Don't own Chuck

Chuck woke up the next day before Sarah because the light was bright that came in from outside. Its first rays fell straight into his eyes followed by the cawing sound of crows that seemed to be outside all that told him it was time to get up. He got up quietly checked on Bunny. She was still asleep curled up in a little ball still she tired from the trip was the only thing he could think of considering the noise outside. He had to do something about that before they woke Sarah up. He went over to check on Sam. He'd half expected to find her still sleeping but he found her bed was empty instead.

"Crap Sam where can you be," said Chuck as he started to panic then he remembered his conversation with Green the night before. "I know where you are."

Chuck left the room then went downstairs where the smell of freshly backed biscuits hung in the air. Then he met Roscoe coming back inside.

"You look like a man who's looking for his daughter," said Roscoe. "Don't worry she hasn't gone far. She helped me feed Boss this morning then went with the Stable Master's daughter to the stables. I saw them exercising the horses this morning."

"I guess that tells me where my daughter is too," said Clive as he came down the stairs. "If we don't go get them they'll forget about coming back up here for breakfast."

"I was going outside to have a talk with some crows. We can do that on the why," said Chuck. Roscoe and Clive both laugh.

"Just go out the door and they'll fly off but in an hour or two they'll be back. The farm nearby has corn in the field. They stop off here when the men are out in the field then return to the scene of the crime when they're gone."

"Well I can give my wife another hour's worth of sleep let's go get the girls. Oh, Roscoe you should take Mr. Green a cup of coffee and put a big heaping teaspoon of sugar in it but don't tell him you put it in it until after he drinks it."

"Why? What's going on? Is this some sort of joke," asked Roscoe as Chuck shrugged his shoulders then took off after Clive.

"Oh Mr. Carmichael," said Clive. "I got a call about our Jockey Sean O'Hair. He caught a British Airways flight out of Heathrow to Detroit then Detroit to Lexington. He should be here late evening and will need to be picked up. I'll get you a photo so you'll know…"

"Chuck, please call me Chuck but that's okay, I know what he looks like," said Chuck. He'd flashed on the name and saw him riding different horses all champions. He had a smiling face in the winner's circle but a temper to match his red hair when he was ticked off. "I'll make sure he gets picked up and brought here. There they are," said Chuck as he pointed to Sam and Alicia in the paddock with the two horses.

"Young lady you're going to have some explaining to do," said Clive. "I woke up this morning and found you gone. Who told you that you could let the horses out? I hope you fed them first."

"Of course I did, and we did everything by the book like what we do back home. I don't see what the problem is. I do this all the time…"

"The words to remember is 'back home'. We aren't back home and we're responsible for these horses. If one of them falls and breaks a leg, then it's all over with. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"

"No of course not but we were careful and we did everything that we do back home. We fed and watered them then let them out in the paddock."

"Did you walk the paddock for foreign objects that the horses could step on?" Alicia looked down at her feet. "I didn't think so. Let's get them back in their stalls then do that walk down together. Your eyes are sharper than mine."

"You're just saying that so I can save face," said Alicia. "But I do appreciate it. Sam looks like we've got to get the horses back inside."

"I'll help," said Sam as she quickly tried to slip away. But Chuck got her before she could beat feet and run inside the stable.

"Hold up there for a moment. I wake up and find you missing is so not very cool. You know what thoughts passed through my head wondering where you were. I was just talking with your mother last night that we need to keep a visual on you and your sister then I wake up to find you missing. Sam that's so not okay."

"I'm sorry but I couldn't sleep… and I didn't want to wake you or Bunny up. Bunny's my baby sister," explained Sam. "But she was sleeping so sound that I thought it would be better if I went downstairs."

"That's where you met Roscoe and his pet," said Chuck. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist. Roscoe said you helped him feed him."

"I did and he liked me immediately. He licked me all over," said Sam as she started speaking fast as she got excited describing Boss. "He liked me petting him and he begged for more…"

"Is that how you got grass stains on your clothes," said Chuck as he pointed out the green blotches on the back of her dress.

"Oh no, mommy isn't going to be happy with me, is she?" said Sam as she tried to look behind her. "I can't see is it that bad?"

"Well if Sarah and Jack get up at the same time your dress will be the last thing she'll be worried about," said Chuck as Alicia and Clive got the horses back inside then started the walk down.

"We've got this," said Clive. "Sam, why don't you go back up to your room and change your clothes before your mother sees them."

"Now that sounds like something I'd suggest," said Chuck. "Come on that's good advice then I'll get your clothes dry cleaned and your mother will be none the wiser. But let's not make this a habit." Clive laughed.

"What a father won't do for his little girl," Clive said as he looked over at Alicia. "If you're going to prevent someone from getting upset you should go on up. I'll get you that flight schedule for Sean."

"Do that and I'll meet him personally to make sure he gets picked up. Anyway, it looks like I've got to make a run into town to the dry cleaners."

