Don't own Chuck
Ellie was in the quarantine area with Dr. McCoy they were going over Chuck's test results and the Doctor was talking to her about how to proceed with extracting a viable sample to take to the lab. Ellie was throwing up all sorts of road blocks but the Doctor was knocking them down one after another until he started questioning whether she was really onboard with this.
"Dr. Woodcomb, so far all I've heard from you is how this or that won't work. I've yet to hear you come up with a constructive alternative. You know collaboration is a two way street and I'm starting to wonder if it was just a good idea asking you for your assistance. You didn't seem to be a negative Nancy in Africa."
"I'm not. You've got me all wrong I just want you to be realistic in your research. It's not my fault if certain procedures won't work and you certainly don't want to take any short cuts that will give the FDA reason to shoot it down."
"That you're right about but I expect a change in attitude if not your assistance here will no longer be needed. It's difficult to fire someone you never hired but I'll make the effort."
"Hold up Doc," said Chuck let me talk to my sister," said Chuck. "Maybe I can talk with her and change her mind. I think I know what the problem is, it's me. She's just trying to look out for me which is something she's been doing since we were children."
"Very well I'll let you two talk while I run some more tests. I have a very promising sample I'm working up in the centrifuge now." Ellie waited until the doctor was gone and they were by themselves to talk.
"What are you doing? You know he can't continue with his project. Weren't you the one who pointed out that Beckman would never allow it to be published?"
"I was wrong and I don't care what Beckman says. El, do this, make sure in the doctor's notes he doesn't mention me by name. I don't know... have him call me patient X or Y or XY. I don't care but I do want him to create this cure. You can see how important it is."
"Chuck, are you crazy? You know the risk you're running with this. What happens if people figure out that this was caused by the intersect? Once your secret is out there's no taking it back."
"The intersect is in my head not in my blood and as far as it being cause by the intersect... well I'm happy it was and maybe you should be too. Think of this as tribute to Dad, a kind of legacy of his. He created the intersect to help people and now that's what it's finally doing. I want this and I think you should too for Dad."
"I never thought about it like that," said Ellie as she paused to reflect. "I like it... I do... Okay I'm in and I'll work on McCoy's notes making sure you're not named but you know as well as I do Beckman isn't going to like this."
"I could care less. Right now she's on a cruise in the Pacific so if we work fast the deal will be done before she knows what happened," said Chuck as he looked at his watch.
"Oh that's right Sam and Sarah are supposed to be here this morning," said Ellie noticing him looking at his watch. "Let me go I'll get out of your hair so you two or three can have some time to chat. You can talk with Sam first then I'll take her on a tour of the hospital. She'll like that and that way you and Sarah can have time together alone."
"Alone really isn't alone when I'm in here and she's out there is it? There still will be this sheet of glass between us, said Chuck as he looked out the window.
"This is your own fault. I told you I could bring her inside but you said no. According to your latest examine results you're virus clear and none of us are wearing hazmat suits anymore so there's no reason she can't come in."
"This room hasn't been decontaminated and as far as I'm concerned there could be bugs hiding in the corners waiting to jump out. Sarah's pregnant if you've forgotten and I don't want to take any chances with Walnut. We really need to come up with a better name."
"Bunny's a good alternative," said Ellie as she smiled. Chuck gave her a look. "Okay think of it like a name from 'Alice in Wonderland'."
"A story written by an opium addict yeah like that's going to fly. Besides it still sounds like a striper's name," said Chuck. "Sam's not going to get her way this time."
"Well the decision not to let them in is yours," said Ellie as Chuck's phone rang he had a message. He opened up the app and read it.
"She just pulled into the parking garage and is on her way over with Sam as we speak," said Chuck. He could feel himself getting excited and nervous at the same time but there was little he could do to contain himself even if he wanted to.
"I'll go outside and wait for them," said Ellie. She smiled at Chuck then walked out of the hot zone going through decon before reaching the waiting area on the other side of the glass. As she was walking out the elevator doors opened. She expected to see Sarah and Sam but instead she saw Greg. Her smile went upside down as she went straight for him.
