Don't own Chuck
The CO of the Alexandria wasn't happy, two harpoons away and both a miss. They had managed to destroy a good portion of the quay wall and the Russian finished the damage when she broke her mooring lines. The Russian submerged as soon as she cleared the pier in barely enough water but enough so the second harpoon flew over her bow.
"Can someone tell me how we missed? Stand by tubes one and two," yelled the Captain as he watched through the periscope as their prey slip under the waves. "Fire one and two, let's get it right this time."
"One and two away," said the XO then they prepare themselves by for the detonation. Five hundred yards and closing, three hundred yards, two... Crap what just happened? Their signal disappeared and the torpedoes passed the Russian."
"Turn them around and make another pass this time set for remote detonation in proximity," yelled the Captain.
"I've got two fish in the water," yelled an OS but before he could finish the Captain screamed orders for evasive maneuvers.
"Standby for impact," yelled the Captain. They waited but there was nothing. "What the heck just happened?"
"Sir, I was trying to tell you they launched two fish against out torpedoes and detonated them in proximity to take them out."
"Tubes ready, Sir," said the XO as the Captain pause. "Sir, tubes ready. Do you want me to give the order to fire?"
"Fire at what do you see a target to fire at? They've gone silent again but something isn't right. Why haven't they fired at us? That maneuver to take out our fish," he said thinking out loud. "They could've fired forward and aft at the same time but they didn't."
"Sir... Sir," yelled the Comms officer as he ran on the bridge. We've just receive a message from the Russian and you're going to want to read this."
"Give it to me," said the CO. He read it then scratched his head. "Take us up to periscope depth and contact Langley I need verification. Send a message back to the Russian and ask him who won the 1994 World Series the Yankees or the Expos?"
"Sir with all due respect," said the XO. "I wouldn't know the answer to that so I don't see that as a good way to verify the authenticity of the sender."
"Sir, I got an answer back to your question," said the Comms Officer. This time the captain motioned for him to read it. "Well, it starts out ha, ha, ha, nice try – trick question. No World Series in 1994, players strike. Series only cancelled twice 1904 and 1994. Now can we talk face to face about a surrender?"
"Let's bring her up," said the Captain. "Prepare to surface. I just might be able to get that tour after all. Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus."
"Sir, we just received confirmation from Langley. They say there is an Agent Carmichael and he's one of ours."
"Of that I've no doubt. The man knows his baseball."
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Before on board the Russian Submarine...
Petr was trying to get the sub away from the pier into deep water where he could evade the American then counterattack or escape. He couldn't believe his luck when the first harpoon missed hitting aft striking the quay wall then when the second one did the same he thought for sure this was a godsend. But in the confusion no one was watching Chuck or their Captain. Chuck put in his earbud then activated his comms device he had it routed through the sub's radio to boost the signal to reach all the way to Langley.
"Sarah, love do you read me," radioed Chuck. The line crackled a bite but then he heard her voice in his ear. He smiled at the Captain and nodded his head. "I suppose I can thank you for those near misses."
"What did I tell you about being the hero? You and I are going to have a long talk when I get a hold of you. I have Langley on the other line I have a feeling they're not happy about those near oopsies."
"Don't worry about them now I installed the black box on the sub. You should be able to take control of all their automated systems. Do it now."
"Oh Chuck, I don't know about this. I know how to fly a plane not sail a boat and I'm not flashing. Is this such a good idea?"
"Love the dynamics of a submarine is like a plane. Take control you'll be fine. Lock down the boat and seal the watertight hatches."
"We've got incoming," Chuck heard from the bridge. "Sarah shut down the reactor and have us go silent."
"Evasive maneuver," yelled Petr but there was no place to go to get out of the way. Suddenly the lights blinked and everything went silent. "What was that?"
"The reactor stopped we've lost power throughout the boat right now we're on batteries. I've lost intercommunications with the rest of the boat."
"Sarah, bring us up fifty meters and hold," radioed Chuck as he pushed his way onto the bridge. "I'm in control of your boat now and you will do what I say if you want to live."
"I ought to kill you right here," said Petr growling. "Give my helmsman back steering or you're going to get us all killed.
