Thanks for the reviews. Apparently this wasn't a dynamic any of you were looking forward to, but it's alright. This is just a small arc within the main story. I still like hearing your opinions on what you thought and all ideas help me. If you ever want to ask a question or get an update on the next chapter, feel free to PM me or follow me on Twitter: My Twitter name is "LittleCandyMan" and this site won't allow the at symbol. Warning: I have been known to drunk twit.
I do not own Chuck.
March 12, 2005
"This is bullshit!" Bryce growls as he paces back and forth through the inside of the plane. "I can control the Intersect! I'm fine for this."
"Look," Sarah gently explains, "it's not a matter of controlling the Intersect. It's just not worth risking something happening."
"Chuck's life isn't worth the risk?" Bryce guffaws irately. "He doesn't know anything about this diamond and if they find out, he's as useless to them."
"Don't," Jesse softly interrupts, knowing how his words will sink into Sarah and only feed the blonde's worries.
Bryce sucks in a long calming breath. "I'm sorry," he sighs as he runs his hands down his face. "It's just Chuck is my friend and he would risk his life for me and you guys aren't letting me risk my life for him."
"The Intersect nearly made you switch teams," Casey grunts. "We don't know what else it's capable of doing."
"That wasn't the Intersect," Bryce retorts in a seething tone. "That was Shaw's plan to trick all of us."
"We're going to get Carmichael back," Casey assures calmly as he pulls back the slide of his silenced M4 assault rifle. "Miller too."
"This is unfair," Bryce huffs as he collapses into an empty seat, his shoulders slumping.
"You'll have that thing out of your head soon and then you'll be part of every mission," Jesse assures sweetly as she steps up to him and kneels in front of him. She frames his cheeks in her hands and presses a gentle kiss to his lips. "And maybe we can finally consummate our relationship," she whispers softly, knowing how badly he has wanted to bring some physicality into their relationship, but was sincerely keeping quiet about his pleas waiting for her to be ready to take the next step.
His eyes instantly shoot up to look into hers. "Yea?" He starts to smile at her, looking forward to the physical intimacy.
"I promise," she nods and presses another kiss to his lips.
"We jump in five," Casey hands Sarah a M4 rifle with the suppressor already attached and a reflex sight to help with aiming down the sights. Sarah takes the gun and studies it closely as Casey walks over to Jesse and Bryce. "Here," he hands Jesse another silenced M4 with the reflex sight.
"Thanks," Jesse smiles up at Casey.
"Strap your helmets on and get ready," Casey orders as he slides his tactical helmet onto his head with the night vision goggles attached. "It looks like they are being held inside a compound atop a hill surrounded by trees and forestry," Casey explains seriously. "This is dangerous territory for dropping into. Your chute can easily get caught on a tree. Look for an opening between the trees that is large enough for the chute to fit. We can't be coming back for you because you're stuck hanging in a tree. Got that?"
Sarah snaps in the full magazine of 5.56mm bullets. "Yea, I got that," she states with ferocity and confidence as she holds the rifle sideways and stares down the sleek metallic death machine.
March 12, 2005
Sarah somersaults along the shrubbery and dirt before quickly getting back to her feet. She quickly reels in her parachute before the wind can affect it. After folding it and storing it in her pack, she turns the microphone connected to her neck on. "I've got a visual on the cabin," she explains as she looks up the hill she is going to have to trek. "It's at the top of the hill to my northwest."
"Roger that," Casey responds after hearing Sarah through the earpiece in the helmet. "I found a road leading up to the cabin on the south side. Let's meet one hundred feet from the cabin."
"Roger that," Sarah responds. "Jesse?"
No answer.
"Dammit, Willows," Casey grumbles. "Don't tell me you got caught on a tree."
"What? No," Jesse chirps suddenly. "I just overshot the landing a bit."
"Where are you?" Casey demands.
"About five hundred feet northwest of the cabin," Jesse replies.
