Don't own Chuck
Tourists walking the streets of Kotor looked up in the sky to watch two sky divers parachute down on the city. They assumed it was some sort of publicity stunt but for the life of them they couldn't figure out what it was. The two people, a man and a woman, floated down landing in the heart of the city. The two quickly got rid of their chutes then disappeared in the throngs of gawkers.
"What's going on," asked Chuck after he changed and doubled back with Sarah. "Why is everyone looking up in the sky? I don't see anything."
"Didn't you see before there was this man and woman they parachuted down out of nowhere. I think the police are looking for them. But I think they're in on it. This is some sort of gimmick."
"Really? A man and woman you say I heard over there it was two men. Think about they had to have come from somewhere. If you ask me I think they were probably para-gliding from behind a boat in the bay and somehow got unhook drifting in here. The police are just making sure they're okay."
"That does make sense... I guess it could be but I'm still going with the gimmick," said one guy. Then they heard another person ask the man and he quickly changed his story to what Chuck said. So Sarah jumped in on the fun and asked another person. All ready Chuck's tail was starting to spread so she decided to changed it up a bit.
"Really two men I heard from a guy over there who showed me a photo that they were two bikini clad girls. If you think about it makes sense if they were para-gliding in the bay. I'm not lying the guy over there's got the photos to prove it," said Sarah as she pointed off to another part of the crowd.
Before long all the stories were confused, people were arguing about what they saw and no one could find the guy with the photos. Chuck took Sarah by the hand and they pushed their way out of the crowd and just in time because an Elderly woman got angry with an elderly man.
"I told you to keep your hands to yourself, you old codger," said the old woman as she hit him over the head with her purse. "Young or old you men are all alike... pigs. I hope that teaches you a lesson."
"You need to come with us," said one of two policemen. "Lady, you can't just go around assaulting people with your handbag. You need to come with us to the station..."
"What do you mean come with you to the station. I'll miss the rest of the tour and we're supposed to go Saint Nicholas' church... Santa Claus' church. No, I'm not going to go anywhere," said the woman. The two officers tried to arrest her but she took them out with her bag too. "You two are going to end up on the naughty list."
"Ouch lady, stop that or I swear I'll Taser you and have you in front of the magistrate so fast your head will spin. Now set the bag down," said the officer as he drew out his Taser.
"What kind of country is this where an elderly woman can't go for a walk without be accosted by the fuzz. Listen my feet are sore from walking on these cobblestones. I don't know why you can't put down a decent layer of asphalt and my feet hurt too much to walk to the station. If you want me to come with you, you're going to need to call a vehicle to come and pick me up."
"Okay let's do this. We'll confiscate your handbag and you can come and pick it up after your done sightseeing. Are you staying in town?"
"Yes, we've got rooms in the casino. You know my bag is getting a little heavy. Why don't you be a good lad and drop it off for me there. I can get it when we get back tonight."
"Very well if it'll keep you from accosting other people sure," said the officer. "Is there anything you need out of this like your wallet and passport?"
"You're right I should take them with me," said the elderly woman. She opened her bag to pull the items out and when she did the officer got a look inside.
"Geez... hold up... wait a minute what are these," said the man as he pulled out two cube shaped pieces of stone. "Are these stones as in cobblestones from the street? No wonder you almost laid me out," said the officer as his partner snickered.
"They were just lying around and they'll make excellent paperweights for my two grandchildren. I have pictures of them somewhere in there..."
"No... wait a minute. What did you say lying around? Of course they were lying around they're a part of the street you're walking on. If everyone took a stone home soon we'd be walking in mud..."
"Then you could through down a layer of asphalt and people could walk without risking their lives by falling down on those slick stones. You don't have to thank me but you people could've come up with the idea on your own."
"No lady, you can't take these with you. I'm afraid I'm going to have to confiscate them and not a word or this time I'll run you in for stealing state property. You wouldn't like it if I did the same thing in your hometown in the States."
"Well actually I don't think I'd mind if it meant I got a nice new modern road..." At this point Sarah pulled Chuck along so he never did find out what happed between the policeman and the old lady nor if in the end she got to keep her rocks.
"Come on I called Margo, Razhib is supposed to be heading for the Gradska Kafana Dojmi café. If we hurry, we can meet him there."
"That's not a good idea if Ali is watching him. We need to stick to my plan and go to the surveillance van. We can use their equipment to locate Ali's safe house. You just have to have a little faith and you'll see that it will work."
"I do trust you," said Sarah as she pulled him back and kissed him. "But remember this is Razhib we're talking about so Margo has the final say in what we do. She won't want to endanger Razhib even if your plan sounds like it will work."
"Sounds like! There is no 'sounds like' here," said Chuck. "I know what I'm doing." Sarah smiled at him. "Okay maybe not always but this time I'm sure. Come on we're almost there."
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[Earlier]
Razhib ran out of the park and left the vagrant screaming at him from the top of his lungs. However, all the man got was a couple of policeman telling him to calm down. When it seemed he wouldn't the cops decided to run him in so he could sleep in a warm cell and have at least one meal before tossing him back out in the streets.
