Don't own Chuck
Sarah was sitting in her seat on the C-130 when she felt a sudden wave of sadness that fall over her and a desire to call Chuck. She took out her phone but there was no signal. She thought about going and retrieving one of the sat phones they'd brought with them but the Loadmaster was keeping a watchful eye on her. And just to make sure she knew he was watching her he walked over to her as she put her phone away.
"The pilot told me to let you people that he's got a signal jammer on. It's on because those were the orders he got before we left Miramar. It's to keep us from accidentally tipping our hand. I think you can understand the need."
"Tipping our hand? Don't you think when we set this bird down next to them that won't tip our hand? Or do you have a cloaking device like the Romulans use for their birds of prey?"
"Like the who? The Romanians?" asked the Loadmaster as he scratched his heads. "Well I don't know who they are but the pilot is going to put us down a couple of miles away. We'll turn off our running lights and with the perpetual night we should come in unseen. Does that answer your question about the Romanians?"
"I guess it does for now," said Sarah. She was quickly starting to hate the Sergeant. He even smirked. She caught him smirking at her and if there was one thing she hated that was a smirker.
"Romulan bird of prey? Really Sarah come on I can't believe you used the Star Trek analogy. For a moment there I thought Chuck was with us."
"I know I was kind of amazed myself that I knew that but what the Sergeant just told us was I a boldface lie. You both saw the recon photos. Two miles out from the sub there were huge fissures in the ice. How's he supposed to sit down there? There is no open stretch long enough to land on. No he just made that up or better pulled it out which means we're going to come in next to the sub or close to it."
"But what are we waiting for? Why don't we just over power them then take the plane over. After we've got control we could land it ourselves…"
"And then what? Get into a firefight with the whole crew because that will be what will happen. The three of us take them all on or just two of us because one would have to stay with the plane while the other two jumped. Here take these," said Sarah as she handed them both something that looked like a retractable pen.
"What are we supposed to do with these? Write our last will and testament or since we're going to the North Pole maybe a letter to Santa for help.
"If you did Stefan he'd just send you coal. I forgot how cutting you can be," said Sarah. "This is one of Chuck's inventions. There's super compressed oxygen inside. If I'm right before we get to the target site the pilot will either flood us with knock out gas or gain altitude then loose cabin pressure. Either way we'll pass out so we'll be more compliable when we land. Click the pen then put it in your mouth. It will give you a half hours worth of oxygen."
"If you're right you don't think they'll come by and check to make sure we're passed out? They'll send the Loadmaster, he'll come by then what do we do if he does a real check? We're back to taking over the plane."
"We'll just have to pretend but I don't think he's going to get that close. He'll just look at us and see if we're slumped over. If he gets closer or does a proper check then we'll do something else but I really doubt that."
"But you have to ask yourself what can all this be about," said Anatoly. "I mean think about it what kind of organization would have this kind of reach and to what purpose? What's going on down there?"
"I don't know," said Sarah. "I can only think this has something to do with Ettore or this mysterious Mr. Big. But what the endgame is I really don't know. Just to throw it out there but what if the thing with your cheget, your football was a distraction so we... you wouldn't be looking up here."
"Which brings us back to my original question what are they doing up here," said Anatoly. As they were speaking they felt a sudden pressure change and there was a gradual but continual sensation that the plane was climbing.
"I think we're close to finding out," said Sarah as she took her pen out and the other two followed suit. Sarah nodded. They looked at each other and knew what was coming next.
[In the cockpit]
The Loadmaster walked in then locked the door behind him. The pilot had called him up as they started their gradual ascent. They leveled off just below 26,000 feet.
"Okay we're at our new altitude cut the cabin pressure," said the Pilot as the Co-pilot reached over then lifted the red cap before throwing the toggle. They both donned oxygen masks as well as the Loadmaster standing behind them who had a small portable tank.
"Cabin pressure cut," said the Co-pilot. "Sergeant, go back in the back and make sure our passengers are all asleep then get everything ready for landing."
As Sarah thought the Sergeant walked back into the cabin looked at them slumped together then went back to the aft section of cabin to report in. As soon as he was gone Sarah nudged the other two and signaled to them that the coast was clear. They felt the plane descend Sarah calculated the planes rate of descent in her head until she was sure they were back at an altitude they could breathe in again.
"Okay we should be okay now," she said as she put her pen away. "We're going to land soon so we'll need to do the same thing once we're on the ice. They'll come onboard and take us. When they do we need to let them then we'll play it by ear from there."
"I don't like all this improvisation," said Anatoly. Sarah gave him a look. "Okay, but I don't see any other way. You know they could just as easily come on board the plane and shoot us here in our seats. Then dump our bodies out of the back of the plane."
"No, they won't do that because if they did the word would spread through the rest of the sub's crew and they can't afford that right now. The Skipper and his men can't have the rest of the crew turn against them and they want to keep the crew ignorant as long as possible. There're empty pallets in the middle of the cabin. The Loadmaster is going to palletize something then load it but to do that and in a hurry he's going to need the sub's crew as a work force."
