Flashback
After a long and tiring day at the office, Chuck got back home to Lou's apartment. "I'm back." He called out.
Lou quickly emerged from her room.
"Hey, Lou. Ellie bought me this suit after I got my degree back. She just called and..." He noticed his girlfriend's expression and it didn't seem like a happy one. "What is it?"
"I-I d-don't think I can go with you, Chuck."
"Why not?" Chuck blinked in confusion.
"Something... came up. This guy... from way back... wants me to run an errand for him. He says he has some key intel on Gaez and that traitorous bitch who ruined me. It has to be tonight." She replied in an apologetic tone.
"Who... is this person? Is he a credible source?"
"He is an old... acquaintance."
"Oh." Chuck collapsed on the couch, trying to take it all in. Devon invited him to his brother's wedding, where he and Ellie would be introduced to the other Woodcombs for the first time; he wanted Lou to come along. Unfortunately, his sister viewed her as an entitled self-absorbed prick who didn't give a damn about anyone else and this was just going to add more fuel to the fire.
Lou sat next to him and held his hand with both of hers. "Chuck, sweetie. I know how much you were looking forward to this. But sometimes we have to do things that will benefit all of us in the long run."
"Right." Chuck muttered. "Can you at least give me details?"
"Is it not enough to say that it's very important?"
"Not if you want to avoid meeting Ellie and Devon for the seventh time this year."
Lou reluctantly gave in and explained the situation. "There is a huge shipment of drugs coming into the country. All evidence suggests that it could be Gaez working with regular gangs, trying to take over the chains of distribution in major cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc. That bitch is handling the operation on the CIA side of things so I gotta catch her red-handed while she is fixing things for Gaez. You know how important that is to me."
Chuck felt resigned, but couldn't help sighing in frustration. "Fine!"
"What is it?" Lou was surprised at his reaction. She thought that Chuck of all people would have understood her crusade to regain her honor.
"Do you... ever think about the future, Lieutenant?" Chuck leaned back, taking a deep calming breath. "I mean, what if you and I got married somewhere down the road, and lived in a big house like a happy family? Would you still want to go out on these dangerous missions?"
"Whoa there!" Lou cried. "Slow down! Chuck, why are you bringing this up?"
"I figure we should at least discuss things like that." Chuck said calmly. "I just want to see if you and I see things eye to eye. Not just trusting each other, but knowing and accepting what we truly want to get out of life. That's what being in a relationship is all about. Take me, for example – I would like to get my doctorate, become a major scientist like my dad was, then go on to create my own company. And I also want to become a good husband and father... somewhere down the road. What about you?" He looked at her passionately.
Lou, on the other hand, looked quite alarmed. She looked away in embarrassment and gave no immediate answer, though deep inside she kept searching for one.
"...You never really gave it a thought at all, did you?" Chuck asked.
"Chuck, I think this is too much, too soon. Nobody knows what the future holds for you. Especially as the son of the legendary Orion."
"I try to plan ahead sometimes."
"You want me to marry you?" Lou asked, outraged.
"If things continue to go well... that would be the next logical step. Don't you think?"
"I have grown fond of you. So much, in fact... that it even scares me. I love you, Chuck. I really do. But I draw the line at doing housewife duties."
"You know very well that's not what I meant."
"Then what should I do? Live like an ordinary person?"
"Something that doesn't involve you going after one of the world's most dangerous criminal master-minds and a highly-skilled lethal assassin in his employ."
"I am not that kind of woman and you are not that kind of man. We are special. I believe we will redefine our relationship as time goes on. You have to stop thinking like some Nerd Herd supervisor. You possess one of the most sophisticated innovations to ever exist right inside your brain. You will never be able to live like an ordinary salaryman. How many times do I have to remind you of that?"
Chuck stood up. "It seems we are two very different people here. I know." He took a thoughtful pause, then asked her, "Do you really love Chuck Bartowski? Or do you love the computer in my head and my status as the son of Orion?"
"Chuck..."
"I just... feel very special being with you. You always tell me I have heart and spirit. So do you. But I sometimes feel like you regret being with me."
"I don't!" Lou suddenly stood up with conviction in her eyes. "I've always had feelings for you. I've loved you from the moment you held me in your kitchen, when we first met."
"What if I someday learned how to erase the Intersect?" Chuck tested her once again. "What if I just gave up on all these special abilities and went back to being a salaryman?"
Lou struggled and shook her head, unable to form a coherent response.
"That's what I thought." He then went into another room with a suit in his hands.
"What are you doing?"
"Gotta go buy a matching tie. Ellie should be here in a couple of hours." He stated adamantly.
Lou was aghast at hearing this. "I told you I can't go with you, Chuck."
"I guess I will look like a clown in front of Awesome's family. No matter. It's not like anyone would care about a former Buy More employee." He responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm and frustration.