"You just can't take a hint," said Ellie as she walked up to him and got in his face. "Am I going to have to go back and have another talk with Barbara? This time..."
"Shut up and turn around," said Greg. He motioned her with his hand in his jacket pocket she realize the silhouette was a pistol he held inside. "I swear I'll blow your brains out if you scream or make a scene. I want you to go back inside the quarantine zone now."
"Just calm down," said Ellie as she looked around for help but no one seemed to see what was going on. "I'm sure we can reach an agreement. What are your demands?"
"Demands? You want to know my demands? Now you're trying to be my friend and talk to me kindly. What? You don't want to go to the administrator anymore? You don't want to go tell Mommy on me. Demand one is for you to go back into the quarantine zone then we'll go from there. Don't make me shoot you in front of all these nice people, but know I will if I have to."
"Just calm down I'm moving," she said as she turned around. He came up behind her and shoved his Glock in her back.
"Like I said don't do anything stupid or you'll be the first to die. Now walk."
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Morgan, Alex and Casey followed the crewman who led them to their stateroom. As they made their way through the ship Casey kept an eye out for cameras and security devices. It didn't take him long to figure out the whole ship was wired. They walked up past a group of Chinese with triad tattoos who were going into their staterooms down the passageway from them. One of them noticed Morgan then said something to a short man in the group of orientals. He turned then came straight for Morgan.
"Signore La Barba I don't know if you remember me," said the man as Casey got in the middle before he got too close. "My name is Wei Long..."
"No, it looks like 'we short' but what can I do for you?" said Morgan. "I hope you've brought some takeaway because after Italian Chinese is my favorite buffet food."
"As long as it's under ten dollars," mumbled Alex. Both Casey and Morgan looked at her. "What did I say?"
"Very funny, we'll see if you're laughing when I get done with you. I'm still waiting on the payment for that last load of Black Stars I sent you. But I'll take your friend her as partial payment she can work for me," said Long. He moved toward Alex but Casey grabbed him by the throat lifting him off the floor like a ragdoll.
"John, you can put him down," said Morgan. "Go ahead and put him down now." Casey reluctantly let go of him as he gasped and rubbed his throat. Morgan walked up to him then slapped him across the face twice.
"I'm going to..." he started to say but Casey growled. The Long's men drew weapons but Casey drew two. One being his Sig nine and the other his Colt back up piece. The Colt he stuck in Long's mouth.
"They shoot and I give you a tonsillectomy through the back of your head," said Casey. "Go for it we can see if you're bullet proof."
"Listen Long," said Morgan as he reached into Casey's jacket and pulled his Kabar. "I didn't pay for that load because I couldn't do anything with it. That was a bunch of crap you tried to dump off on me and you know it. When I opened the crates and tried your weapons most wouldn't fire and those that did exploded in the hands of my men. I lost two good men to bad Chinese. You're lucky I don't cut you up for chum and use you to go fishing. But if you keep this up I just might go with that option so be a nice sport apologize to my girlfriend for disrespecting her then move along."
Morgan kept waving Casey's knife in front of Long's face as he was talking. John would never admit it but he was actually impressed with the way Grimes was taking charge. Then things seemed to go sideways.
"Go to hell," said Long as he batted Casey's pistol away then started to break away but when he did he slipped falling on Morgan who caught him with the knife in hand. Morgan tried to push him away but he slipped again and fell on him again so he stabbed him twice. Long's men started to react so Casey shielded Morgan and Alex with his body as he talked them down.
"Your boss just got what he deserved for disrespecting my boss' fiancée," said Casey as he covered the Chinese with both guns. "Geez Boss next time can you control your temper."
"What? Oh yes, yes... well that's what you get for disrespecting my gal. Ettore La Barba doesn't put up with disrespect and if you don't believe me I can tell you about da puppy doggie I had dealt with..."
"Yeah okay maybe another day. Okay we're going inside when we close the door you can come and take your boss," said Casey as he cover them nodding back to Alex to go inside.
