Don't own Chuck
Chuck woke up feeling stiff from sleeping on the couch. He sat down with the idea of just relaxing a little before supper Sarah promised to call him when the pizza got there. He was watching Sam play with her bunnies on the floor in front of him. Then he made the mistake of closing his eyes for what seemed a moment now opening them up he found Sam curled up next to him. He looked at his watch and realized he'd been asleep for a while.
"Where is everyone," he asked himself as he got up. He took the throw off the back of the couch and put it over Sam. He heard voices from the kitchen. It was his mother talking with someone on the phone.
"You should've told me this was about Berlin. … No, no they need to know. This thing could blow up and you put me in the middle again. … Sarah has the archive number and I lied to her I told her I didn't know anything but she didn't believe me. … Diane this is my family we're talking about. … I'm not promising anything," she said as took a deep breath. "If Casey's right then whoever stole the file has deciphered it so you need to watch your six. You're the one with blood on her hands."
"Chuck bunny," said Sam two-thirds asleep when one of her rabbits fell off the couch onto the floor. He picked it up and handed it to her caressing her face then kissing her forehead.
"Go back to sleep Sweet Pea, he said as he tucked her rabbits in next to her under the throw then kissed her again. Sam smiled as she drifted back to sleep.
"I've got to go," he heard Mary say. "I'm not promising anything and I'm not the only one who knows what happened." Mary hung up to find Chuck standing in front of her.
"Where is everyone," he asked. He knew what he had to do but he didn't like it. This wasn't the first time he had to play this dueling game with his mother.
"Alex is in the guest bedroom asleep. Sarah and Casey got called by some police Captain, a friend of his and they went to a crime scene. That was a while ago they let you sleep and said if it panned out to anything they'd call back for you. There's pizza left in the oven Sam put aside for you."
"My daughter thinks of me," he said as he took it out. "How long have Sarah and Casey been gone?"
"I would say a couple of hours more or less," said Mary looking at her watch. "If you want I can warm that up for you in the microwave. It will take only a few seconds."
"No cold is fine," said Chuck as he sat his plate on the table next to her then went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay. "Do you want a glass of Rombauer?"
"Thank you," said Mary as she held out her glass. She looked at him and tried to figure out what was going on. It wasn't what he'd said but the way he said it that made their conversation sound more like an interrogation so when the shoe dropped she really was that surprised.
"You know one of the things I love about Sarah," said Chuck as he took a sip of his wine. "She's always a mother to Sam not a spy."
"Oh Chuck, you mean unlike me. It's easy now that Sam is little you'll find out when she gets older that it won't be that easy."
"Whatever Mom, now let's talk about what the General doesn't want known. Let's talk about Berlin and it's useless to lie remember I have the intersect."
"I can't, I promised. Charles, you can understand that it's important to keep your promises. Please don't make me."
"Very well if you were anyone else I'd make you but as much as you forget I'm your son I can't forget you're my mother," said Chuck as he pushed his plate away and got up.
"Aren't you going to eat? You need to eat something," said Mary as she watched Chuck go to the living room and grab a set of keys.
"I lost my appetite. Watch Sam for me I'll be back soon and if Sarah gets back before me you can tell her to call me. I'm taking the Nighthawk."
"Chuck, where are you going?"
"To get answers."
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Sarah and Casey knew they were close to where they wanted to be because in the distance they could see flashing blue lights. Then as they approached an officer standing next to a black and white signaled them to pullover. He asked what business they had there and that it was an active crime scene.
"NSA and Homeland," said Casey as they showed the officer their badges. "I got called by Captain Flanagan to come down. Do you know where I can find him?"
"He's up on the roof of the parking garage," said the officer as he pointed it out for them. "I'll radio ahead for you so you won't get stopped and tell the Captain you're on your way."
"I'd appreciate it," said Casey. He rolled the window back up then proceeded. "You know there might be someone else you could ask about what happened in Berlin."