"So they're going to haul us away then shoot us in private where no one can see or hear. But then what? There's still this hulk of a sub resting on the ice."
"You're underestimating them again. We have to assume they have people everywhere which means they know your protocols…"
"They want us to blow up our own sub with the reactor this active. A nuclear accident would quarantine off this whole area for centuries... wait so no one could come and investigate. My God they could just walk away right before anyone knows they're missing... scot free because no one would ever come to do a body count to see who was missing."
"Now you're thinking like our adversary," said Sarah. But in the back of her head she still had this feeling that something was wrong with Chuck. She tried to put it out of her mind telling herself it was just because of the way they'd left things but it just wouldn't go away. Then they heard the bay doors open and the landing gear extend.
"We're going down. Get ready to play possum."
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The Russian Submarine Skipper stood on a snowy knoll just outside of base camp with binoculars scanning the horizon. He was there with his new XO after the old one got himself killed. The perpetual night was getting old and the constant need to recharge the camp lights was daunting. But he knew with a little more effort and patience everything was finally coming to an end soon.
"I want guards on that landing strip. Our fox will no doubt try to raid the hen house. If we're lucky she'll make a mistake this time and we'll catch her red handed then we can end her once and for all."
"Her raids have been getting bolder and bolder. I've ordered our people to double the guards around the landing strip but to stay out of sight. If she tries anything we'll grab her before she can get away. You have my word on that."
"Good, I'll hold you to it. Have the men ready to move those containers onto the plane as quickly as they can. We want to be in the air as soon as we can. I don't like sitting here like this it makes me feel vulnerable."
"I need to tell you some of the men from the crew are complaining that this isn't the work they signed on for. Others are questioning why we're even here? How do you want me to handle this?"
"Tell them our orders are top secret... need to know and all that. If they still complain… well organize a convenient accident for them that will give them some peace of mind… eternal peace. Oleg, we're too close now for any screw ups and I mean that. Everything has to go as planned."
"jesʲtʲ, Yes sir," said the Russian. They both heard the droning sound of the plane engines in the distance. They scanned the horizon looking for it. Then still far off they saw its running lights coming nearer and nearer. "There it is," pointed Oleg. In that moment it was still just a dot on the horizon.
"Good make radio contact with them then let's illuminate the landing strip," said the Skipper as he studied the plane through his binoculars. "And put the word out again to everyone to keep their eyes open. Let's go fox hunting."
[Not far away about an hour earlier]
Mary had been observing all the activity going on close to the submarine. They had smooth over a large strip of ice using hot water pumped from the submarine. Knowing that they were expecting made it easy for her to understand what they were up to. She talked over strategy with Nikolai and Petro they told her what kind of landing strip a plane like the one coming in would need. They agreed a C-130 would require a very short landing strip and that the plane would be maneuverable enough to take off again even with a full payload.
"I'm not sure we should try to stop it from landing but maybe if we can commandeer it we would have our way off the ice. Once in the air we can get word to the proper authorities and have them send someone back..."
"You know they aren't going to let us just walk onboard and take over. I'm willing to bet they'll put men all around the bird."
"True it may not be easy to board but while they're guarding the plane they'll have to take men away from somewhere else. If poise ourselves in the right places we could take out the flight crew..."
"Then they'll need us. Is that what you're trying to say? That we make a deal with the devil if that's it... well I don't want to bust your bubble but as soon as we get anywhere where they don't need us anymore they'll get rid of us."
"But what if they think you're the flight crew from the C-130. We take them out then you two exchange clothes with their pilot and co-pilot. If you wear a helmet with sunglass I think you might be able to pass without question."
"But that's good for Petro and myself but what about you? You can't think that we're going to leave you here behind to fend for yourself. It's everyone or no one."
"Nikolai, I appreciate that but it's not like you're abandoning me here. I was here before you came and besides once you get back you can send someone for me. This is our best option to get the word out. People need to know what's going on here."
"Okay say we go along with your plan," said Petro. "How would we swap ourselves out with the flight crew? They're going to be in the guarded compound all the time they're here."
"Oh ye of little faith think about it. There is one place they'll have to go to sooner or later and no one wants to guard it."
"I don't understand. Can you be a little clearer," said Petro as he looked over at Nikolai. Nikolai understood exactly what Mary was talking about. He smiled at Petro.
"Think about what we do after a long flight," said Nikolai. "Petro, it's not difficult. What are the two things we always do when we land?"
"I don't know about you but I go looking for something to eat then either before or after I go looking for a latrine after that I crash. The latrines...," said Petro. "The man I ran into when I was leaving camp after planting the tracker on the radiosonde mention that they were... how to say in mixed company. They have an unpleasant odor." Mary laughed.
"You guys break me up sometimes. I think you would be more explicit if I weren't here but I appreciate your good manners. Your mothers brought you up well. Yes, that would be the place we could take them at without too much difficulty."
"Wait do you hear that," said Petro. Nikolai and Mary nodded as they went out to see. The C-130 made a pass overhead then circled back around coming in low then made their approach on the ice. They dropped out of sight once the came in disappearing on the other side of rise in the ice that also served to hide them from the base camp.
