AN: I promised to not leave a story unfinished. Since I last wrote, I started a photography business, a new school year, continue to work on my doctorate, and had a child get married. I also suffered writer's block. I even stopped reading other stories for a while. However, I am now caught up. Neale, good to see you back. Billatwork is updating old stuff. Charah44 is telling us a story and Ronnie1958 is still plugging along. Not to mention some people recently favorited my stories over the last few weeks. There is still interest. So, I sat down this weekend and forced my self to begin writing, and everything flowed. This story still has a mind of its own. I don't know where we are headed at this point. I do know Chara will see grandkids and I will not write a sad ending. I just don't know all the bumps between here and there. Stay tuned. Maybe writing here will help my block in my dissertation writing as well.
Chapter 29 – Once a Witch….
"There we were, we walked into the bank like Neo and Trinity, except Sarah is blonde, and she starts doing these amazing flips and ends up on the deposit slip counter with everyone subdued and under control." Chuck was rambling to Cole, in the back of the van, as they sat across from the bank.
"Chuck, Cole doesn't want to hear about our previous adventures. We need to stay focused on prepare to recover the data we need to end this evil cabal." Sarah was half-smiling because she still enjoyed that despite everything Chuck was always, for the most part, the same excitable Chuck.
"No, mate, go on! I can only image Sarah performing a gymnastics floor routine to gunfire." Cole smiled flirtatiously at her. Chuck did not miss it or her response of a scowl.
"Perhaps, Sarah is right. We need to focus."
"Thank you, Chuck. Alright, Cole, what is your plan?"
"My guy has the inside secured and is going to provide an opening by leaving the back entrance unlocked so that we can slide into the bank. Once inside, we need to make our way to the safety deposit vault and remove the data from boxes 73082, 92980, and 83167. Then we can"
"Wait! Hold up!" Chuck cut Cole off nearly screaming.
Cole shook his head. "Agent, huh? Walker, please handle your asset so that we can get on with this briefing."
"It's Agent Bartowski, and that applies to both of us." Sarah replied through gritted teeth and then turned in a softer tone to her husband, "Chuck, what's wrong?"
"Think about, 73082. Don't those numbers ring a bell?"
Suddenly Sarah's eyes went wide. "That's my….!"
"Yeah, I know. It was in your file when I put together Larkin's agenda."
"Well, that means, that 92980 applies to you." Sarah then turned to Cole, "and 83167 applies to you."
"Wait, you're 15-years older than Sarah? Talk about robbing the cradle." Chuck shook his head.
Cole looked back and forth between them, and then it dawned on him. "Are you saying that all three boxes are our birth dates?"
"Yes. It's a trap!" Chuck just looked Cole in the eyes, and something happened. His eyes hardened, and an icy expression came over him.
"It is indeed! I guess you're a spy after all, but you're also the Intersect, and it is time to return power to the crown and the world." Cole now had a gun trained on Sarah. "Well, Walker, this could have been something special, and who knows we might be able to work something out after you become the Widow Bartowski."
It didn't take long before Sarah could see men moving into position outside the van. Her vantage point allowed her to look through the windshield and into the street.
Cole spoke again, "Let's get out, and go inside shall we?"
Once inside, Chuck and Sarah noticed that there six men spread through the lobby. Cole walked over and quickly gave Chuck a pat-down removing his tranquilizer gun with a chuckle. "Agent." He shook his head and then moved over to Sarah.
He took both hands and slowly ran them along her body as he searched for weapons. She maintained eye contact with Chuck who seemed to notice that everyone was interested in Cole's pat-down techniques. He gave her a wink and moved into action against the two men beside him. The Intersect slowed time. He threw a vicious elbow into the face of the guy to the right of him and then immediately spun counter-clockwise upon impact. This allowed his right arm to fly into a right cross that leveled the next guy.
Cole was about to move lower when he heard the sound of Chuck taking out two of his men. Needless to say, he didn't see the knee headed his way. Sarah brought her knee up with lightning speed and crushed his nose, removed a few teeth, and sent him to dreamland. Three down and three remained.
Chuck and Sarah dove opposite directions seeking cover. The remaining three had now removed their weapons and were beginning to lay down suppressive fire. Chuck was pinned against the solid deposit slip desk and could see that Sarah had taken cover behind an overturned desk. Sarah knew neither position would hold secure, and then she saw their ticket out of there. Laying on the floor was a box of ink pens.