"Yeah you heard what my man said and if you've got a problem with me you I'm right here waiting," said Morgan. Casey rolled his eyes then shoved Morgan inside.
But as they were talking mysteriously a group of men from the ship's security department showed up with weapons to break the two parties up. Casey got Morgan and Alex with their luggage inside then closed the door. Their stateroom was like a suit with two bedrooms around a common area each bedroom had its own private bath.
"Way to go Ettore," said John. "That will set the tone for the rest of the cruise. No one else will want a piece of La Barba not once this gets spread around."
"I think I'm going to be sick," said Morgan as he went into the bathroom. While Morgan was in the bathroom with Alex, Casey started sweeping the room for bugs. He found hidden mics and cameras all over the room. John walked into the bathroom with his bug detector as Morgan was praying to the porcelain god with Alex sitting on the side of the bathtub.
"Okay we can talk in here but the common area and the two bedrooms are filled with listening devices and cameras. Remember that someone will be watching and listening to your every move and I mean every move so behave."
"John, I just killed a man," said Morgan. "How can you be so cool with it? Oh I think I'm going to be sick again."
"Well if we want to be precise he killed himself when he tripped and fell on you twice. I'll let you chalk it up as a kill but truthfully it was more an accidental suicide. You two stay here in the cabin while I go snoop around a bit."
As Casey left the stateroom he heard the ship's whistle blast meaning they were underway now. Outside the door there was a cleaning crew already at work removing stains from the carpeting and bulkheads. One of the men scrubbing gave him a nasty look.
"Hey buddy don't look at me I didn't do this. I wonder if there's Cantonese on the menu tonight in the buffet," said John as he stepped past the cleaner making his way to the ladder. Walking down to the main deck he found the bar was now open while on the other side of the room were the diehard gamblers waiting outside the casino for it to open. But they'd have to wait until the ship made it out into international waters.
"Excuse me," said John as he growled at the same time when a man bumped into him. At first he didn't recognize him in civilian clothes but it was the Major.
"The General's in the bar she needs to talk with you. It's urgent," whispered the Major as he passed John milling about. John played off the encounter then walked straight into the bar. He found the General sitting in a booth at the far end out of camera view.
"Can I get you something from the bar," asked the Cocktail waitress as Casey sat down across from Beckman.
"Scotch two fingers neat," said John then he waited for the waitress to leave before talking. "You might hear about this but we had a small incident on our way to the room. Grimes took out one of his competitors, a certain Wei Long."
"He did what? Maybe there is hope for him after all. Well this will be good it'll help you sell your covers which you might need to do. I just got called by Langley the real Ettore La Barba got by our people at Bob Hope which places him here in L.A. That can only mean he intends to come here."
"Well if he had made it to this ship before we pulled out I don't think I'd be here having this conversation right now with you."
"I don't either but you need to keep your eyes open and ears to the ground. I need to know as soon as possible if those canisters are onboard and if they're all here. I'm putting together an extraction plan if we need to bug out."
"I was about to go snooping around below desks to start checking off the locations on that map of this ship you sent me."
"Good take this," said the General as she passed him a small bag. "Those are micro charges don't let their size fool you they carry a big bang. While you're below decks looking around plant them. One way or another, this ship isn't going to sail back into port."
"Roger that," said Casey. After downing his drink he got up and left smiling on the way out of the bar as he pocketed the bag. "Maybe I can still get to play whack-a-troll," he said to himself.
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Sarah stopped off on the way in at Subway where she got Chuck a breakfast roll with egg, ham, and cheese melted on flat bread along with three double chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Sam devoured one on the drive over to hospital. Sarah looked back in the rearview at Sam's chocolate smile and dark hands as she pulled into the parking garage.
"Don't touch yourself with those hands not until I can clean them," said Sarah as she got out then went to the back armed with 'wet ones'. "You're a mess and I'm not just talking about your face and hands. How much did you eat? Most of it you're wearing."