"Come on I want to see what kind of activity this generates. Then we need to see about getting you two on that plane. This is our chance and we need to take it."
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Chuck face the wall as Mr. Perkins taunted him. But they both knew the game was over and it was reckoning day. Chuck looked over at Morgan who had his eyes closed and his teeth clinched but Chuck didn't. It was strange. He felt a calm descend over him like nothing he felt before. Gunfire broke out. It was loud but as quickly as it erupted it was over.
"Morgan, you can open your eyes now," said Chuck then he started to turned around. "Hello Jasmine," he said as he faced her
"Hello Chuck," she said. "I bet you didn't see this coming did you? He for sure didn't," said Jasmine as she glanced down at Mr. Perkins bleeding out in Morgan's office.
"Actually I did if you want to know the truth. Do you mind if I sit down? I'd feel more comfortable. If you want you can have a seat too."
"I don't intend on being around that much longer. You see I need to tie up a loose end then sign my amnesty agreement. But if you want to sit down go for it. Standing or sitting it doesn't matter much to me. I'm still going to kill you. It's nothing personal but it would be unprofessional if I didn't. I think you can understand what I mean."
"Once a scorpion always a scorpion," said Chuck. She looked at him puzzled at first then something clicked in her head.
"Oh yes... yes you're right. I was just born this way I guess. Like I said nothing personal but I've got a reputation to protect. People won't want to hire me if they find out I let you get away."
"I thought with your amnesty you were going to walk the straight and narrow. I wouldn't step there if I were you. Casey's down below and if you step there he'll send you straight to detention. You need to stay in the middle of the room. Morgan, go over there and show her I'm telling the truth."
"Chuck, what are you doing? Why are you helping her? You can't get through to her. She's... well you said it she's a scorpion."
"Morgan, just go and do as told you. You know as a best friend you really suck sometimes. Now for once in your live Organ do as you're told. I know it might be difficult for you to hear all the way down there but move it. Maybe Casey's right you're not good enough for Alex."
"What's with the insults? You know I don't have to put up with this or you. Lady, you want to shoot him go head. Chuck, this is it I'm going to unfriend you," said Morgan as he walked over to the spot. "Yikes!" yelled Morgan as the floor opened up and he was swallowed in. He slid in the tube all the way down to Castle.
"Get up and shut up," said Casey as he went back over to the monitor watching what was going on up above.
"Guys did you hear all the crap Chuck just told me. I can't believe the guy. I finally do something brave then he gives me all this grief. Who needs him?"
"Idiot he told you that to get you out of harm's way. Who do you think Jasmine would've whacked after she got done with Chuck? He just saved your bacon. So pipe down and take care of Alex. When you went up to face Perkin's team you left her alone with Jasmine who took advantage of the situation."
"I guess it's too early to ask for my badge back after the way I faced down all those goons and lived to tell the tale."
"What did I tell you to do?" asked Casey as he gave him one of his scarier looks.
"Right, looking after Alex," said Morgan as he went over to her. "Hey babe, did you see me up there. Did I do great or what?"
"Yes you did Morgan and I'm proud of you. Can you look for an ice pack for me? I've got a headache that just won't stop."
"Here you go," he said as he broke the chemical pack inside then agitated it. "Here let me put this on... Holy crap! Look at the size of that goose egg, it's enormous."
"I think I told you to also button it up and great bed side manners there Troll. If she didn't know she had a possible concussion she does now. If you keep it up I can give you a matching one so you both can have a his and hers. Shut up Grimes," said Casey as he watched Imma move into position.
"John, there's not enough time left for me to get to the office to save Chuck. I'm sorry but I've got an idea I need you to give me Jasmine's exact location inside the office."
"I think I know what you want to. She's about three foot forwards from the door and about two feet back from the desk."
"John, I Russian... European we use the metric system. How am I supposed to know how long a foot is? I need that converted into meters and you need to hurry. I'm listening in on Chuck's comms and things are starting to wind down quickly. Never mind I see her in the window. I can take a shot from here."
"No, John you need to tell her not to try" said Morgan. "The glass is bullet proof. I had it put in after the last time someone tried to kill me."
"How does it feel Troll to know you just got your best friend killed? Imma, did you hear that the glass is bullet proof."
"I heard," said Imma. She started running to get closer to the window with his pistol raised point at Jasmine. Her heart beat slowed down as she took steady aim. This type of hail Mary play wasn't in the books but she was going for broke.
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Back at Langley the General was sitting at her desk waiting for Jasmine's ledgers to arrive. Igor had already called twice wanting to know what was going on. But she told him he had to wait and that as soon as she got it she would pass it on. That was thirty minutes ago and still there was nothing.
"Connie can you call Burbank and see what's taking so long. They should've sent that file by now. I don't feel like having to tell Igor I'm sorry again."
"Hold off on that call," said the Major as he walked in. "Ma'am I've got news from the Buy More and... well you're not going to like it."
"Geez you look like someone's dead."
"I'm afraid someone is."