She quickly grabbed a handful, and with knife-like precision, she hurled them at their enemies with deadly accuracy. Chuck stood up and looked around. Then he looked over at Sarah. "That's my Jenny."
Sarah narrowed her eyes.
"You know. The first thing Chuck needs to know is that Jenny doesn't like her boyfriend asking questions about her past, and then you threw that pencil into that picture of us. I mean right into my forehead."
Sarah narrowed her eyes more, and her forehead wrinkled.
Chuck stood there for a moment, and then sheepishly continued, "That's my Sarah?"
Sarah smiled and walked over, kissed him on the cheek, and said, "Let's go see those boxes anyways."
"Sarah, those boxes are rigged."
"Ok, but let's look anyways, but before we do that, we need to secure these people."
Chuck looked down and kicked Cole, "Especially him."
"Chuck!"
He turned and looked at her. Her eyes were filled with fear and tears. He had not seen that look since he pulled Casey's tooth, burned Manoosh, and was believed to have shot Perry.
"Please, don't lose yourself because of betrayal or the evil in another person."
Chuck immediately ducked his head in remorse. "Sarah, I love you. I just get so angry when people try to hurt you."
"I know, baby, but you have shown we can be great spies and still remain human. Don't become just a spy."
Chuck nodded his head, and then walked over to a lamp in the lobby and ripped the power cord free. In moments, the power cord was tied around the former friend, rival, and temptation, Cole Barker. Beckman was going to have kittens when she found out about this turn of events. Finishing up, Chuck followed Sarah to the safety deposit boxes. There they retrieved the information without incident. If it were not for Cole, they could leave without sending for help, but unfortunately, they could not let him go free.
"Chuck, step outside and call this in. Honey, please wait outside for the cleaners and transport. I am going to take care of somethings in here."
"Mauser type things?"
"Please don't hate me or fear me, but yes, Chuck, no one can know that either of us has the Intersect. Everyone is going to go have a meeting with Mauser. Everyone except our good friend Cole Barker. He is going to answer some questions." Just before handing Chuck is tranquilizer gun she shot Cole twice. "That should keep him out until we take off."
-0-
They were flying West on an NSA chartered flight when Cole came to and realized he was chained to a chair inside a metal cage in what looked like an airplane. As everything came into focus, he smiled at the blonde sitting just outside the cage.
"Well hello, beautiful." Cole did his best to smile, but the pain from Sarah's knee proved too much.
Sarah just stared at him and didn't say a word. Anyone who saw her would have seen a woman calm and collected, but if you looked hard her jaw tight, and her finger was flexed on the trigger the gun that lay on her lap.
"Where's your a…." He stopped when he heard the safety click off. "Where's your husband? I need to talk to him."
Sarah continued to stare straight ahead.
"Fine then, pass along some information to him. Tell him I would like to talk about Operation…" Sarah ducked her head and let her fall across her face shielding her from view. "…Golden Phoenix." She sat there for a moment processing all that flooded her mind, took a deep breath and let it out. She raised her head and looked straight at Cole, got up, and walked out.
In the main cabin, Chuck was beginning the report to General Beckman. "General, we have taken out a British Syndicate cell operating in the United States."
"Yes, Agent Bartowski, I just received a briefing concerning your whereabouts and your current operation. Do you mind informing me how you and the other Agent Bartowski are operating on domestic soil without either General Casey or Special Agent Miller? You know the NSA arm of your team? Furthermore, your rogue operation may have created an international incident if Agent Barker is not in good health."
"Wait… how did you know that…"
"Chuck, hold up calling the General…" Sarah began as she walked into the cabin area not realizing the general was on the screen.
"And why would he need to do that, Special Agent in Charge Bartowski?"
"Uh, good morning, General. How much has Chuck told you about last night?"
"I just told her we took out a British cell of the Syndicate and she responded that if we injured Agent Barker, we might have started an international incident, and I have not had the opportunity to brief her on Cole's status."
"Good let me. Ma'am, I take you are aware of Operation Golden Phoenix…" She watched from the corner of her eye as Chuck flashed. "is still capable of functioning. While we did eliminate the cell, the fact that Cole is in reasonably good shape and can still function can be used to his and our advantage."