"Maybe you should kill me but that will get you and the rest of your men killed too," said Chuck. Sarah had some choice words to a say about his dare. "Sarah, I'm putting you voice over the ship's intercom so everyone will know you're in command. Excuse me," said Chuck as he moved the comms officer out of the way so he could flash on the instrument panel.
"This should work now. Sarah, you should be able to hear me now and we you. Hold us at our current depth and speed."
"Fifty meters to impact," yelled one of the men as he tracked it on the scope. "Thirty yards and closing."
"Well you can tell your friend good bye," said Petr as he braced himself in. The same man started a ten count but when he got to zero there was nothing.
"What just happened?" asked Petr he had expected to feel the explosion then oblivion but there was nothing.
"The fish passed under us but are turning they're coming back," said the man now looking at Chuck for help.
"You fooled them once but we won't a second time," said the Captain coming on the bridge. "I'd come in close then use a proximity explosion. I don't need a skin to skin just an explosion close enough to force us up or send us to the bottom."
"Recommendations, I'll take anything short of sinking them," said Chuck. "I'm all ears; you're the one with the experience."
"Fire tubes one and two aft with a proximity explosion set for fifty meters. We'll get thrown around in the wake but nothing like if theirs gets us."
"Sarah, you heard the Captain one and two away," said Chuck. "Do a ten count then detonate. All hands brace for impact." There were multiple explosions aft of the Russian. The submarine seemed to pivot then got pushed sideways towards the American submarine.
"Sarah, we need power if we're going to avoid a collision," said Chuck as he looked at the indicators on the helm. "Give us full rudder and bring us back on course. See I told you just like flying a plane."
"I'll let you think that. I've got all sorts of messages from people asking what we're doing. What do I need to tell them?"
"I don't know. So Petr do you surrender or do we need to go another round of cat and mouse? I could just end this all now by having your reactor jettisoned. But that would make everyone irate though starting with the people here in the Falklands. I will if I have to but that wouldn't be very healthy for your people in the engine room."
"Okay, you win," said Petr as stood there resolute and stoic but Chuck wasn't going to let him off that easily.
"Okay what? No we all need to hear you say it especially your Captain," said Chuck. Captain Primack smiled enjoying the moment. "Do you surrender?"
"Yes, yes okay I surrender. What else do you want from me," said Petr seeing the futility of his position. He handed Captain Primack his pistol. The mutiny was over.
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Casey drove behind Frank on the same gravel road they had come in on. Just before they reached Hill Cove a bunch of vultures took to the sky screaming as they flew off upset that their feeding was disturbed. As the birds took to flight one of them took a snack too heavy to carry that was how a foot dropped on the hood of the Rover Defender.
"Gez was that what I thought it was?" said the General as she jumped up to look. Casey turned on the wipers to knock it off.
"I'd say that was one foot in the wrong direction," said Casey as he stayed behind Frank. The weather was warming up so the snow was melting the gravel road was mix with mud. "Any thoughts about what we're going to do with Mr. Frank at the end of this drive or where he's taking us?"
"What do you mean John," said Mary. "There's not much to do other than tag and bag then we go back to camp. I wish I knew Chuck was okay."
"And what happens if he's meeting up with his men at the airstrip at Fox Bay? Do we get in a firefight in a civilian airport? I don't think the White House would like that. I might but the President wouldn't."
"John, give me your phone. We can arrange for a little surprise of our own," said the General as John passed his phone back. "Major, yes it's me. ... It's good to hear you too. Listen I need for you to patch this call into MI6. I need to speak to Sir Reginald but before let me put you on speaker so you can tell us about how Chuck is doing."
"He boarded the Russian submarine and seems to have convinced the Russians to surrender. There was a close call when the Alexandria fired two harpoons both missing. I have the JCS breathing down my neck over that. They want to know if the Russians have some new way of deviating our missiles so they are demanding an inquiry and a formal investigation."
"So give it to them. I can understand at 1.2 million a pop that's an expensive miss even though I'm glad they did."
