Chuck vs. The Cerebral Assassin
Well, I would to thank reads like NickyR, Passionovermind, BDaddyDL, NickCharah, and everybody who have been supporting my story. Several of you have voiced your displeasure at a certain Chapter but for me it shows you care and really enjoy this story. So much so I have to laugh because how engrossed many of you are. Anywas, I hope this chapter makes up for what I put you through in the previous 10.
Again, if you enjoyed reading my stories and left a comment please leave a comment for this this one as well. Tell me what you think and I hope you enjoy the read.
I don't own Chuck nor do I own Jeffster.
Fight The Good Fight
XXX
Sarah sits with Peaches in her lap on the black leather couch at around 6 p.m. She is flanked on both sides by her mother Emily and older sister Cassidy. Her father is sitting in front of her on the coffee table with concern for his youngest daughter. She shared with the three of them of what happened between her and Chuck leaving her to become absolutely numb to the point where tears aren't being shed.
"She's a bitch." blurted out Cassidy.
It's what Cassidy wanted to say to Dr. Burke in her office but that would have been uncouth of her. So she took the opportunity to say in front of her sister who she thought would snap her out of the funk she's in and start cursing up a storm. Unfortunately that did not happens as she just sat there with Peaches at her side not reacting to what she just said but she did however get a reaction for someone else.
"Cassidy Kayla Wexler watch your mouth." Emily said towards her oldest daughter in a authoritative motherly tone.
"What?" she said raising both her hands. "Well she is." nodding at her parents. "Casey and I were at her office this morning." she says with disdain in her voice. "She sat behind her desk looking all smug wearing her doctor's coat and I can clearly tell she intentionally did this to Chuck, especially after bringing up the Chinese food Sarah ordered for him."
As they are having a discussion, Wexler raises both his eyebrows witnessing the interaction between his wife and daughter. He had to agree with Cassidy on this one because he has never in his life seen or heard how a doctor can be so unprofessional and yet at the time swear to help her patient get better. He shakes his head at that particular thought and had in mind to have a word with his friend General Diane Beckman.
"How?" questioned Wexler.
"Women's intuition." she firmly stated. "All I'm saying is Casey did his best to shake her down in his own scary way and she didn't budge at all. She kept her cool and even went as so far to ask if she's being accused of something. She's a shady doctor plain and simple." she angrily said. "Bitch, that's all she is."
"What did I say about that word?" Emily responded.
"Sorry." apologized Cassidy to her mother. "Dr. Burke actually said that Chuck is simply suffering from something called transference and that he is experiencing a classic case of it."
"I've read about that." Wexler said. Sarah's father tries his best to explain what it is to his wife sitting in front of him. "It's when amnesiac patients who regain their memory end up seeing their doctors as Saviors to the point where the patient falls in love with the doctor."
"Chuck is not in love with Dr. Burke." she adamantly stated disagreeing with her father.
"Hold on. That's not what I'm saying here." stated Wexler trying to calm down his older daughter down.
"What are you saying then?" questioned Cassidy staring intently at her father.
There have been many times were Cassidy has stared down her father but those times were in a business capacity. When it concerns business its the owner of Wexler Industries and the Chief Executive Officer of the company but when its involves any family setting then the stare would be most definitely not be exchanged. She would never dare do it to him but she made an exception on this particular moment.
"Look, he's confused and in a vulnerable state right now." he softly stated. "He'll have to work this out on his own. I still have faith Chuck is going to pull through this kiddo." says Wexler leaning over and rubbing her daughter's right knee. "Do you still love him?"
Sarah doesn't waste any time in answering her father. "Yes I do." said Sarah looking directly at her father. "He's the only man I have or I ever will love dad. You weren't here when he stopped by to drop off Peaches and a box of vegetarian pizza without olives." she says shaking her head in disbelief. "How can he still remember how I like my pizza, picked up Peaches at the vet recouping after surgery, or the fact I helped him land a helicopter but not remember how much he loves me?" questioned Sarah. "Can you answer me that!?"
"I don't know sweetie." Wexler didn't want to see her daughter like this and if had the ability to take her pain away he would. The thing he has always known about Chuck is that he was always able to persevere in times of darkness, which he is currently in even though he didn't know it himself. "Trust me, Chuck is going to somehow snap out of whatever spell he's under with Dr. Burke and realize he's not with the right woman."