"Who? Everyone who was there seems to be pretty tight lipped. The General isn't talking and Mary is stonewalling me. I could try Roan but he won't come clean without the General's permission."
"If you give me a half hour with him I could get him to talk but I'm not talking about him. There's another person you could call closer to home. What other ex-spy housewife do we know that lives in Montenegro that you're related to?"
"You want me to call Emma, my mom," said Sarah. She never talked to her mother about her missing years because she really didn't want to.
"If Mary was there back then Emma should've been. She was her handler," said Casey. "If she wasn't there physically she should at least know what Mary was involved it.
"We don't talk about that period. I've never felt a compelling need to know unlike Chuck because how can you believe anything someone tells you who makes their living telling lies."
"You mean like Jack," said Casey as he pulled into the parking garage. The ground floor was illuminated with flashing blue lights and men walking around in CSI jump suits. "Do what you want to do but Chuck's right we need to try and get out in front before someone gets hurt."
"I think you mean anyone else," said Sarah as they pull up the ramp and saw a row of white sheets covering the ground.
Sarah thought she could call Emma but what if she lied like Mary. And even worse if she lied and she knew it. Then what? She'd either have to call her out as a lair or she'd have to ignore it. If she ignored it then every time she'd see Emma she'd think about it and it'd fester inside like cancer poisoning their relationship.
"Are you coming," said Casey. They had arrived and were parked. John got out but Sarah just sat there staring out the windshield so he walked over to her side to pull her out.
"What? Oh I'm sorry I was just thinking," said Sarah as she got out. Casey's Captain friend came over to them pulling them over to the edge.
"You tell me to look out for this guy then we find this. Something tells me you were half expecting something like this. Can you tell me what was going down up here?"
"How about you telling us what you know and we'll confirm what we can. I'm sorry but we're kind of operating in the dark here too."
"Yeah, like I believe you but, okay and only because of Panama. After this though we're even okay I'll go along with you. From the shell casings we're looking at two shooters," said the Captain as he explained the scenario they had put together from the evidence. "We just can't figure out how the shooters got the drop on all these men."
"That's interesting but where's Temujin?" asked Casey. "Don't tell me with this kind of body count he just walked away."
"Walked no," said the Captain and he pointed down below. "Tried to fly away but gravity got the best of him big time."
"We need to take a look at the body," said Sarah. "Have you searched it and if you did, did you find anything?"
"You mean like this," said the Captain as he held out the pen drive. "Something tells me you guys are looking for something like this? Now can you tell me what this is about? Because from where I'm standing, this looks like a drop gone bad."
"I can't say not because it's classified but because we really don't know. I can tell you something is missing but we don't know what it is. However, I can tell you that drive is government property."
"Whatever you're looking for it's not on this," said the Captain as he tossed it to Casey. "I had CSI try to read it on their laptop but it's clean. That's probably what got your man turned into Icarus and like him he got burnt. Someone worked him over before tossing him."
"What are you saying, he was tortured first?"
"Let's just say even if he could've flown he'd had some problems with his wings."
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Eva and Eve were sitting in a booth with empty plates and a bottle of maple syrup between them. They looked at each other and knew what the other one was thinking. It was time. Eve nodded her head then pulled out her laptop as Eva moved over next to her so they could see together. Eve fired up her computer then she inserted the pen drive first copying the file to the hard drive.
"So the Stasi had our father and this Colonel was supposed to ransom him back," said Eve. "That's what I read. This Colonel Beckman was wired two million dollars to ransom our father but she didn't. Why?" They searched through the document trying to figure out what went wrong.
"There read that, Agent Roan Montgomery, acting on his own was captured in the East section of the tunnel and taken by Colonel Ratting for subsequent interrogation. The Colonel requested four million dollars for the liberation of both prisoners in his possession."
"I told you that you let him die too quickly," said Eve, "We should make the old SOB twist a bit." The waitress serving the table nearby looked over.
"Keep your voice down," said Eva. "I've met this Roan guy before he was in Stanley's house when I went to get the buffer pen. I knocked him out before I went to take care of Stanley."