"Shit," Casey huffs. "Make your way towards the cabin. You're going in from behind. Just watch your six and keep radio contact."
"Will do," Jesse responds before heading towards the cabin with her rifle aimed ahead of her.
March 12, 2005
Casey and Sarah stealthily climb the hill and hide behind a fallen tree fifty feet away from the cabin. Casey leans over just enough to scope out the compound. Almost immediately, headlights flash him and he drops down. "Stay down," he grunts as he flattens himself to the earth. "A truck is leaving."
"You think they're in there?" Sarah whispers slightly worried of what the answer could be.
"No, they have no reason to move them." Casey replies.
"Okay," they remain seeded to the earth until the truck passes them, the bed filled with men speaking in loud Arabic as they hold their AK-47 assault rifles in their hands. "Seems like something's riled them."
"I know what you mean," Casey responds.
"You think they escaped?"
"It's possible," Casey lifts himself to a crouch. "Let's head inside and make sure." It's either they escaped or they're already dead; or worst of all, Miller is now their plaything.
They creep closer to the compound when they see two men step out of the front entrance. They both find a tree to hide behind. Casey looks over at Sarah and puts up three fingers. "We take them out in three," he whispers to her.
Sarah nods after hearing him through her earpiece. "I'll take the one on the right. You get the left."
"Three," Casey counts down calmly.
"Two."
"One."
They both flip around the trees they are using as cover and line their sights with the enemies' heads. Two puffs of air resonate throughout the night air and the two enemies fall over with a spray of blood fanning out of the top of their heads.
"Go, go," Casey and Sarah hurry to the front door, Sarah on the right and Casey on the left. "They still don't know we're here. Keep it quiet." Sarah nods. "Willows, we're you at?"
"I'm nearly there," she responds slightly out of breath. "I thought Pakistan was all desert."
"Just keep cautious." Casey looks over at Sarah. "Open on three. Then we clear."
"Three," Sarah nods as she tightens her grip on her rifle.
"Two," she reaches for the handle of the door.
"One," she spins the handle and pushes the door open.
Casey steps into a hallway that reaches to the other end of the cabin. "Clear," he whispers as Sarah stalks in behind him with her gun raised to her shoulder and aiming down the sights. Casey slides to the left side of the hallway as Sarah glues herself to the right side.
They both slowly and cautiously walk through the hallway as if they are attached to the walls. Casey reaches a door and Sarah looks around it from her position. After accessing the room of three men sitting around a table as they fill up magazines with bullets, Sarah locks eyes on Casey and raises three fingers.
Casey nods and stands tall. Sarah crouches down and steps beside Casey. "I'll take the two on the right. You take the one on the left," she whispers and he nods.
Sarah spins around the open door in her crouched position as Casey leans around the doorframe. Sarah fires two quick shots into the heads of her two targets as Casey takes his target out with a single shot to the cranium.
"Keep moving," Casey orders as Sarah gets back to her side of the hallway. A man steps out of a door on Sarah's side only ten feet down. He zips his pants up as the door shuts behind him. The enemy turns his back towards Sarah and Casey as he leisurely walks down the hallway.
"He's mine," Sarah slides her knife from its sheath against the right side of her chest. She swiftly stalks up to the enemy and covers his mouth with her left hand. With lightning speed, she slices the knife across the enemy's throat and gently lets the enemy drop to the ground as he bleeds out in seconds.
Casey and Sarah reconvene at the door the man just exited. The fact he just zipped up his pants could be a horrible sign for Carina and Sarah suppresses the horrible thoughts. "Ready?" She whispers evenly as she grips the door handle.
"Yea," Casey aims his gun ahead of him. Sarah opens the door and Casey barges in with his gun at the ready. He quickly checks all corners and realizes he is in a bathroom with a single toilet and sink. "Clear," he hisses. "I'm coming out."