"Sorry dude," said Razhib as he stopped on the edge of the park and opened the envelope. He pulled out a piece of paper and read the note.
"You'd better get a hustle on and get over to the Gradska Kafana Dojmi café there's a coffee waiting for you but you'd better hurry. I wouldn't want it to get cold."
"Crap, I'm not that far away," said Razhib as he ran back across the bridge towards Old Town. When he got to the café he was winded and out of breath. The barista looked at the boy strange.
"Hey kid why don't you sit down and let me get you a glass of water. You look like you've been running a marathon or something."
"Let's go with the 'or something'," said Razhib as he caught his breath. "I was sent here for a cup of coffee by a man named Ali who said he left it for me. My name is…"
"Razhib, yeah I remember the guy. He was here earlier maybe a half hour ago and had me make the coffee by now it's stone cold. But he insisted I give it to you even if it was cold. He also left this stupid bear for you. Listen this is none of my business but let me give you some friendly advice your friend who left that bear is bad news. I've seen some scumbags in my days but your pal he seems like one of the worst."
"Thanks and he's not my friend or pal. He took something of mine and I want it back… everything you said about him is true."
"Then you ought to go to the cops. A kid like you oughtn't have anything to do with his kind. You said he took something from you let them get it back."
"If only it were that easy. Thanks for the water and you can dump the coffee," said Razhib. As they were talking the bear began to ring. Razhib turned it over and found a hidden compartment with a phone stuffed inside that was ringing. He pulled out the phone and answered.
"You could've hung around and handed me the nanny cam in person then we could've talked face to face," said Razhib as he looked into the lens.
[Back in Old Town]
"Then your friends could pick me up," said Ali as he looked over at Miriam. "I don't hardly think so and an oh by the way your girlfriend acted up so I had to discipline her. This time it was a slap who knows what I'll do next time."
"I swear you lay another hand on her and you'll answer to me. I want to speak to her," said Razhib. "I mean it I want to speak to her or I'm going to take this watch and throw it into the bay."
"You wouldn't dare… at least not while I have your girlfriend. But I'm a reasonable man and maybe you can talk some sense into her. However, this is the last time don't ask again," said Ali. He went over and took the gag out of her mouth then sat the phone on the table.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you," asked Razhib. He had to keep his voice down so the barista couldn't overhear him. It wouldn't take much for the man to pick up the phone and call the police which would be the last thing they wanted.
"No, I'm fine but this guy is crazy. I don't know how you're involved with him but you shouldn't be. He says this has got to do when you lived in Morocco? Is that true? And what's this story about a pocket watch? Why do you have it and why does he want it?"
"I know you've got a lot of questions and I promise I'll try to answer them all but right now just go along with whatever he says. I promise I'll get you out of this…"
"Well there's only one way that will happen you go back to pub this time alone and I'll contact you there when I'm sure you are alone."
"I've been all alone this whole time or haven't you noticed. Listen I had to slip out to see you so if this doesn't end soon my mother will come looking for me and Old Town will be crawling with men in black. I don't think you want that."
"And neither do you. Go back to the pub and wait I'll be in touch soon. Hang in there we're almost done then you'll get what you deserve."
"Let me say goodbye to Miriam then I'll be on my way," said Razhib but instead he got a dial tone. Ali hung up on him. "Remember what Jack said. He'll be trying to play you while you try to play him."
"Here's another glass of water," said the barista as he sat it down in front of him. "Are you sure everything's all right?"
"Yeah just peachy," said Razhib then he downed it and got up. "Thanks for everything but I've got to run now."
[Back in Safe House]
"I've got to run to meet your boyfriend," said Ali. "But I don't want you to think I'm rude. I'll leave you ungagged but something you should know before you scream for help as soon as I'm gone. The door downstairs is booby trapped with enough explosives to bring down this whole building and so you won't get bored here," said Ali as he turned the monitor back for her to see.
"What's that? The view of the inside of the pub," said Miriam as she recognized some of the kids inside. As they were talking the electricity went out they heard dogs barking outside. At first Ali thought he'd been found out but the generator kicked in. He went to the window and looked out all of Old Town was without power. He went back to the monitor to see the pub was on emergency light too. However, as suddenly as it went out it came back on again.
"Well that was odd," said Ali. "But don't worry I've got an emergency generator hooked up to this place for when the electricity goes out. When you handle explosives for a living you can't take any chances that the lights go out on you while you're wiring…"
"That's what you do… you make bombs like those terrorists on television," said Miriam as she watched him place a leather bag on the table in front of her.
"My dear those people are amateurs when compared with me," said Ali as he pulled out a bomb from the bag placing it in front of her. "It takes hard work and practice to make something like this. Our master, the Toy maker, my teacher was the Leonardo Da Vinci of bomb makers while I am the Michelangelo his rightful heir."
"Anyone ever tell you that your banana has split… your cheese has slipped off the cracker," said Miriam but he seemed to ignore her. He was too occupied looking at his bomb.
"Watch as my creation comes to life," he said as he flipped a switch then placed his thumb on a scanner. The red light on the bomb became green indicating the bomb was armed. "It's alive."