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Gladys made her way through the queue for airport security and when she got to the head of the line she put her handbag in a box as well as her glasses. The man standing behind her helped her put her trolley up then she went on to the metal detector. Walking through the alarm went off so the agent had her walk back outside where she took her watch off then tried to go through again. But the alarm went off as before.

"Ma'am, do you have any metal on you that could be causing the alarm to go off that you haven't removed?"

"Oh my, might be my underwire bra? You know at my age you need all the support you can get. Do I have to take it off here," said Gladys. The man turned fifty shades of red as she started to undo her blouse.

"No… no wait a minute stop please. Let me use the wand and we'll get you through in a hurry," said the man as he looked over at his partners who were all stifling laughs. "Yeah, I'll make it fast."

"Well just watch your hands. My name is Gladys and what's yours," she asked as the man got the hand-held metal detector.

"My name is Henry and this won't take a second," he said as he waved it over one of the stanchion posts to test it and the alarm went off.

"Go ahead now that we've been introduced. You can have your way with me," said the woman. The man's colleagues had to turn away. There were people in line who were snickering when they heard the elderly woman.

As expected the wand detected the underwire in her bra but it also we off when he passed it around her waist.

"Oh, I forgot I had hip replacements. That's 100 percent titanium is that a metal?" asked the woman. "My doctor said my hips were now bullet proof."

"Yes, it is and you should've informed me when you got into the metal detector. I should have you run through the full body x-ray…"

"Is that necessary? I don't move that fast and my flight leaves soon," said Gladys as other people in the line began to murmur and look at their watches.

"Okay go ahead but next time tell the agent before you go through the metal detector about your hips because he or she might not be so understanding."

"I'll remember that and thanks again Henry, you're such a dear," said Gladys. She grabbed her things then quickly disappeared in the crowd.

Once she was out of sight she ducked into a restroom and waited for everyone to clear out. Then she went into a stall with her trolley and began her transformation. She took off the wig she had on to reveal a full head of long auburn hair. She undid her dress, pushed it down, then stepped out of it. After that she removed the prosthetic neck that gave her a double chin. She lost a good forty years and over a hundred pounds in a few seconds.

"Boy, is it good to be out of that," said Gladys as she undid the Beretta Tomcat she had taped to her thigh and silencer she had on the other. "I wonder if this is what Shakira meant when she said her hips don't lie. They might not lie but they also help you get through metal detectors."

She put her weapon in her bag and from her wig she pulled out two hair pins she put in the inside of the jacket. Once she got her costume in her trolley she came out and adjusted herself in front on the mirror. Gladys Parker was now an attractive twenty-eight year old brunette. She pulled out a phone and called a number where she had a short conversation with her employer.

"Then it's a green light. I'm heading for the plane now so once I take off there is no going back and I expect payment even if you change your mind. … I'm not saying you will I'm saying I get paid either way. Don't try to short change me this kitty has claws and will use them. … I've got to run," she said as she hung up then left heading towards the gate.

When she got to the gate she found that they were already boarding so she got in the queue. Ahead of her in line was Sean and she watched him disappear down the passenger board bridge.

"Please have your passports and boarding passes ready," said the flight attendant collecting the passes at the head of the boarding gate.

Gladys was watching Sean as she kept up with the others. She was almost at the attendant so she fished out of her bag her passport and was about to give it to her when she checked it.

"Next in line, passport and boarding pass please," said the attendant as she took the passport and boarding pass of the man in front of her.

"Crap," said Gladys. She noticed her passport still had her other picture on it. Gladys maintained her cool and licked her thumb then held it on the photo so when she handed the attendant her passport the woman had to pull a little. She gave Gladys a look.

"Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking I was a little out for a bit thinking of something else," she said but the cover photo slipped off stuck to her thumb. And as she was talking to the woman maintaining eye contact she quickly pocketed it.

"Head in the game," she told herself as she walked down the jet bridge to the plane. "Sloppy gets you caught and killed," said to herself as she boarded the plane.

"May I see your boarding pass," said the attendant just inside the plane. "Follow me and I'll get you seated," said the woman as she walked Gladys back to her seat. "You're right here on the other side of this gentleman. I'll be right back with your complimentary glass of champagne."

"Let me help you with that," said Sean as he stood up and put her trolley in the overhead bin. "I'm on the outside but if you want to exchange seats I'm fine with that too."

"I don't fly often and I'd like to look at the sights from the window," said Gladys as she took her seat. She smiled at him. "But don't I know you? Aren't you famous?"

"I was going to say the same thing. But if I had met someone who looks like you I would've remembered them. I'm sure of that."

"No, I'm serious. You've been on the telly I know I've seen you there," said Gladys as the flight attendant came back with two glasses of champagne.

"Here you go," said the woman as she placed their glasses in front of them. "As soon as we finish seating all our guests the captain has clearance so we should be taking off straight away. If you need anything just press the call button."

"Okay, I know I've seen you so are you going to tell me what you do?" said Gladys as she feigned interest in Sean and he ate up the attention which was what she was counting on.

"Well my height should give it away. I'm a jockey and you might've seen me on some of sports newscasts in the winner's circle. That's where I'm headed to now… to ride another horse in a race. Although this race is more for show than I'm really supposed to push the horse to win."