"Roger," she turns her back to the bathroom and looks down the hall where they've yet to have gone. Casey steps out behind her and sticks to his side of the hallway.
They continue down the hallway when Sarah reaches another door on her side. The doorway is open and it looks like the frame is chipped on her side. "Ready?"
"Go," Casey commands with his gun aimed in front of him.
Sarah steps into the room with her gun aimed in front of her as she checks all corners and Casey quickly steps in behind her, quickly assuring it is empty. "Clear," he responds when he sees Sarah reaching up over her head where rope is hanging with two strained loops.
"This must be where they were holding them," Sarah states solemnly as she feels the braided rope with her thumb. "But where are they now?" She questions as she notices the ropes on the other side that are untied.
"We're not too late," Casey assures her, knowing where her mind is going. "They must've escaped." He knows how hard it must be for her because it is the love of her life and her friend. Casey just hopes he is right. "We need to capture someone alive and find out for sure," Casey commands as he places a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Ready?"
"Yea," she lugs her rifle back to her shoulder as they head out and back into the hallway. They reach the end of the hallway and after Casey peeks around the left corner to ensure it is safe, they continue through it. They reach a door on the right that is busted, but barely hanging from the hinges.
"Looks like someone kicked the door in," Casey explains as he studies the door.
"Or out," Sarah responds, hoping that it was Chuck and Carina escaping.
"I'm at the compound," Jesse chirps in. "I took out the sentry and I'm just outside the north side of the building."
"You see a busted door?" Sarah asks.
"Yea," Jesse responds.
"We're right in there," Sarah informs Jesse.
"Roger that," Jesse hurriedly steps over to the damaged door. "Coming in," she informs them before stepping in to see Casey and Sarah standing with their guns aimed down both ends of the hallway.
"Let's keep moving," Casey orders as he continues through the hallway with Sarah on the right side and Jesse watching their backs. Casey reaches a door on his left and stops them. "We need someone alive. In three, we bang and clear. Willows, watch our six."
"Roger," Jesse responds.
"Three," Casey pulls a flashbang from his belt.
"Two," he pulls the pin as he grips the grenade tight.
"One," Sarah turns the handle and opens the door just enough for Casey to lob the grenade in. Sarah quickly shuts the door. They hear someone say something in hurried Arabic before a muffled blast causes the door to tremble and some dirt to drop from the ceiling. Sarah pushes the door open and Casey steps in. Sarah steps in behind him to see two men on all fours as they struggle to move from the disorientation. One of the enemies grabs his ears from the painful ringing the flashbang caused. Casey lets his rifle hang on his shoulder as he pulls out his silenced M1911 pistol and fires a single shot into the enemy's head.
Casey grabs the other enemy and lifts him to his feet. Casey throws him against the wall and presses his pistol to the enemy's chin. "Where are they?" He growls.
"Ah… fuck," the man groans as his senses slowly start to come back.
"Where are they?" Sarah pulls out her silenced pistol and fires a shot into the enemy's left kneecap. She doesn't have time for this. Chuck and Carina can be in perilous danger.
"Fuck!" The man screams in pain as he drops to his right knee.
"Walker!" Casey warns as he lifts the enemy back to his feet.
"Sorry," she icily states without meaning it at all.
"What the fuck do you want?" The enemy cries from the excruciating pain.
"Where're the girl and the guy?" Casey demands as he lifts the man from the wall and pushes him back against it.
"I don't know!" He quickly shouts. "I don't know," he slows down slightly. "They escaped. That bitch escaped with my diamond!"
"Which way did they head?"
"I don't know!" The enemy retorts. "When we came back to torture them, they were gone! I swear!"
"By torture, do you mean rape?" Sarah presses the barrel of her silenced pistol into the man's bullet wound. She doesn't tolerate disgusting pigs like this man.
"Ahh!" The enemy screams in pain. "Yes! Yes!" He sobbingly confesses.