"Listen to your father honey." Emily states as she kisses her daughter on top of the head. "He has never let you down and I know in the bottom of my heart he's not going to stop now. He's a fighter and so are you. When it comes to love you have to fight the good fight."
Jeremiah Wexler leans in giving a fatherly reassuring smile towards his mentally and emotionally beleaguered daughter. He reaches over holding her right hand squeezing it as he looks into her eyes. "Listen…" he said glancing down at his watch. "...why don't the 4 of us go out and have some dinner. I'm buying what do you say kiddo?"
Sarah slowly gets up from the black leather couch, takes a few step away, and then turns to face the 3 of them. "I'm not feeling up to it. I'm just going to bed." she answered turning around heading towards her bedroom with Peaches in tow.
The 3 members of the Wexler family watch as the 4th disappears down the hallway and after a few seconds they hear her bedroom door close. A look of great concern appear on each of their faces leading Wexler to get up from the couch as well. He reaches over to help his wife off the couch and then looks at his older daughter. "She'll be okay. Let her sleep it off and just us 3 good to dinner." he nodded with fatherly reassurance. "We'll bring her back a doggy bag."
Cassidy looks in the direction of her sister's bedroom then up at her father. She stands up and goes over to him giving her a quick hug. "You two go ahead. I'm going to stay with DeAnna."
A father-daughter moment is shared between the two of them leading Wexler to reach over and softly caresses his daughter's cheek. She leans over and lightly kisses his daughter's forehead. "I'll bring you back something too." he said with a hint of a smile on his face.
Cassidy and her parents exchange hugs and few moments later she walks back into the front door after watching her parents drive off to dinner. When she walks back into the house, she stands there for a moment listening to absolute silence, which is a bit unsettling to her. She turns her head to look down the hallway at her sister's bedroom door. She takes a deep breathe and then heads over to the black leather couch to sit down and watch tv.
XXX
Chuck returns to Castle with not only the location of where Manoosh may be hiding, but also with his memory tampered with by Dr. Burke. She took advantage of the situation by hypnotizing telling him to forget about Sarah and move on with her. Chuck informs his two teammates that since Manoosh trusts him he has to bring him in, which they hesitantly agreed on. As the 3 men get ready to head out, Chuck has a announcement for the two of them.
"Guys, after this mission I'm quitting." he proclaimed in a nonchalant manner.
Bryce and Casey look at each other then immediately turn their attention towards Chuck who is sitting against the edge of the conference table. "You're what?" questioned Bryce.
"What are you lip smacking about Bartowski?" grunted Casey eyeing the lanky man a few feet in front of him.
"I quit the C.I.A. after this mission." he stated again to his burly teammate. He stand up facing the two of them who at this point are in a state of confused disbelief. "I'm moving on with my life and I'm going to spend it with Leslie."
"Are you nuts Chuck? What about Sarah?" Bryce quickly said.
"What about her?" questioned Chuck as he looks at his former Stanford roommate. "We're partners and she doesn't love me. My feelings for Leslie are stronger for her than for Sarah. I see that now." he added.
The 2 agents can't believe what they are hearing right now coming from Chuck. To Casey, he has spent the better part of 3 and half years annoyed by their on again off again cover/real relationship. Yet, he grew to tolerate the two of them to the point where he knowingly lied to Beckman concerning the relationship between the blonde agent and nerdy asset.
The veteran agent has been like a big brother to Sarah and to be perfectly honest she's the only best damn partner he's ever had period. Casey didn't like this not one bit and he immediately knew who was behind it. Unfortunately, he's unable to do anything about it at the moment because the 3 of them are heading out on a very important mission that needs all their focus.
"You're kidding me right? This is a joke." inquired Bryce shaking his head.
"Do I look like I'm joking." responded Chuck with a serious look on her face as leans back sitting on the edge of the conference table. "Leslie and I are meant to be. Sarah and I aren't." he said. His attention then turns to Bryce. "You and Sarah were once partners. You two still might have a shot with each other." stated Chuck with a wry smile.
Bryce never in a million years thought Chuck would ever say that about Sarah. He has become a very different man because of her and has accomplished so many things the likes of which he is actual jealous of. A stable home, a flourishing business, a loving family, and surrounded by great friends who would most definitely be there for him at the drop of a hat.
When he said that he and Sarah might have a shot with each other he knew in the past he would react by jumping at the chance to do be with her. However, this time he didn't react the way he would have and instead began thinking he's the most stupidest person in the planet for doing this to Sarah. He shakes his head knowing that this isn't the Chuck he knows or used to be friends with back in college.
