," said Casey as he showed them GPS coordinates."
"Hold up," said Roan, "the director just messaged me to stand down and let Charles proceed."
"Roan when you find the 'I don't give a crap' button push it for me that's my answer," said Sarah.
"Roan I think you'll find it right next to the 'shove it' button. You can push that one for me," said Casey as they left.