"Did you rape her?" Sarah digs the barrel deeper into the enemy.
"No!" He cries out. "Please stop! It hurts!"
"Does it?" Sarah crooks her head maniacally. "You were going to do the same thing to them."
"I know, I know," the enemy's body becomes completely limp and he falls to the ground.
"He doesn't know anything more," Sarah states venomously as she holsters her pistol. "Just put him out of his misery." She walks out of the room and hears a single muffled shot before Casey steps out. "They could've gone any way," Sarah explains. "We need to fan out and search for them. Jesse, head west. Casey, take the east. I'll take north. Keep radio contact."
"Damn," Jesse grumbles as she was already somewhat over there.
"We search till we find them," Sarah walks out of the compound through the busted door and looks up at the moon. There's only a few hours of night left.
March 12, 2005
"Still nothing?" Sarah grumbles as she reports in as she treks through the forest. The sun is just beginning to rise over the horizon leaving the forest in a gray yellowish filter.
"Nothing but trees and bushes," Casey answers.
"Same here," Jesse gives her answer.
"Dammit!" Sarah huffs as she reaches a river. "Now I need to cross this damn river. Fuck!" She is exasperated from searching and she is very near losing her temper.
She looks up and down the river, hoping there is a way without having to jump in the water. She can tell it is approximately five feet deep and she really doesn't want to deal with wet clothes. She sees a tree that would be perfect if she only had an axe. Her knife is not going to cause much damage to the tree. She glances down the river and sees it narrow slightly and decides that would be her best bet.
She walks the thirty yards and finds the water has thinned greatly with large rocks protruding from the ravine. She knows how dangerous it is to walk across wet stones like these, but she trusts her instincts and catlike reflexes to sprint across the rocks. Each stride ends on a rock as she reaches the last rock before successfully crossing. Her left foot slips slightly and she feels her body falling towards the left. She quickly reaches for the first thing she can grab and grips some roots from a tree on the edge of the ravine. She hooks her feet to the side of the ravine as her heels dangle in the water. She swiftly and strongly pulls herself up and onto the land.
"Damn," she sighs as she knows how close she was to possibly hurting herself or worse. She almost pulled a Bridge To Terabithia, one of the few books she still remembers from her spotty schooling. She glances up at the moon to see it nearly gone and the sun starting to rear its bright head. She quickly shakes off the nerves and continues heading north.
March 12, 2005
"Um… Sarah?" Jesse speaks up in an unsure tone. "I've kind of reached the end of the forest. There's sand here."
"Dammit," Sarah grumbles as she knows they wouldn't risk the desert without food or water. "Try moving north along the edge of the forest. Maybe they'll be somewhere there."
"They could've headed south," Casey muses.
"But they escaped on the north side," Sarah explains. "There's no reason for them to risk being caught as they walk around the compound." Sarah climbs over a log and wipes sweat brewing on her brow with the sleeve of her right arm. "Just keep looking. They have to be here somewhere."
"Fine," Casey responds disheartened as he knows that between the three of them, the odds are very slim. They would have much greater odds with a full search and rescue team but don't have the resources for it.
Sarah licks her lips as she realizes how thirsty she is. She almost wishes she stopped and drank a little of the river water just to rehydrate herself. She presses her thumb and forefinger against her eyes as she leans her left hand against a tree. As she removes her hand from her face, she opens her eyes to see a sparkle of silver twenty yards to the northeast. She stalks closer to the glimmer in the forest when she finally sees what the glimmer is from.
Carina's dress is strewn across Chuck and Carina as they are huddled together. Chuck's naked arms are gently resting around her chest as he is sleeping in just his boxers. Carina has his white undershirt and his jeans on. Chuck's dress shirt is tightly wrapped around her abdomen.
She walks up to them and stands over her lover and her friend. She juts out her hip and plants her hand on it. "You really had to go all the way to Pakistan to have an affair?" She quips with a grin.