"Does that mean following normal protocol for this type of investigation," said the Major. The General should've picked up on his question but she was too busy thinking she needed to move the conversation on so he could talk to MI6. "Yes, yes just patch me through to MI6 now. I need to speak to Sir Reginald personally. He needs to do me a favor that he probably won't like.
"Yes ma'am."
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Back in Costa Gravas...
Sarah had just turned the controls back over to Captain Primack when the Major appeared on the monitor. From the look on his face he was either not happy or he was tasked with doing something he didn't want to do but whatever it was she stood behind her decisions and the outcome of her actions spoke for themselves.
"Major that was quick. I lost track of Casey and the General do you have them in view from the situation room."
"I just got off the phone with the General as a matter of fact," said the Major. "I can tell you she and her party are fine."
"You can tell me? Major, what's going on?" asked Sarah. She had a sixth sense for when she was in trouble and the alarms in her head were going off.
"Agent Carmichael, can you explain how not one but two 1.2 million dollar missiles missed their targets and how the GPS signals over the Falkland Islands seem to be experiencing an anomaly?" Now she knew something was wrong. She didn't like his tone nor his query.
"Is there any way to answer that question without self-incrimination? If you're asking me then you already know the answer. What is this really about? The team is still in the field and you're in my way of completing my mission."
"I'm sorry Agent Carmichael the mission for you is over. A committee of military officers had been arranged to investigate the deviation of the two harpoons..."
"That sounds like a court martial," said Sarah cutting him off. She noticed the Major was carefully picking his words and semantics.
"The committee has its task and until their investigation is concluded you are hereby suspended from active duty. Please turn in you badge and I.D."
"I want to talk to the General right now," said Sarah. But as she was protesting there was a knock on the vault door then the door opened. In came the Gunny with two Marine escorts.
"Ma'am, I've been ordered to escort you out," said the Gunny. The Major used the distraction as an opportunity to sign out so she couldn't yell at him anymore. "Please ma'am I don't want to force you."
"Gunny, if I wanted to resist you'd need more men," she said as she laid her badge and I.D.
"I was told to take your phone and weapon too."
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Two hours before...
The two submarines surfaced and the Alexandria sent over a tiger team to help bring the Russian back into port. Sarah brought it close to the pier but then passed the helm back to Captain Primack. He pulled his boat alongside the pier to the cheers and applause of his men that had been left behind. The Alexandria came in afterwards and tied up alongside the Russian then Petr and his mutineers where transferred to the holding cell ashore.
"Agent Carmichael," said the Captain of the Alexandria. "My men have made a sweep of the facility and it's clean. It seems the rats have abandoned the ship. The British Army is sending some warm bodies over to help with security."
"Good then you've got everything under control. You can work out with the Russians about what to do with the plane part. I told Captain Primack that you'd want to oversee the removal and maybe he could bring onboard through the reactor room."
"Yes, Sir I'd like that. There's a C-130 coming in coming in from nighting over in Costa Gravas. They're bringing in a salvage detail. There's a second C-130 that's supposed to take you and your team back to Costa Gravas."
"Where is the rest of your team? I was told there was a General I was supposed to give hospitality to?"
"I don't know we divided tasks and I was busy with the Russian and speaking of Russians," said Chuck as they saw Captain Primack walking down the gangway heading towards them. "I need to find them as soon as I can get you taken care of."
"Captain Petrowski, I just wanted to thank you again," said Captain Primack as he put out his hand. "That's a Russian last name, isn't it?"
"Yes, my grandfather was a Russian immigrant. You can call me Saul. My grandfather navigated until he met my grandmother a nice Irish woman and so his days on the seas ended in New York."
"You can't have two mistresses. Call me Yanis and follow me I'll take you on a quick tour. Then we can go to my cabin there's a bottle of vodka that's begging to be drunk. Chuck, do you want to come with us?"
"No, I'll stay here and wait for the rest to show up. Don't worry I'll give your regards to my General when I find her."
"Also to that Agent with her, tell her thank you for me. I know she helped stall those treasonous dogs. I owe her a lot and I won't forget."
"You mean my mother," said Chuck, both men did a double take.
"Your mother? Your mother is a spy?" asked Yanis. Chuck nodded his head. "And that woman you were talking to, who is she? Not your sister?"
