Don't own Chuck

Pepe and Guye walked back down that dusty gravel road neither trusting the other and each wanting to keep the other one in sight. The night was wearing on; there was a full moon out so it was easy to keep a watch on the other and that was what they were doing as they walked the old fire road. Then as they approached the site they saw a black Crown Vic pull up and stop alongside the road.

"Quick out of sight," said Pepe as he scurried for cover and Guye ran close behind him.

"Do you want me to take them out? It would be a fairly easy shot from here."

"No idiot! What if someone is expecting them then we'll have the whole place cover with cops. Just sit tight and wait and see what happens."

They watched as a woman run down to the Escalade she seemed to look inside then came running back. The car started up then they watched as it pulled away but they stayed hidden until the car's taillights disappeared from sight.

"Now see what you've done. Rose is going to kill us," said Guye as he shook his head in disgust.

"How's it my fault. You were standing there too. Why didn't you do something," said Pepe forgetting he had ordered Guye to stand down.

"Let's get this done and as far as we're concerned no one was ever here."

"Okay, I can do that."

They made their way to the wreckage sliding down the embankment. Guye was the first down so he went inside. Already he could smell decay and decomposition as he began removing items from the death men that could be linked back to them.

"This is so disgusting."

"Just get it done and don't forget to take their ammo too we don't want to get hit by any exploding rounds before we can get clear," said Pepe as he punctured the gas tank and made sure under the SUV was saturated with gas trying to get it to pool in the middle.

"Okay I'm done," said Guye. Pepe lit a match and threw it under the vehicle. It was engulf almost immediately in a ball of flames. The smell was putrid reeking of burning plastic, car parts and the sickly sweet odor of burning flesh.

"Come on we need to get out of here before someone either sees the flames or smells that terrible odor and calls the cops."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

They had walked a couple of miles when they decided to stop to catch their breath.

"I got an idea," said Pepe, "why don't I call Rose or one of the guys and have them pick us up?"

"My phone was fried back at the camp by that guy's EMP thing."

"I had mine off so let me try. Good I've got a line I guess this is our lucky day," said Pepe as he hit autodial. "Rose isn't answering. Let me try Bob. Here we go. Hey Bob this Pepe we need a ride. … What? … Are you sure? Okay we'll be waiting for you we're about three miles out from where you left us."

"Is everything okay," asked Guye.

"Yeah just peachy," said Pepe as he drew his gun and shot Guye twice in the chest then he walked over on top of him and put one in his head for good measure.

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Mary set up her Barret M107 up on a little knoll that looked down on the cabin where she could cover the front door. Sarah worked her way down trying to stay in the shadows. The full moon didn't help much so she had to rely on her own stealth and speed to make it from cover to cover. She had to get eyes on Chuck. Mary was looking through her scope when Sarah's phone vibrated with one hand she answered.

"Sarah, we're almost there," said Casey.

"Sorry John but she's not here," said Mary into Sarah's phone.

"Crap I told her to stay put."

"Don't worry, I've got my daughter in law covered besides she's only going down to try and put eyes on Chuck. We'll wait for you two for the party."

"I'm counting on you to keep her in check."

"Roger that but if things go sideways I can't promise anything so you'd better hurry. And what she said about if they do anything to Chuck."

"You mean about not letting anyone walk?"

"Well they don't have to go down fast either."

"Roger that," said Casey.

"Is she really Chuck's mother?" asked Gertrude a little shocked and pleased at the same time.

"Sometimes I wonder," said Casey as he pushed the Crown Vic a little harder but already he was having trouble managing the twisting road, sliding sideways on the gravel. "You better pray that no deer jumps out in front of us there's no way I'm going to be able to stop."

"Then tomorrow I say we break out the beast master," said Verbanski as she laid her hand on Casey's thigh. "I like my game wild."

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They led Chuck inside the cabin as they marched him in he tried to count the number of men Rose had and the types of weapons they carried. According to his total she the five men in the Escalade with her plus two guards outside as well as Pepe and Guye but they were gone for the moment. So in the room with him were just the five from the vehicle plus Rose not good odds but not bad either. They sat him in a chair in front of a table and Rose began to question him.

"Tell me where the bomb is and I'll let you go."

"You think I'm going to fall for that you've got another thing coming, the minute I tell you that you'll kill me. Oh, you might wait until you verify that I told you the truth which would be the prudent move but you haven't really proven to me that you're that prudent, Rose or should I call you the Iceberg killer?"

"So you know me. Good then you know what I'm capable of so let's do it this way I can promise you a quick painless death or we can drag it out for a while and make it not so pleasant."