Chuck's eyes open instantly at the sound of Sarah's angelic voice. He looks up to see his blonde angel standing above him in an all-black tactical outfit. "Sarah?" He croaks in surprise. "Sarah!" He realizes it isn't a hallucination and the excitement courses through him. He quickly stands up and hugs her tightly. "Sarah, I missed you so much!" He plants hundreds of fervent kisses on her lips as he tastes her sweet nectar for the first time in what felt like years.
She hugs him tightly in relief that he seems to be fine other than slight malnourishment, a smile growing on her lips as she enjoys Chuck peppering her lips with quick kisses. Carina slowly gets to her feet as she fights away the groan of pain trying to escape her lips from her rib injury. She stands tall as she watches the woman she loves with the man she loves, happy for them.
"Are you guys okay?" Sarah asks with concern.
"Carina's got an injured rib but otherwise we're fine," Chuck responds tiredly as relief rushing over him knowing they are now safe.
"It's not that bad," Carina placates with a small grin.
"I'm glad you're alright," Sarah gently hugs her friend. "And this is why I need to keep my boyfriend away from you," she jokes lightly.
"You can have him," Carina pretends like Chuck disgusts her. "Can you believe he didn't once try anything with me? How rude!"
Sarah smiles brightly as she runs her hand through Chuck's dirty hair. "That's my Chuck," she turns to look at her honest trustworthy boyfriend. "Guys," Sarah speaks into her microphone, "I found them. They're okay."
"Finally," Casey huffs a huge sigh.
"I have to agree with Casey on this one," Jesse speaks up. "Finally!"
Sarah laughs before turning off her microphone.
Chuck and Carina share a meaningful glance when Chuck suddenly states, "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back. Just don't get kidnapped while I'm gone."
"We won't," Sarah responds jovially. "Just hurry back."
"Will do," Chuck waves as he heads out of earshot and sight.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sarah questions with true gentility.
"I'm fine," Carina fiddles with her hands as she knows why Chuck disappeared. It is now or never to tell Sarah how she feels, but for the first time in her life, she is nervous and scared.
Sarah notices the distress in Carina's body language. "Are you sure everything's alright? I'll understand if you had to do things you'd normally regret."
"Not exactly," Carina faintly grins. "Well, there were but not in the way you'd think."
"What do you mean?" Sarah furrows her brow.
"Well, let's just say Chuck is no longer shy about his body around me," Carina cheekily smiles, hoping Sarah doesn't take it the wrong way.
"You better not have," Sarah grunts angrily. "How could you, Carina?"
And she took it the wrong way. "We didn't do anything," Carina quickly explains. "I shouldn't have put it that way. It's just we kind of had to strip to cross the river so we spent some time without our clothes on. But we didn't do anything more than talk."
"You better not have," Sarah spats out hatefully. "You know how I feel about him."
"I know and that's why I shouldn't tell you this," Carina sighs tiredly.
"Tell me what?" Sarah questions, her mind instantly thinking of the worst. "What did you and Chuck do? Tell me," Sarah demands calmly, not sure if she really wants to know the answer. "You better not have had an affair with him," tears start to form in Sarah's eyes. When Carina remains silent, Sarah loses her temper. "Tell me now!" She has never been in a relationship like this and is constantly afraid Chuck will find someone better, someone who can express their feelings better than she has. Chuck doesn't know anything about her past, yet still loves her with all his heart. She doesn't want what they have to ever end and still has those worries.
"I love you!" Carina huffs out as her shoulders slump in relief of getting the words out.
"You love me?" Sarah flinches back in shock. She chews on her lower lip for a few seconds in thought. "Like as a friend?"
"As a friend who wants so badly to get into your pants," Carina charmingly smiles, knowing how horrible her tactfulness was here, which is in complete contrast to the rest of her world. She's never been this confused and nervous in her life.