"General, in full disclosure we did not know about this operation when we took out the cell. Fortunately, we did not eliminate Cole or any member of his team, since he is operating solo. He has suffered some injuries. He has a broken nose and at least one missing tooth, thanks to Sarah."
"You know, that is what I love about you, Chuck. You couldn't hold back full disclosure if you tried and yes, that is sarcasm." Beckman shook her head and smiled.
"General," Sarah began, "Cole is still locked up downstairs. He is unaware that I possess the Intersect. When he first spoke 'Operation,' I quickly looked down to avoid him seeing a flash. As for his injuries, well like Chuck said, we didn't know, and he was getting handsy while looking for weapons."
"Be that as it may, be all this as it may, I would be remiss if I didn't reprimand you both and remind you that all of this could've been avoided had you reported to the agency before taking off for Dallas. Why did you not report?"
"We suspect a mole. Every time, every time we have drawn close to an element connected to the information from Graham it vanishes." Sarah spoke for the team, well her and Chuck.
"Again, why would you not contact me?"
"General, it is my fault, I felt it would be best to offer you plausible deniability." Chuck had stepped forward. "If anything happened, I am the most likely person to take the blame. You know… never a real agent… still a nerd… it must be so hard on them… what was Walker thinking… but also… he is the Intersect so we can't really… You know the typical stuff."
"Bartowski, are you telling me that you actually want people in the intelligence community who know about your skill set to think that way?"
Sarah had turned to look at him like he had something growing out of his forehead. Sarah had taken a lot of criticism from people she knew in the spy community. Only recently had Carina begun to realize what she and Casey already knew about Chuck. Yet, she was not far removed from the talk she heard while hunting for Quinn and she could still remember her reactions when he would do things so un-spy-like. In fact, she almost left him sitting in a holding cell because she was so mad at him for shooting down Casey's chopper instead of shooting the arms dealer. Actually, almost is not the right word. She was leaving him to sit in the holding cell alone. He was not a spy or at least not one to her specification. Just then it dawned on her, no wonder he had confidence issues when it came to her. Now to think, he wanted to be seen that way.
"No. Yes. No. General, not everything is an act. I don't like being seen as a moron or as incapable of espionage or being all spy-like sneaky, sneaky, but I don't mind being thought of as less because I am not a robot or ruthless. However, if one view means that I am seen as less capable, it does cause our enemies to underestimate me."
Sarah smiled. That was her Chuck. Always the bigger person and still full of surprises.
"General, I am going to go get Agent Barker." Sarah kissed Chuck on the cheek and exited. She didn't care if Beckman approved or disapproved.
A few minutes later Sarah returned with Cole.
"Good evening General, it's good to see you again. I hope you are going to order Agent Walker here to provide me nursing care like last time." He smiled at the screen.
Both Sarah and Beckman saw Chuck tense. "Agent Baker, I didn't order her to care for you last time, and I am certainly not going to ask her to this time. I've been on the horn with your people in MI6, and we would all like to know why you didn't identify yourself as a covert operative when the Bartowskis confronted you?"
"Simple, we were hardly alone, and I didn't find it relevant. What I did not expect was for Chuck Bartowski to go Chuck Norris in the bank. I always knew he would find his manhood somewhere along the line. I guess I never expected Walker to wait around for that to happen."
Beckman started laughing. "I am sorry. Agent Barker, I don't mean to laugh, but are you always this lost? I have seen the footage of their first encounter. Sarah looked like she had been hit by a truck and instantaneously transformed into a doe-eyed school girl when Bartowski said real ballerinas were tall."
Chuck looked at Sarah and Sarah's look back communicated, "Told you after you fixed my phone and before you started disarming bombs."
Beckman noticed their exchange. "In fact, you just missed it again. Just like you missed it the first time. Those two can communicate like they read each other's minds. I am not sure what was just "said" between them, but I can assure you that Sarah just communicated she has one up on Chuck. If you had been more aware of Chuck and Sarah, instead of Walker and her asset, you would have noticed their deep connection. Despite you talking about it, it never did set in that what you thought was infatuation was indeed a whole new level. Even I missed it for years, and almost ruined everything three times. First, with an order to eliminate Chuck. Then the order to replace Sarah, and finally, the order to bunker Chuck."