"Can I have a cup of coffee before I make up my mind? You know it's late and I'm feeling tired I might fall asleep on you, seeing as you're boring me with threats." She walked up to Chuck and slapped him. His head popped back as her hand made contact.

"Owh, now that was uncalled for Rose and might I add no very lady like." She nodded to one of the men next to Chuck and he punched him in the stomach.

"How was that?" she asked.

"A little bit better actually," he said as he tried to catch his wind. "But hey dude she punches harder than you. Now about that coffee, I'd like it black no cream or sugar, please. Then afterwards we might be able to come to some sort of agreement." The man next to him was getting ready to punch him again when Rose stopped him.

"What kind of agreement are we talking about?"

"You don't think you took me by accident, do you? I thought your group was a little naïve but not to this extent. Think about it Rose. I scuttled my camper, destroy all the data before you got to me then I walked out and turned myself over to you without resistance. No darling I'm right where I want to be and you're going to make me a wealthy man."

"So you're saying that you did all this just so you could get to me and do what? You want me to pay you for your information?"

"You're already paying one of the rangers who was following my colleague around." Chuck remembered what Casey said about Big Roscoe having a ranger tail him now it made sense how they found the trailer.

"So you know about him, too?"

"Sister I didn't just fall off the truck like these other clowns you've got working for you."

"Well, this puts a whole new twist on things. You know a man like you could have a place in our organization," she said.

"Now we're talking."

"But Boss you can't trust him," said the man who had punched Chuck.

"Don't worry about hitting me most of my relationships start out that way. So pretty boy what's your name?"

The man was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say he just babbled.

"Did you recruit off the short bus?" asked Chuck. "Listen fancy pants go get me my cup of coffee and make it hot. I don't want it lukewarm or cold if it is we'll have a problem, do you understand? Just nod your head I don't want you to over tax your brain."

"My name is Bob."

"It's alive! Good now hurry along Bob let the adults talk here. Go now." He looked back at Rose and she nodded so he went into the kitchen.

"Well you're giving me a lot to think about Chuck but I'm afraid I need more."

"What would you like? Rose I know your work and I know that you're a woman of your word. What say I tell you where the bomb is and you in turn promise to take me into the fold?" As he spoke, the man came back with Chuck's coffee and placed it in front of him. The steam was coming off it and he could barely touch the sides of the cup it was so hot.

"Thank you Bob," said Chuck.

"So that's it you'll just tell me on just a promise?" said Rose thinking Chuck was either extremely cleaver or extremely dumb but either way she got what she wanted.

"Okay, it's a deal."

"Then let's shake," said Chuck as he got up.

"I'm not going to cut those ties until I find the bomb," she said.

"I wouldn't expect otherwise. If you go outside and look in the Escalade you'll find behind my seat a piece of paper I hid that has the GPS coordinates of the bomb on it."

"This isn't some sort of trick, is it? Because if it is I'm going to be angry and you don't want me to be angry."

"Go and check but don't send anyone go yourself, I don't trust your men. Jesus, you really know how to choose the cream of the crop."

"Okay, I'll go but I warn you," Rose said as she went out the door. After Rose left Chuck walked back over next to the table then acted like he was going to sit down but then he stood up.

"Bob, first of all I'd like to apologize for making fun of you that wasn't right and I'm sorry."

"Sure thanks," said Bob thinking that Chuck was more than a little strange.

"I'd like to think that someday we could be friends," said Chuck as the other men started to relax and laugh among themselves.

"Sure I don't see why not," said Bob as Chuck offered him his hand.

"Do you mind if I give you some advice? You know between friends," Chuck said as he was shaking Bob's hand. "Never tied someone's hands in the front and check to make sure they aren't flexing their wrists when you're pulling the bands."

Chuck grabbed Bob's hand, head butting him he sent him staggering back then he dropped to his knees. Then Chuck twisted the plastic ties and they popped with one yank. He grabbed hold of the cup of scalding hot coffee and flung into the face of one the men close to him. "Augh," screamed the man and he held his face. Then Chuck threw the cup across the room hitting the man standing there in the face. Then with a double heel spin he took out the two men still untouched both went down with broken jaws. Then as Bob was getting up he gave him a spinning back kick that Chuck Norris would've been proud of sending him through the window and out into the yard in front of the cabin.

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Sarah was almost up to the cabin; it wasn't easy because of the moon and sparse vegetation but finally she was about there when she was almost caught. A woman came out suddenly and walked towards the Escalade parked in a gravel drive. Sarah moved quickly back to her former position as the woman stopped and began talking to one of the two posted guards. They were too far for her to hear what they were saying but she saw the man offer her a cigarette then a light. The man walked back to his post and the woman just stood there smoking. Sarah was counting each puff as the red amber of the cigarette grew stronger with each toke.