"You're an idiot do you know that." angrily spitted out Bryce.
Casey turns to Bryce with a seemingly surprised look on his face. "For once I agree with you Larkin." he stated.
Chuck's former roommate briefly pauses as he stares at the man who shot him twice but lived to tell about it. "Thanks Casey." nodded Bryce as his attention turns from him to Chuck.
"Prey tell Bryce…" stated Chuck shaking his head. "…why am I an idiot?" he replied letting out a hint of laughter on his behalf.
"Sarah loves you and I haven't met this Leslie you're talking about but I do know one thing." he said.
"What's that?" Chuck replied crossing his arms eyeing Bryce.
"You will never find a better woman than Sarah. No woman you will ever meet including Leslie will ever compare to her." he emphasized. "Don't make the same mistake I did choosing the job over her. You have the chance to make this right by choosing Sarah and not her. She loves you man and you love her. As sickeningly happy the two of you are together you two are so meant for each other. Hell, everybody knows it." Bryce emphatically stated towards the lanky man in front of him. "Wake up man and get your head together before its too late. Don't give up."
There is a brief moment of silence as Chuck sits there taking in what Bryce just said to him. After a few seconds, he pushes himself forward up and responds. "Are you finished?" he responded shaking his head. His attention turns from Bryce to Casey. "If you are then we have a mission to go on gentlemen so let's go." he stated grabbing his gear inevitably slinging it over his shoulder.
The two men watch in utter silence as they see Chuck walk up the stairs and before disappearing through the door he stares at his two teammates. "You two coming?"
Bryce and Casey glance at each other then back up at Chuck. "Yeah." grunted Casey. The veteran government agent grabs his gear walking up the stairs with Bryce following suit behind him.
XXX
The clock hanging on Casa Bartowski reads 7:30 and Cassidy is sitting comfortably on the black leather couch. Her decision to stay behind and watch over the well being of her sister rather than going with her parents to dinner was in her mind the best decision she could possibly make. As she sits there watching the newest Subway commercial, she hears Sarah's bedroom door open to where she sees her walking out fully dressed with her hair pulled back in a pony tail heading towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" questioned Cassidy quickly getting up from the couch with concern. She sees that her little sister is still wearing the gold locket around her but not her engagement ring or bracelet.
"Mom is right." she firmly stated. "I am a fighter so I'm going to fight for the man I love." Sarah emphatically said as she reaches back pulling back the handle to her weapon.
Cassidy's eyes widen as she immediately blocks her path in order to try to stop her from doing something stupid that could not only jeopardize the mental health of Chuck, but could cost her career at the same time. "Wow D, think this through. I don't think shooting Dr. Burke is going to solve anything." she said.
"Move Cass." she stated in an authoritative tone. "Or I'll make you move. I'm going to have a chat with Dr. Leslie Burke." added Sarah with a look of intensity in her eyes.
Cassidy needed to come up with something quick before her little sister makes the biggest mistake of her life. "Fine, but I'm coming with you." she firmly stated.
"No."
She stands her ground in front of her baby sister. "Yes…I…Am." she emphatically responded.
"Fine."
"Fine, but you have to promise one thing." requested Cassidy. "Please, do it for me as your sister."
"What Cass?" asked Sarah.
"Leave your gun here." she said pointing to the kitchen/dinner table. "D, please just leave it here."
She holds her breath for a brief moment as she nervously waits for her response. It seems like forever until Sarah releases the clip from within the handle of the gun and walks over to the table setting the clip down then the gun itself. She then turns around facing her sister. "There. Happy now?"
Cassidy lets out a huge sigh of relief as she walks over to stand in front of her sister. "Give me a second while I get my shoes. I mean it D, don't leave without me." she said hurrying off.
"Hurry up or I'm leaving without you." answered Sarah.
The oldest Wexler sister rushes to Sarah's bedroom where she has been bunking with her sister and grabs her shoes. As she is about to head out the bedroom door she spots the engagement ring sitting on the night stand along with the her bracelet and for whatever reason she goes over to pick both of them up placing it in her pocket. She hurries out the door to join up with her sister. As they both head out to talk with Dr. Burke, the doctor in question is several moments later walking across the parking lot towards her vehicle.
Upon reaching it, Dr. Burke suddenly hears a female voice. "Dr. Burke."
She immediately spins around to see Sarah and Cassidy standing there. She takes out he cell phone from her pocket showing it to them. "Touch me Agent Walker and I call Beckman."