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Chuck and Sarah were sitting in the surveillance van with Mike. Chuck had temporarily substitute Mike at the console and was typing in code into the mainframe. Suddenly the lights in the shops, restaurants, pubs, and other establishments in Old Town went out and people walked out into the street looking around.
"Chuck, please tell me that was on purpose," said Margo as she looked out the window of the van seeing all sorts of angry faces.
"Don't worry it was," said Chuck. "I just took Old Town off the power grid for a little while so I could look for this. Do you see that Mike?"
"Maybe it would be better if you told me what I'm looking at," said Mike as he and Sarah stood behind Chuck.
"Those places are shops or businesses that have emergency generators that kick in when the power goes out like a bank that can't risk its security system being compromised by a power outage or a clinic that has sensitive medications stored," said Sarah. "But what we're looking for is the odd man out… a private residence that wouldn't have a reason to have one."
"But that doesn't mean they can't have one. If we follow your lead we could be breaking into private residences."
"I didn't say I was done. Okay Mike you did a good job we know the range of those nanny cams. There's the one from the pub and the one from the café. Now we over lay that with the data I just received and this is what we get. Three possibilities and now we look at them. This one," said Chuck. "Look at it. It's an old row house like a lot of houses in Old Town but the houses on each side are empty. One is being restored and the other is owned by people who only come in the summer. That's our place."
"Mike get a team together then hit it," said Margo. "I'm going to tell Razhib this is over and take him out of there."
"Hold up let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Chuck. "If this is Ali's safe house you should expect it to be booby trapped. You can't just go waltzing in through the front door…"
"I've got this," said Sarah. "Mike, get your team together and have them meet me out front. I'm going to need a portable signal jammer. Sweetie, you want to go with Margo I know. I don't like this Ali guy he could have something up his sleeve waiting for Razhib at the pub."
"You're right I know but I want you to promise me you'll be careful. I know what you're going to do and it's not without risks," said Chuck as he turned around and kissed her.
"But Ali isn't the only one with a card up his sleeve is he?"
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Razhib walked into the pub hot and tired. His feet ached from running on the cobblestones but he could feel he was finally getting to the end of this merry-go-round and he was ready to get off. His gut feeling was confirmed when he walked in and the barkeep waved for him to come over.
"Listen I don't want any trouble in here but your buddy came in a little while ago and left word for me to tell you that you could meet him out back. Like I said I don't want any trouble around here."
"Don't worry if there is I won't be the one who starts it," said Razhib as he headed for the bathrooms and the back door. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the watch. This was it and he knew it.
"Razhib hold up," said Chuck as he grabbed him by the arm. He turned around to find Margo standing with him.
"What are you two doing here you're going to ruin everything if he sees you. No, you two need to leave now I've got this… Chuck, how'd you even get here so fast?"
"I was told you were in trouble and I… we came. Sarah is right now liberating Miriam so there's no need to go through with this."
"Yes there is. If Ali gets away he'll just wait somewhere then come back and grab someone else I care for. No, I need to end this now when I can. Believe me when I tell you I know what I'm doing."
"I do that's why I'm going to let you go. But know if he tries anything there won't be a hole deep enough for him to hide in."
"I appreciate that and I appreciate the trust," said Razhib. "Please Mom, I have to do this." He said then he went back the hallway. They heard the back door open to the alley then close.
"Are you sure he's safe," asked Margo. "Please tell me he is even if he's not. Am I a bad mother or what?"
"No you're not. At some point you have to trust he knows what he's doing. Razhib has seen things that... well on the outside he looks like a boy but inside he's probably an old man."
"How am I supposed to stand here and not go running out there knowing what kind of man Ali is? I do trust Razhib but I also worry about him. Chuck, what would you do if it were Sam we were talking about?"
"Ali would be dead and he soon will be. I told Razhib I had faith in him and that's what he need from me. But I wasn't going to leave anything up to chance."
"Chuck, what did you do?" asked Margo but Chuck was silent. "Are you trying to tell me I don't want to know?"
"I'm giving you plausible deniability when the General asks you what happened to Ali. If things go as I've got planned no one will see him again," said Chuck but as they were talking they heard a small explosion like a very large firecracker go off.
"Stupid kids are always playing with fireworks out back," said the bartender as he threw his towel into the sink.
Chuck and Margo were headed back to check on him when Razhib walked back inside through the back door. His face looked white and pale Margo was immediately worried about him and ran to check him.
"Are you all right? What happened? Where is Ali?"
"I don't know...," said Razhid as he handed Chuck a pistol with half the handle grip blown off and what was left was chard. Chuck immediately tucked it under his jacket. "Please tell me you were able to get to Miriam and set her free."
"Why don't you tell us what happened."
"But Ali's still out there and he's got Miriam. I should've put more C-4 in it but there just wasn't enough room.
"Don't worry about Miriam or Ali," said Chuck as they were talking Chuck got a text message. "Hold that thought for a moment," he said as he looked at it. "Well if I were you I wouldn't worry about Ali anymore. He's going on a one-way trip to Serbia. That was Ševo thanking me for the Persian rug he just had picked up he says he's going to hang it some place nice. So tell us about what happened out back?"