And just like that, he went into the bathroom to shower.
Flashback End
...xxxxxxxxx...xxxxxxx...xxxxxxx...
"Are you absolutely certain about this information?" Beckman spoke in a tone which usually made people question their own knowledge. Casey was more or less used to it, but even he wasn't entirely immune to her scrutinizing looks. He took another good look at the DARPA document in his hand and nodded once again.
"Do you remember Dr Paul Madriani, Ma'am?"
"Of course I do. He used to be one of the brightest minds to ever work for our agency and created the program which allowed researchers from all intelligence agencies to collate their data in a swift and effective manner, leading to the creation of the Intersect. Unfortunately, he was found dead five years ago."
"Surprisingly, he was the one who brought Chuck Bartowski to work with him at Harvard, despite his being branded as a cheater and made persona non grata in the academic and professional fields. Apparently Bartowski was working on a visual intelligence algorithm which could read licence plates in traffic or recognize faces, but that's beside the point. I checked these files and the most interesting point of note was him befriending a woman by the name of Sarah Walker." Casey stared expectantly towards his superior, eagerly waiting for her to give him the order. To his annoyance she remained silent, maintaining a sceptical look on her face. "That woman is none other than Larkin's former lover and Graham's personal hunting dog." Again, he waited for Beckman's orders but she remained indifferent and he was starting to lose patience.
"Major Casey, I really appreciate your attention to detail and I will take this matter into consideration. However, I believe you should focus on the Intersect project for the time being and leave trivial matters like that to our analysts." Beckman responded in a nonchalant manner. She knew Casey continued to bear a grudge against the CIA for Larkin's actions, which directly led to his fellow agents' death. In addition, he was also visibly upset by the sudden demise of his old friend Frank Nelson, but she thought the news of Bryce's death and recovering the Intersect from the brink of self-destruction would appease him.
"They'll want the project back. You know as well as I that Walker is a cold-blooded killer, a complete burnout. If she and Graham are thrown into the mix, this moron will need all the help he can get, if not more." Deciding to use his ace in the hole, he dropped two pictures on her desk in dramatic fashion. "This picture was taken from CCTV footage outside a well known club called The Heist." Beckman's eyes narrowed upon seeing Chuck and Sarah in the same frame, about to kiss.
"Yeah, I don't believe in coincidences either, Ma'am." Casey now had a full-blown smirk on his face.
"You think this has something to do with Mr Bartowski's special expertise in relation to the Intersect project?"
"I can't think of any other reason for her to reappear in front of Mr Bartowski five years since their last meeting. Unless you believe she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Very well. Go out there and observe the situation." For once in this conversation, Beckman wholeheartedly agreed with Casey. There was no such thing as coincidence in the world of espionage.
"With pleasure, Ma'am."
Casey's nod was enough to prompt her next words.
"Oh, Major Casey. If something were to happen to Walker, then..." She paused for dramatic effect. "...it would be a most unfortunate, yet unavoidable accident."
"Understood, Ma'am."
Casey saluted smartly, turned on his heel and quickly left the office before Beckman could change her mind. The idea of exacting revenge on the CIA and that Larkin bastard was just what he needed to cool off. The CIA skank, he would kill. That was a most welcome bonus for him, payback for getting in his way.
...xxxxxxxx...xxxxxxxx...
The hairs on the back of his head stood up as he stared at the imposing figures, eyes bulging in alarm at the sight. Chuck was truly in a vulnerable spot. Sarah was still standing beside him and he certainly didn't want to reveal his special abilities to her.
"What do you mean by "trouble", young man?" Mauser asked him silkily. "Do you mean to say you were expecting someone like me to arrive?"
In the past few years, Chuck had learned how to be a good liar so it was time to put his newfound ability / vice to the test. His humor often lowered other people's guards; he had to try against this man and hope it bought them some time.
"Yeah. You're from some theater group, right? Pulling pranks on people to test your method acting. My sister knew some folks like that back in UCLA." Chuck shrugged as he looked at Sarah, continuing in an all too innocent tone, laughing weakly.
"Chuck..." Sarah whispered, quickly stepping in front of him in a protective manner. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I doubt he is some actor trying to showcase his skills on the streets."
"Sharp as ever, Mrs Anderson. Glad to see you haven't lost your edge despite the unfortunate demise of your partner. You see, after receiving this assignment, I was called by an old friend of mine." Mauser continued further with a menacing grin. "He told me how you nearly killed the mighty Augusto Gaez despite how many precautions he took. And you did that quite effortlessly... Impressive, indeed. He mentioned a name, Amelia Anderson, which I now know is an alias of yours." He backed off and added with venom in his voice, "There is no personal enmity between us. Unfortunately, you have made an enemy of an individual with many resources. Whatever this man wants with you is of no concern to me, but with money involved, I just can't help myself. You see, when it comes to money, I get quite emotional. So emotional, in fact, that I might get violent. No matter the consequences."