"I'm not here to hurt you. Lord knows I want to in the worst way." she said calmly as best she can. "I'm just here to talk to you and ask you something."
"What do you want to ask me?" wondered Dr. Burke in a cautious manner.
Sarah takes a moment to gather herself before talking to the female doctor. For her, just standing a few feet away from her she want to punch her right across the face. Yet, she restrains herself from doing so as she says only two words. "Why Chuck?"
The questions not only surprises Dr. Burke but Cassidy as well. "Why Chuck you ask?" Dr. Burke sets her computer briefcase on the hood of her car and then gives Sarah her answer. "Chuck needs a life without danger and not constantly risking his own mental, as well as physical well being. I'm saving him from himself."
It's at this point Cassidy can't help but think that this chick has lost all her marbles. She's saving Chuck from himself? What in the hell is she talking about and how come she hasn't been evaluated for psychiatric treatment because the situation is sort of turning into a Michael Douglas-Glenn Close Fatal Attraction thing here with Dr. Burke clearly off her rocker she thinks to herself.
"Does that life involve you in it?" Sarah asked eyeing the female doctor standing a few feet away from her.
"What if it does? I'm merely looking out for Chuck's best interests here."
A look of disbelief appears on Sarah's face as she responds to the female doctor standing in front of her. "Chuck's best interests…" responded Sarah shaking her head in disbelief. "…or yours?" she firmly stated staring intently at Dr. Burke. "Just know this Leslie. I am going to fight to get Chuck back and find some way to get him back to his old self. No matter what it takes."
"Is that a threat Agent Walker?" questioned Dr. Burke.
"You better believe it." she emphatically stated glaring directly at her.
As Sarah says that, she suddenly feels a sudden sharp pain in her arm. When she turns back to see what it is, she witnesses Cassidy fall to the ground with what seems to be a tranq dart sticking in her neck. She immediately removes whatever sticking in her neck and sees it's the same but different tranq dart that was stuck in Cassidy's neck.
In her groggy state, she turns to see Dr. Burke sliding down the side of her car losing consciousness due to being hit with a tranq dart as well. The last image she sees before falling and blacking out on the ground is of several man dressed in a dark suit. She then sees a blurry pair of dark shoes appearing in her line of sight as she inevitably succumbs to the darts potent effects.
XXX
It's around 9:00 and Manooish sits at the bar at Two & a Half Amigos Restaurant and Cantina trying to keep a low profile. He has his head low, wearing a fedora, and nervously scarfing down nacho samplers down his mouth. He looks a bit nervous as he washes down what he has eaten with a bottle of beer. After finish the last drop, he asks the bartender for another and just as he gets he hears a familiar voice next to him.
"Mind if I sit down Noosh?"
"Chuck?" he said as he discreetly looks around. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to bring you in. I brought my teammates as back up." replied Chuck. "They'll protect you until we hand you over to our people and put you under protective custody." he adds.
"No way no how. " responded Manoosh. He glances behind and then turn his attention back to Chuck. "I'm skipping town man."
"You can't do that. The Ring will find you wherever you go." he stated.
Manoosh shakes his head disagreeing at what he said. "Watch me. I didn't sign up for this. All I wanted was the pay day. The money…"
He is immediately cut off in mid-sentence by Chuck who drives the point home of a truly serious the matter is for him. "Karl is dead." spitted out Chuck leaning forward. The tone in his voice is stern and low for only Manoosh to hear. "This isn't a game man. Its for real and 1 person is already dead."
"What?" he stated in disbelief.
Chuck knows its now or never at this point. "Come with me if you want to live." There is a brief moment of silence on Manoosh's part as he thinks it through and after a few seconds he makes his decisions. He gives a silent nod towards his gamer buddy who then contacts Casey. "I got him Casey. We're coming out the back." he said speaking into his watch.
The two men get up and head towards the exit, which are located near the restrooms. They head back there through the crowd and eventually find themselves walking out to the back where they are immediately met by Bryce and Casey. "Nice job Bartowski." grunted Casey. "Let's go."
As he says that, a man in a dark suit appears seemingly out of nowhere. "I think not."
Bryce, Casey and Chuck are immediately on the defensive as they place Manoosh behind them to protect him. The trio draw their weapons directly at the seemingly large bald man. "Who are you?"
"My name is Hooper and you've given us a lot trouble Chuck." he said pointing at him. "In more ways than one."