"No," laughed Chuck. "She's my wife and if you want to know my father was a spy too. One of the best actually until... well I really don't want to talk about it. Maybe I'll join you two later for that vodka after I get everything taken care of."
"You know the way. Moscow is sending in an AN-22 with a group of Spetsnaz headed by a Stefan Metrohken to take home the prisoners and bring me a fresh crew."
"Oh Stefan's coming. I know him, he's SVR and a good friend. Believe it or not we've worked together. You'll be in good hands with him."
"Well you are a strange spy but I won't be surprised if I lose my command over this. People will say I should've seen it coming and maybe they're right. But for now come Captain Petrowski you want that tour and I want vodka."
"Saul, Yanis call me Saul. We're both Captains so it's kind of ridiculous us going back and forth calling each other captain."
"Yes Saul, please tell me about your grandfather. I'm curious, do you know where he was from in Russia?" said Captain Primack as the two went down to the gangway then disappeared onboard.
"Guys where are you," said Chuck as he looked down at his watch. He tried to radio back to Sarah but got not answer so he called and it went straight to voice mail. He couldn't get in touch with anyone and he didn't like it.
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Sarah left her weapon and phone then walked out. The Gunny locked the door behind her with his security key so she couldn't get back in. Then he and his men escorted her back to the VIP apartment. She didn't really like the escort it reminded her of all the times her father was arrested and how she had to watch him do the perp walk. They had almost arrived at the door when the Gunny received a phone call.
"Yes Mr. Ambassador, she's with me. ... Yes we took her weapon and badge per the request. ... What? Do you think that's necessary? Sir where are they going to go? ... I'll give up my residence and sleep with my men. ... Yes sir I know my duty. Yes Sir I know how to follow orders." Then Gunny took a deep breath as he hung up.
"It's okay you're only following orders. You can tell me the Ambassador wants us out of the Embassy doesn't he? How long do we have?"
"He wants you to pack up and leave now. We're to escort you out. Listen, I'm going to send my two men back to their post and that way I'll be the only one the girls see. Please tell the Colonel I was only following orders."
"I know," said Sarah as she walked inside with the Gunny. Sam ran up too her and wanted to be held. Devon and Ellie were sitting around a table talking while Clara was sitting on the sofa. It looked like she and Sam had been drawing.
"Sarah, what are you doing here?" asked Ellie. "I'm sorry but shouldn't you be following events or are they over?"
"There almost done. Guys we have to pack and go. The Ambassador has other guests coming and needs these rooms so... so I was thinking we could all go to Chicago and wait for Chuck there. Ellie can I borrow your phone and call the Premier. Yes, I can ask him to lend us a plane and I'll fly us home... now. That will work," Sarah said as she put the mass evacuation plan together right there in that moment.
"I'll get a driver and some of my men to help you with your luggage," said the Gunny as he stepped out to make the call. Sarah put Sam down then went into their bedroom and made her call.
"Devon, take Clara into our room and start getting everything ready. Sam, go with them please. Your mommy and I will be with you in a moment." Ellie sent everyone off then went in to check on Sarah. She walked in as Sarah was hanging up with the Premier.
"This is good I won't have to fly. The Premier is sending his personal pilot to fly us so maybe I can get some rest on the way to Chicago. Oh that blood test, we can do it in your hospital. I think it'll be better like that, don't you?"
"Sarah can you take a step back. You're running a marathon," said Ellie as she motioned for Sarah to sit next to her on the bed. "What's really going on? Why all the rush? Chuck is all right isn't he? Or is it our Mom? Did something happen to her?"
"Everyone's fine down there as far as I know. Ellie, it's nothing for you to worry about. I just wish I could talk with Chuck," she said as handed Ellie back her phone.
"Where's your phone and why can't you contact Chuck? I thought you said everything was over down there and they were fine?"
"They are or soon will be," said Sarah but she could see Ellie wasn't going to let it drop. "Okay my phone was confiscated along with my badge and I.D."
"It sounds like you were suspended."
"Ellie, I really don't want to talk about this now and especially with the girls around."