"And you didn't finish the job. As soon as Stanley is up and has his wits about him he'll be able to give a full description of us to his people. Then we'll have trouble putting into effect phase two without getting caught."
"Then we need to act quickly," said Eva. "We can't get at Beckman while she's in Langley and we don't know where she lives nor we don't have the time to find out. We need to get her to come to us. Someplace we can set a trap."
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Beckman was sitting in her office working even though it was late. She thought about going home but her home really was her office. Her house was more a cover than anything else. She spent most of her time here and only went home to sleep, shower and change. As she sat there her phone rang it was Mary. She put the call on speaker as she poured herself a drink.
"Mary, it's late what are you calling about? If you want to know about Roan the doctors are still holding him for observation. He should be sent home tomorrow."
"You should've told me this was about Berlin," said Mary from her tone Diane could tell she was angry with her.
"Maybe but what difference does it make... Okay you're right I should've but look at it from my perspective. I need to keep a tight lid on this. If this got out I could be ruined. No one not even Chuck is to be told about Berlin. The past is the past that's why it's called the past."
"No, no they need to know. This thing could blow up and you put me in the middle again," said Mary but the General cut her off.
"Absolutely not and that's an order. I'm sorry Mary I know you're in an awkward place here but believe me it's in the best interest for everyone."
"Sarah has the archive number and I lied to her I told I didn't know anything but she didn't believe me."
"I'm working on that just keep stonewalling and as soon as we get this file back then it'll be over and we can go back to SOP."
"Diane, this is my family we're talking about," said Mary. She could see how this could spiral out of control putting a rift between her and the people she cared for the most.
"Mary, we did what we had to do now we have to live with it. This will go away soon then we can have a drink over it and laugh about how silly we were.
"I'm not promising anything," said Mary. She took a deep breath and pause. "If Casey's right whoever stole the file now has it deciphered and if they did then you need to watch your six. You're the one with blood on her hands."
"Hard decisions had to be made and I made them. I don't need some Monday morning quarter back pointing out my mistake. I'm not ashamed of what I did and if I had to do it again I would the exact same thing."
"I've got to go," Mary say. "I'm not promising anything and I'm not the only one who knows what happened," she said as she hung up.
Diane sat down at her desk with a glass in one hand and the bottle in the other. All this talk had her thinking about where she'd come from.
"I need my chair back," said Diane as she tried to get comfortable but couldn't. She gulped down what was left in her glass then poured herself another. She closed her eyes rubbing her temples as she felt a headache coming on and as it came on she heard voices in her head.
"Four million dollars for a burnt asset and a spy who went rogue getting himself caught were he had no businesses being in the first place. That's a lot of shekels and I'm not sure if the product is worth the price."
"Admiral, we've got to do something. Roan is one of our own and the asset has worked hard for us. What would it say to the others that work for us if we let him rot?"
"It'd say don't get caught besides everything is changing fast over there. We just might not need them anymore," said the Admiral. "I'm authorizing the original two million not a cent more. You're going to have to try and get two for the price of one or play King Salomon. I'm not sure you'll make the right decision for the right reasons so I've tasked the CIA with sending an asset to assist you through this. She'll be arriving at your location in a few hours and report back to me. Your career will depend on what she says."
"And what is this agent's name?"
"Mary Bartowski. Admiral out."
The General's dream was broken when her phone rang. She reached for the receiver rubbing her forehead. The headache she had moved and was becoming more acute.
"What is it," she said abruptly. She was annoyed that someone would disturb her in her office at this hour. She must've scared whoever was on the other end because they paused before speaking. "For Heaven's sake you called me can you please speak up. I don't have time for heavy breathing."
"General the hospital just called the switchboard on another line. They said that Agent Montgomery's health has taken a turn for the worst and thought you should be notified."
"Get me a car," said the General then looking at the bottle. "You should also find a driver."