"Us?" replied Bryce. "You mean The Ring."
"Give me Manoosh..." demanded Hooper. "...or else."
"Why don't you come over here and get him yourself." stated Casey with a smirk.
Hooper responds by snapping his fingers leading a group of dark suited individuals surrounding the 4 men. As they do, Bryce leans over to Chuck. "Flash man."
Chuck nods and focuses but nothing happens. He continues it do it again to where he quietly mutters to himself. "Come on flash."
"Any time now Bartowski." softly growled Casey.
"I'm trying." he quietly repeated back." he quickly said. "It's not working."
The agent's and Manoosh's attention on Chuck is suddenly forced back on to Hooper. "You have what we want and I have what you want." he responded snapping his fingers again.
All 4 men suddenly see Cassidy, Sarah, and Dr. Burke being escorted in by 3 men. "Leslie!" hollered Chuck. For what Chuck can ascertain is she, Sarah, and Cassidy are a bit groggy due to the tranq darts they were hit with. "Let them go. Please." pleaded a frantic Chuck looking at Leslie.
"Give me what I want and maybe I'll deal." ordered Hooper. "Put your weapons down or else."
Casey tightly grips his weapon in his hand as he continues to aim it at Hooper's head. He sees the absolute seriousness in his eyes knowing he's the type of guy who doesn't care and will kill hostages. After a brief moment, he responds by glancing over at Bryce nodding to him. They both slowly place their weapons down on the ground and as soon as they do that Hooper nods at one of his men leading The Ring member to take Manoosh into their custody.
The ring member escort Manoosh to where the 3 ladies are at and after he's secured Hooper turns around with a smug look on his face leading Chuck to plead with him. "You got what you want, let Leslie and the rest of the ladies go." he said.
"I never agreed to that Chuck."
"What? Why?" questioned Chuck.
"Simple really." Hooper walks straight up to Chuck and looks him eye to eye. "You costs us the intersect that we worked so hard to build and that just doesn't sit well with me." he said.
All of a sudden, Hooper punches Chuck right in the stomach the impact of it causes him to double over in pain to the point where he slowly drops to the ground. Bryce and Casey exude a look of sheer intensity in their eyes as they want to strike back but are unable to at the moment. They clearly see they're not only surrounded by armed Ring members, but also the hostages are currently in their clutches.
As Chuck tries to catch his breath after being punched hard in the stomach, Hooper walks over to where the ladies are who are still in a seemingly disoriented state. "You know Chuck, I am very impressed with you." he said with a sly smirk on his face.
"What for?" he coughed out gritting his teeth from the pain.
"You have two women that are fighting over you." he said. "Two attractive women." Hooper added stroking Sarah's right cheek. His attention is then focused on Sarah's gold locket around her neck. He holds against the palm of his hand and then rips it from her neck. "Any guy would be thrilled to have that happen to them. Sadly, it has never happened to me."
"Well…" He coughs out once again while holding his stomach. "…sucks to be you." Hooper walks back towards Chuck who is on the ground and he as he does he opens the gold locket. After a few seconds, he starts laughing leading Chuck to struggle a bit to look up at him. "What's so funny?"
"Cute couple the two of you make." he said dropping the gold locket on the ground in front of him. "Too bad both of you are going to die." he stated in deeply menacing tone while walking away.
Chuck's attention goes from Hooper towards the gold locket laying in front of him. He sees the picture of him and Sarah. What he then sees is the inscription in it that causes home to whisper the following 6 words: my heart is yours for all time.
As he says those words, he begins to mull it over in his mind repeating it over and over to the point where he begins to slowly recall memories. The memories of he and Sarah. He recalls memories of him at the Buy More where he first met Sarah. The time where he was standing in Weinerlicious telling Sarah they need to break up. The memory in which he kissed Sarah in what was thought to be a huge bomb.
Other memories began slowly flooding back. Memories such as him proposing in front of the lake in Poland, when Sarah let go of her grip on the helicopter Graham was on, the night he gave Sarah the gold locket on Valentine's Day. It's of those myriad of memories that flooded back to him he saw the memory of him being hypnotized by Dr. Burke telling him he doesn't love Sarah.
It's at that point, he reaches over picking up the gold locket off the ground and holds it tightly in his hand. He suddenly feels a sensation come over him and his eye begin to flutter leading him to see Chinese symbols. When he snaps out of it, he softly breathes out one name.
"Sarah."
XXX