"Actually, you almost ruined it six times, General." Chuck was emphatic in tone. Sarah tied to hush him by speaking his name in a hushed tone and pinching his arm.
"Oh really, and when were the other times?"
"The bunker when the pita girl almost compromised my cover, Daniel Shaw's presence and the mission alignments you ordered, and the threat to burn Sarah."
Sarah's brow wrinkled, "You missed your red test, the adrenaline junky mission, the mental ward, and the last time you were ordered to capture me during the Quinn fiasco. However, I don't recall you ever telling me about a threat to burn me. When was this?"
"It's not important!" Both Chuck and the general spoke.
"Oh, now I know you're going to tell me." Sarah was pointing right at Chuck.
"Maybe later, but remember it is the past, and we are way beyond it now." Chuck was trying to salvage a situation caused by his runaway mouth.
Cole just stood there. "You know, it's a wonder you ever capture anyone."
"Sorry, Agent Barker, let's get back to the situation at hand. Please, fill in the Bartowskis on your mission."
"I am here in the United States as a covert operative to gain entrance into the Syndicate headquarters. Stopping you two tonight from stealing the data was to catapult me up the ranks and closer to the leaders."
"I see. Were you going to capture Chuck or me?" Sarah had to know.
"I was hoping for you, as we all know what might be discovered if Chuck here where to fall into the enemy's hands."
"Well, I am sorry, but I cannot allow myself to be captured. I've got a son at home that I need to get back to care for on a regular basis."
"Did you say a son?"
"Yes, mine and Chuck's son."
"Here I kind of hoped this was still a cover. I guess some guys really do have all the luck. Chuck, you may not know it, but you're pretty lucky considering where your life was headed before the Intersect fell in your lap."
"You know, I am growing tired of this line of thinking. General, you're right, it's time to show people who I am in reality. Cole, the Intersect was destined to be mine. I received the first Intersect in beta form at the age of nine from my father, the creator. I am a second-generation spy on my mother's side. I hold the highest retention rate in the world, only beating one other by fractions of a point. If not for Larkin, I would have been recruited, trained, given the Intersect, and likely partnered with Sarah. Larkin's interference just reordered and retimed things. In hindsight, it was probably for the best, but either way, I am doing what I was born to do in a way that I can still sleep at night? How about you?"
"Who I am is not important, and neither is why I am a spy. What is important is that it is time to get on with this mission. So how are we going to get this mission of mine back on track? Any ideas genius?"
"As a matter of fact…."
-0-
The wind was blowing hard as the doors opened. Everyone had chutes and were prepared for what was about to take place.
"Just remember, the impact has to destroy everything. First, we have the pilots radio that Cole is loose and then have the communication cut off. Next, the black box has to record, Cole, taking over the aircraft as Sarah and I jump to escape. Then, Cole, you need to call your contacts, report the pilots were killed in the takeover, and that you need extraction. Let them know you have the autopilot set to crash the plane into the mountain to destroy the data we took, and then ask for a pickup. The coordinates are already set, so let's move into action. Are you two ready?"
The pilots gave thumbs up and exited the aircraft. Chuck watched as their chutes opened. "Ok, you're up." He said pointing to Cole.
"Sarah, you ready." She smiled, gave him a kiss, and away they went.
Cole stood there smiling. It worked.
He walked into the cockpit and took over flying the craft. It was not long before he landed and taxied into a hanger on the outskirts of Denver. As he exited the aircraft, he descended into the arms of the blonde waiting at the end of the stairs. He smiled, "It worked."
"Of course, it did. All you had to do was push Walker's buttons over Bartowski, and the rest is history. Did you discover if she has the Intersect as well?"
"I couldn't tell. Walker was always a capable fighter. She took me down the night we met."
"Hmmm. I guess it doesn't matter. All I know is after Beckman put her back on the job and recorded that I was too zealous and reckless with assets, my missions went down the drain, and I want some payback."
"I know the feeling. Connection to that team about ruined my career back home. You know, Forrest, now that we have a new direction, perhaps it's time we became more than just friends and partners."
-0-
Chuck and Sarah were trekking to the extraction point. They found the clearing and sat up satellite communications. "General, how did it go? Was the crash spectacular or what?"
"We have a problem…"