"Extreme, perhaps, but it's how we get things done." Mauser nodded at both Sarah and Chuck, slightly smirking once again. "After all, no one knows that better than you, Mrs Anderson!"
Chuck gasped from the great surprise he felt upon seeing Sarah's stunned expression. He could feel her getting tense and it wasn't doing him any good. What is this guy talking about? It was getting harder and harder to pretend not knowing what these men were truly capable of. But he couldn't just depend on Sarah. He had to intervene. Their lives were on the line. Desperately, he searched within his mind for a way of dealing with these dangerous individuals without exposing himself as the Intersect.
He had to do something.
But what?
"Wow..." He clapped half-mockingly, hiding Sarah from their view once again. "I gotta admit Sir, you've got the whole Bond villain accent down to a T. Why don't you audition for the new NCIS show?"
"Such an imbecile. I thought you had better taste in men, Mrs Anderson." Mauser looked at his armed henchmen as everyone laughed at that statement. Sarah looked at the henchmen and Chuck worryingly, but was surprised that the man in question wasn't doing anything. Until he suddenly turned around and kicked a basketball into Mauser's groin, making him bend over in pain and drop his gun. Incredibly, the ball had enough momentum to bounce sideways and hit a nearby wall, then rebound with twice the force into the heads of two henchmen, smashing them against the hoods of their cars.
"Come on!"
Before anyone could recover from their initial states of shock and ruminate the likelihood of physics-defying basketballs, Sarah grabbed Chuck by the shoulders and got them moving as far from their enemies as quick as she possibly could.
"What are you waiting for? Kill that bastard!" Mauser barked orders in a pain-stricken voice, still unable to fully regain his bearings (albeit recovered from his initial state of shock).
With bullets starting to fly as the henchmen gave chase, Chuck and Sarah dashed towards the back of the apartment complex. The highly skilled assassin was quick to take charge of the situation as she grabbed him by the waist and dived behind a dumpster. She loaded her pistols with fresh magazines, then fired several wild shots at the assailants, stopping them in their tracks.
Chuck tried to catch his breath, feeling her weight on him. It seemed she was using her body to cover his.
"You think... they will find us?" Chuck asked in a slightly uncertain tone.
"Not on my watch." Sarah replied with a hint of steel in her voice. She cursed internally. It was because of her those assailants were here in the first place, and now Chuck was in danger just for being with her at the wrong time. She handed him her car keys whilst formulating her next move.
"Can you get to the car by yourself?"
"What?" Chuck realized this was his chance to get away from Sarah and this whole mess. Unfortunately, the time he spent at Fort Bragg hadn't beaten him so thoroughly of his dignity and morality that he was okay with leaving Sarah to her fate. It was obvious Mauser had no qualms in killing her to fulfil his mission. "These guys are dangerous."
"There are at least six of them and I can't afford to let them get to you. I can take them out but it might be hard to do so while looking out for you. Don't worry, I've dealt with worse in the past. I am a true professional, you know." Sarah gave him a reassuring smile, trying to temper her words and not scare him. "Just get in my car and drive away."
She really didn't want to leave Chuck on his own, but she knew he stood a better chance of survival if she took care of her pursuers beforehand.
Chuck wanted to say something but before he could utter a single word, Sarah leaned in and placed a soft, searing kiss on his lips before pushing him away and sprinting in the opposite direction. She opened fire at her pursuers with extraordinary skill and deadly accuracy, successfully diverting their attention away from him.
Chuck started running towards the car in a crouched position. It would have helped if he was carrying a panic button with him like he did in the early days of his NGA employment, but it was deemed unnecessary after he passed all those hellish training parameters. He could still send an SOS message to the DoD personnel assigned to him, but even then it would take too long for a SWAT team to arrive and deal with the situation.
He was scared shitless right now. It didn't matter how many months he'd spent preparing his mind and body, or how many simulations he'd undergone to test out and hone his Intersect abilities. This was a real life and death situation. He didn't have to pretend to be an ordinary tech analyst. Especially now. He had to be unnerving, fearless and smart.
I am a soldier in a war and these people are trying to kill Sarah and I.
He recalled what the Admiral often told him. The best way to deal with a threat...
"...Is to eliminate it." He whispered to himself, repeating it over and over like a calming mantra. All of a sudden, he detected a faint but familiar smell coming from a nearby passenger car.
And just like that, his mind came alive with countless possibilities.
...xxxxxxxxx...xxxxxxxxx...xxxxxxx...
Thanks to Crazzywally, baldcoder, WillieGarvin, Fezzywhigg and all those who made it this far ;)
I am really disappointed in myself for how much time it took to write this chapter but hopefully next one should be much easier to follow.
Take care
Stay healthy, Stay safe.
XD