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Sarah and Casey finished up the scene with Captain Flanagan then when the Secret Service showed up they turned everything over to them bugging out afterwards. Since the people involved were embassy personnel and one was a high functionary so the Secret Service had purview. Plus after their recent run in both Casey and Sarah thought it would be best if they left as soon as they could.
"John, I've been thinking about what you said and your right," Sarah said as she pulled out her phone and started calling.
"That's nice but I'm right about what?" said John as he glanced over. Then he heard Sarah on the phone.
"Hi Margo this is Sarah, I don't know what time it is there but I need to talk to Emma on a secure line," said Sarah as she put the call on speaker.
"Congratulation, Emma told me the good news. Are you going to be able to make it over here before you deliver?"
"I don't know we'll have to wait and see," said Sarah looking over at Casey who looked back at her. Margo put Sarah on hold then went to get Emma.
"Sarah is everything all right? Molly and Razhib are in lessons they both wanted to say hi but when Margo said you wanted to talk to me on a secure line I figured I should talk to you first."
"Tell them I love them but I was in a hurry. Mom, I need information from you and I need you to tell me the truth," said Sarah as she pause to catch her breath but Emma broke in.
"This sounds ominous… You're asking for the truth must mean you've talked to Mary but she was less than forthcoming."
"Something like that, Mom we're trying to find a stolen document file taken from the deep database. It has to do with Berlin 1989 and the NSA. This event took place around the end of March beginning of April."
"Neither Mary nor Beckman said anything, did they?"
"No not a word, we keep getting told that we should concentrate on finding the missing file and not worry about what's on it. However, since it was targeted and only it there has to be a reason that makes this file important to our perpetrator. If we knew that then we can find her."
"I wish I could help you, I do. But I really don't know," said Emma. "But wait I don't want you to think I'm giving you the run around like Mary. No, I was supposed to go to Berlin with Mary but your father got arrested and I had to get him out of jail. I took leave and bailed him out while Mary went to Berlin. I asked her what happened afterwards but she was closed lip about it then she got pack off."
"So you don't know anything," said Sarah looking over at Casey. She didn't know what to believe just that she had a knot in her stomach from having to ask.
"I did hear rumors that floated about an agent that got pinched in Berlin and how we bought him out. The Admiral wanted everyone to know that we take care of our own."
"Roan," said Sarah looking over at Casey.
"That was the rumor that was going about," said Emma. "And he never denied it but he never bragged about it either."
"Probably a blow to his ego," said Casey as the townhouse came in view. "Imagine him getting into a situation he couldn't finesse his way out."
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Roan was up walking around the hospital making his rounds as he called them. He was at the nurse's station flirting with everything that had a skirt on. Roan just couldn't understand why none of the orderlies would duck out and get him a bottle of gin and vermouth. He offered to open a free bar in his room for everyone that anted to party.
"I'm sorry Agent Montgomery but the hospital frowns on doctors treating patients under the influence of alcohol. I don't think you want your surgeon taking a shot before operating?"
"Depends if it steadies his hand I would and who are these administrators to frown on a little drink between friends. They're anti-social if you ask me."
"Mr. Montgomery," said a nurse tapping on his shoulder. "You need to go back to your room so we can take your vitals."
"Just led the way," said Roan as he followed the nurse to his room. She put the blood pressure cuff on him then attached the clip on his finger. Then put the thermometer under his tongue.
"Mr. Montgomery your blood pressure is a little higher than before and your pulse is a little faster too?"
"That's because I'm near you. I love the smell of your perfume it reminds me of wild roses. Did I tell you they're one of my favorite flowers?"
"Roan you just never give up do you," said Chuck as he walked into his room carrying a helmet.
"Charles, my boy it's good to see you. He's my best student I helped him land his wife," said Roan but Roan's Doctor was less impressed.
"It's after visiting hours," said the Physician pointing at his watch. You're going to have to come back tomorrow."
"Homeland and this is a matter of national security," said Chuck as he showed the doctor his badge. "Now I need for everyone to leave please. Agent Montgomery and I need privacy."