"Hurry up lady," said Sarah to herself. "Come on and get back inside."

"Sarah, hold your position," said Mary in her earpiece. "I'm seeing movement inside." Mary was looking through the window as Chuck leaped into action.

"Mary, what's going on?" asked Sarah as she tried to keep her voice down but then there were two loud gunshots in rapid succession and the two sentries went down.

"Sarah, get inside Chuck needs your help," radioed Mary. Sarah was up and heading to the door as Rose stood there frozen when one of her men came sailing through the living room window out on the grass yard. As he tried to get up Sarah shot him then she was inside. Rose saw that her situation was desperate so she jumped in the Escalade and drove off leaving her men to their own fates. Mary got off a couple of shots but Rose drove behind the cabin out of Mary's line of sight.

"Sweetie," she said as she ran up to up and kissed him. They stood there together in each other's arms as the four men groaned on the floor. Chuck smiled looking down at her.

"I love you," he said. "You came."

"Always, you gave me a scare. I heard about your video message from Casey."

"So you never saw it? Probably better that you didn't see it, I was in a dark place then."

"The woman got away," said Mary as she came in.

"Rose, she's the Iceberg Killer. If nothing else we've put a face on a killer that has eluded Interpol for years." Chuck still had his arm around Sarah when Bob's phone rang. Chuck picked it up and saw caller unknown so he answered.

"Pepe, yes listen Guye is the mole. We're being overrun right now. Just stay put. We'll come and pick you up … Okay just stay there and we'll be right there," Chuck said then he hung up. "Where's Casey at anyway?"

"He should be here soon," said Mary. "I was talking to him just a little while ago. Maybe I should give him a ring and tell him he can slow down.

A mile down the road Casey's Crown Vic was stopped with a busted radiator and a dead deer in the middle of the road. He and Verbanski were leaning against his car kissing.

"This is all your fault Gertrude you distracted me."

"Well let me see if I can distract you again."

"Let me call my team first," he said as he hit redial. Sarah answered only to hear Gertrude in the background, "You can hit my redial if you want."

"Ah John, it's good that you called we rescued Chuck and he's alright but we could use a clean-up team. But you sound busy so I'll take care of it."

"Good I'm going to need a tow too. A deer jumped out in front on me and well bambi's dead."

"Uncle John please don't tell Molly or she'll worry if Santa Claus will be able to come this year."

"Uncle John," Sarah head Gertrude in the background. "Can I be your naughty niece?"

"Oh my God, I'm going to try to unhear that," said Sarah as she hung up.

"Sarah, Sarah, what's wrong," asked Chuck seeing Sarah's face that looked disgusted.

"Everything, it's all wrong."

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Pepe was standing by the roadside when he recognized a speeding Escalade barreling down the road at him so he got out in front and started to wave. But the car didn't slow down until it was almost on him and then if he hadn't leaped out of the way he would've been hit.

"Get in! Hurry up," yelled Rose as she flung open a door. Pepe jumped in and she took off again. "Don't tell me those CIA pigs got Guye too!" she asked. Pepe thought it was better if he played along.

"Yeah but you should've seen him he went down in glory fighting to the end. I think he took ten out with him, what a man." Maybe he exaggerated a little too much but now it was too late. Besides dead martyrs were good for the cause Stalin had taught him that.

"I know they don't make them like him anymore."

"That's right," he said but he wanted to add, 'and I'm glad they don't'.

"I wish I knew where to find that Chuck guy and put a bullet in between his eyes for what he's done to us. He deserves some payback for all our grief."

"Well I might be able to help you out. You see as I was going through the SUV and removing all our men's IDs I came across this," Pepe said as he handed her a card. He took the credit even though it was actually Guye who did it.

"What's this she?" She said as she examined it. "Buy More, Nerd Herd, Charles Bartowski got you," she said.

"Listen Rose it's just you and me, are you sure you want to go through with this? It will be just us taking on the CIA."

"Ask yourself what would Guye have done?"

He wanted to say 'run like hell' but he had backed himself into a corner. "Okay but we're going to have be smart about it. One of us should go in and cap him while the other covers from outside with a sniper rifle. I know that Buy More and there's a yoghurt shop across the parking lot. I could set up there and cover you."

"No I was thinking more I could cover you. You can defend my honor and be my champion." Rose was a student of Stalin's too.

"What great honor," said Pepe as he asked himself why he was defending something she never did. "Okay Rose, anything for you."