"Do you want a kiss," said Sam with her face covered in chocolate. "Good cookie, do you think Chuck will want his?"
"Okay let's go and don't steal your father's cookie," said Sarah as she led Sam from the parking garage to the hospital. As soon as she walked in the nurses and people from the medical staff came over to her to say hello.
"I don't have time to talk now," said Sam like she was an adult. "I'm here to see my Chuck so I can't talk right now maybe later."
"She means her father," said Sarah catching some of the perplexed looks. "If you'll excuse us he's expecting us." Sarah got Sam on the elevator next to them was a nurse who smiled at Sam. She was pushing a surgical cart with instruments that had just been sterilized. The doors opened Sam and Sarah started to get out. Sarah looked down the hallway and saw a man standing behind Ellie with a bulge in his pocket. She didn't need X-ray vision to know what was in it she had to think fast. Grabbing two scalpels off the chart she turned to Sam but she was already halfway down the hall.
"Sam stop and wait," said Sarah then she turned to the nurse who was about to protest. "Don't say a word, just go somewhere and call security. There's a man armed on this floor with a gun. I'd show you my badge but there isn't time just tell the security chief you talked with Agent Carmichael. He knows me by now."
Sarah turned and caught up with Sam. She would've liked to have been able to put Sam on the elevator with the nurse but there wasn't time. The only thing she could do now was shield her with her body.
"Sam, I need for you to be brave and stay behind me. Things are about to happen that may scare you but remember Mommy loves you and wants you to be safe," said Sarah. She was trying not to freak out which wouldn't do Sam any good then she had an idea.
"I don't understand? What's about to happen and why did you grab those scalpels?" asked Sam in a low voice.
"I don't have time to explain Sweetie. Just do as I tell you. I want you to go into the bathroom and stay there until I come for you. Can you do that for me?" asked Sarah as she looked back at the man with the gun. She saw Ellie walk away from him then go back into the quarantine zone.
"Yes but you're scaring me," said Sam. She hugged Sarah and Sarah kissed her on the forehead then shoved her along.
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Down at the piers a taxi pulled up just as the Serenity cleared its moorings then started to make her way out of the port where it would steam out into the bay. From there it would transit past the Channel Islands before making her way into the Pacific. Ettore got out of the cab shaking his head he really hoped they'd wait for him but they didn't.
"I'm going to have to have a talk with the organizer. How could they go off and leave us like that? A few more minutes wouldn't have hurt anything. You know this is all your fault."
"I guess they've got a schedule to maintain," said Paolo. "But I fail to see how this is my fault. If you'd told me about this being on a ship I would've gotten my Dramamine ahead of time."
"Well it's kind of hard to communicate from the inside of a prison. I guess I could've sent up a smoke signal. Okay then it's no one's fault except the taxi driver for not driving fast enough..."
"Hey hold up there a moment," said the driver. "I got you from the airport as fast as I could. I can't afford to have my license taken from me to bring a couple of twinkle toes down to catch the love boat."
"Excuse me," said Ettore. "My grasp of the English language isn't that good and I might've misheard what you just said but did you just call us gay?"
"I can tell you it in your own language too mezzofinook. My nonno Vito came over on a boat from Palermo in 1922 and he taught me a thing or two."
"One thing he didn't teach you was to 'stare zitto' that means to keep your mouth closed or at least closed until you know who you're talking to," said Ettore. Suddenly the driver got called from his company asking him to check in.
"You don't want to answer that Louie," said Paolo. He saw his name in his license attached to the visor. Louie looked back and saw Paolo with a suppressed Beretta in hand. "Don't do anything stupid." But Louie bolted and had just cleared the door when Paolo tagged him in the back of the head.
"Why do people think they can run like superman?" asked Paolo as he got out and finished him off then got behind the steering wheel.
"I don't know," said Ettore. "I guess they wouldn't have to be if they were bullet proof. Let's go rent a boat."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," said Paolo. He started up the taxi then pulled away from the pier as seagulls started to circle for a quick morning snack.