Sarah remains silent for a long thirty seconds chewing on her lower lip in deeper surprised thought before finally quietly responding, "I don't know what you want me to say to that."
"I don't want you to say anything," Carina assures gently. "This wasn't even my idea."
"Whose ideas was it? Why would you lie about loving me?" Sarah furrows her brow in complete confusion. Who would tell Carina to lie about loving me?
"It's not a lie," Carina sadly confesses. "I do love you, Sarah. I have for some time now. But it was your stupid boyfriend's idea to tell you."
"I don't get it," Sarah's face softens as she sees her friend in a tough predicament.
"I don't either," Carina huffs agitatedly. "I was perfectly fine with keeping it to myself but *he,*" Carina points off towards where Chuck disappeared to, "asked me to. How is he is so damn sweet? It's disgusting. It's like he seeps into your skin," Carina explains with a disgusted expression, "and makes you… a *better* person." Carina shivers at the thought of becoming a generally sincere person.
"Because he's amazing," Sarah admiringly smiles towards where Chuck disappeared to. "So Chuck's not actually going to the bathroom, is he?" She quickly realizes by his long absence.
"No, he's just giving us some alone time," Carina responds with a pained smile.
"And when we made out in front of Marchelli?" Sarah wonders with a knowing smirk, remembering Carina making advances on her under the guise of the mission.
"Was one of the greatest moments of my life," Carina smiles seductively. "At least I was nice enough not to finger you through your panties."
"I guess there's that," Sarah rolls her eyes with a grin, knowing there is nothing she can do about it now except for laugh about it.
"I really did enjoy it," Carina humbly admits. "No matter how platonic it was for you."
"But Carina," Sarah sincerely reminds, "I'm… I'm just… I love him and I'm well," she shrugs innocently, "not into women; or at least in the way you are."
"You think I don't know that?" Carina huffs with her arms spread out. She groans and closes her eyes from the pain in her ribs. "I just want you to know that you'll always have me as a friend and I'll be there for you."
"Thank you, Carina," Sarah gently hugs Carina, being cautious of her ribcage. "And I do love you, Carina," Sarah admits, taking a page out of Chuck's book of verbally expressing your emotions instead of bottling them and burying them deep down inside. "You're my first real friend," she admits sadly, remembering how tough her childhood was, "and you'll always be my friend."
"So now would be a bad time to grab your ass?" Carina jokes as she tightens her hold on Sarah's lower back, pressing their bodies close together. She has realized that confessing her emotions to Sarah has really lifted the heaviness that seemed to be crushing her chest. She is surprised by the feeling of freedom and the clarity of her emotions and mind. She almost feels renewed and excited to get back to the world as her newly reborn self.
"Yes," Sarah deadpans, overjoyed to have her playful Carina back.
"So we're on for the threesome?" Chuck asks as he rubs his hands together with mock anticipation, joining the two women.
"No," Sarah states flatly as they release the embrace.
"Oh, come on," Carina pleads with a puppy dog pout, "Chuck's already in."
"Are you, Chuck?" Sarah crooks her neck to stare at Chuck with a maniacally fear inducing look.
"Um… well…" Chuck crumbles under her fearful gaze. "I was just joking. You're more than enough woman for me."
"Are you calling me fat?" Sarah acts appalled.
"Are you?" Carina demands as her expression takes on one similar to Sarah's. "Because I think she looks fantastic. Just look at that perfect ass."
"What? No! This isn't fair!" Chuck sputters nervously and fearfully. "You know that's not what I meant. Please don't kill me," he squeezes his eyes shut and flinches back a bit as the two girls stalk closer to him.
"You're so adorable when you're nervous," Sarah smiles brightly as she runs her hand through his hair. "Let's go home."
"So no threesome?" Carina acts depressed as she deflates sadly.
Chuck wraps an arm around her shoulders. "I know," he acts saddened by the revelation. "I wanted it too, but—Ow!" Sarah playfully punches Chuck in the arm.
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