"Really that sounds so interesting if you don't mind I'd like to hear more," said Gladys as she leaned over to get near to Sean. He caught the scent of her perfume and it was intoxicating for him. He didn't know if it was the champagne or her perfume but his head as spinning.

"Okay but first tell me something about yourself," said Sean. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven. Nothing like this had even happened to him before. He'd won the lottery without buying a ticket.

"What's there to say? I was engaged to someone forever who turned out not to be the man I thought he was so we broke up. I told my sister who married a yank and she invited me to come and say with her in Lexington… Kentucky that is. I don't know if you know where that's at but I'm going to stay with them for a couple of weeks."

"That's funny… no that you broke up with your boyfriend I mean but that's where I'm headed too. The race I was telling you about is being held there and I don't want to brag but I'll be mounting her Majesties steed. She wants to show the horse off before she sells it then she wants to buy another one at an auction. Something about putting new blood in her breeding stock."

"You make that sound so interesting especially the part about breeding," she said as she looked into his eyes.

"Thank you… I think but that's why I'm going to Lexington. Not for breeding I meant but to race the horse like I said. Wait a minute I know why don't you come and watch me race. If you've never been to a horse track I can give you the complete tour."

"That would be wonderful if it's no problem for you. I don't want to get you into any trouble with anyone," she said as she reached over and put her hand on his. His heart skipped a beat.

As they were talking the plane rolled out on the tarmac then out to the takeoff queue and was in the air before he noticed they'd left London behind. He only knew that because the flight attendant came by asking what they wanted for dinner.

"I'll have the slow braised Herefordshire beef cheek with mature Cheddar cheese potato au gratin with baby shallots and gingered carrots," said Gladys.

"I have to stay light or I'll tip the scale when I weigh in so I'll have the sustainably sourced fillet of cod with almond satay style sauce, steamed jasmine rice and aubergine curry."

"I never thought about it but your job makes you almost like a top model where you have to watch what you eat."

"I never thought about it but you're right. I guess Giselle and I have something in common other than looks," said Sean as they both laughed.

"I guess you do."

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It was almost noon back at Langley. General Beckman got her pound of flesh from the director of the Secret Service. She got him on the line and first yelled at him from not getting back to her as well as avoiding her calls. Then she lit into him over the lack of security in Lexington as well as the possibility that at least one of the people on the farm was a mole for whom they weren't sure but with all probability working for some sinister organization.

"Well he won't forget that chewing out for a long time," said the Major as Connie brought in the General's coffee and sat it down in front of her then walked back out.

"Thanks Connie," she said then she took a sip. "I wouldn't hold my breath on that. He knows I have no real power to hang him with… only the president does. The president could remove him but right now POTUS can't be seen as meddling in this. The last thing he wants is to rock the boat with the British right now because they're one of our strongest allies and we need them. We share a common history that goes back to the very first settlers and no other country has the same love-hate relationship as the one we have with the United Kingdom."

"Then what do you want us to do," said the Major as Connie walked in again. The General held up her hand to signal Connie to wait.

"I expect you and everyone else to be vigilant. This is not the time to let our guards down. That means we should pursue every lead that comes along. We can't afford to be caught with our pants down like the secret service in the Ford Theatre or Dallas or the Washington Hilton. We don't make those kinds of mistakes. Now go make it happen. Connie, you wanted something when I cut you off."

"Yes, I have agent Miller of the ATF. She's asking that we provided a vehicle to do some recon they need to see to."

"That's strange why didn't either Agent Carmichael or the Colonel call to asked for it? Why do I need to provided her with a vehicle… well I guess she can't ask for one from her people seeing she's on loan to us. I just can't get over this feeling we're being used. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Put her through," said the General. Major stay here and listen in."

"Ma'am I didn't know my request had to go all the way up the flagpole to get approved. I just need a vehicle to make a trip into town. I've got a couple of leads I'd like to run down."

"Really? Do you feel like sharing with the rest of the class? Where are agents Carmichael? Why didn't they call me instead of you," asked Beckman as she raised an eyebrow. "This isn't like the Nadan-I-Noor diamond the team took off Peyman Alahi and you tried to run off with? Then of course there's Prague incident."

"They explained how that was all a big misunderstanding," said Carina. "You're not going to let me live that down are you."

"No, I'm not because… well if it's brown, smells and draws flies you can be pretty sure it's not Nutella," the General so where is the rest of the team?"

"Chuck is out walking the perimeter. There still aren't any additional agents and Sarah's trying to maintain cover with the managers of the horse farm. If you don't want to give me this rental I understand but it's on you in the event something happens."

"Hold up I didn't say I wasn't going to authorize you one. I'll my Major have one delivered in a little while. Can I do anything else for you?"

"No that's all I need for now," said Carina. "I'll get out of your hair. I'm sure you have other things to do with your time."

"That I do," said Beckman. Then she hung up and looked at her Major who he nodded back. He knew what he had to do.