A/N: I'd like to thank all of you who read Chapter 1, and took the time to review, follow, favorite, or send me a direct PM. I am overwhelmed by positive messages and words of encouragement, and hope you continue to enjoy the story.
A/N2: The story has a "T" rating for some language and adult themes (not explicit or graphic.) If you are offended by content, you are welcome to change the channel and read something else.
A/N3: I would like to thank Nevr for his tireless work in pre-reading, advising and the beta reading chapter 2. Thanks Nevr! If are unfamiliar with his work, and I doubt anyone is, please take a look at some of his current multi-chapter works, Anger management, Wake Up, and Endings. They are all worth a read.
A/N4: If you like Chapter 2, please let me know by "Reviewing," "Following," or "Favorite-ing."
A/N5: I still don't own Chuck or make any money from writing this story...and I'm still sad about that.
Chapter 2 - Team Building:
Sunday, 21 November 2010 - 15:00 Eastern Standard Time
Williamsburg Virginia – Camp Peary (The Farm)
Sarah Walker was enjoying an afternoon run in the fresh fall air. Walker had just recently completed her training at "the Farm" and was expecting to receive notification of her first assignment in the coming week. She was tired but invigorated, knowing her life as an agent was about to begin. Walker was also immensely proud of herself. She excelled in all aspects of her training, from the physical to the academic, through the strictest discipline and focus. She graduated at the top of her class, handing many arrogant males with outsized egos a slap in the nose. Her success and Calvinistic focus did not endear her to her classmates, who saw her as cold and distant. Walker was a stunning woman standing almost 5'.10" with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes to add insult to injury. A competitive volleyball player at Harvard, she was also an extraordinary physical specimen with the agility, coordination, strength, and stamina one would expect from a world-class athlete. As such, it was no secret that a number of the more aggressive men in her class had set up a pool on who would be able to seduce and bed down the elusive "ice queen" before graduation. Walker had heard the whispers and snide comments as she continued to out-pace her peers in every dimension of the training, so she purposely minimized the time she allowed herself to fraternize socially and eliminated any opportunity for a romantic or sexual entanglement.
As walker approached the dormitories, she received a text message on her CIA issued mobile device:
REPORT TO DIRECTOR AT LANGLEY TOMORROW 22 NOVEMBER 16:00 HOURS
Walker re-read the message…twice….in shock. 'Why would the Director want to see me directly?' she thought to herself. She knew assignments were handed out in paper folders, so she was confused but also intrigued. She wrote back a single word in response:
CONFIRMED
= ! =
Sunday, 21 November 2010 - 15:00 Eastern Standard Time
Miami Beach, Florida - Delano Hotel, poolside
Carina Miller lounged poolside at the Delano hotel in Miami Beach, flashing her most seductive looks at a man sitting at a table just a few meters away. Augusto Milan was the Culiacan Cartel's point man in the U.S. and controlled half of the heroine, human trafficking, gun-running, and cocaine coming in through the United States. This morning he had just finished meeting his lieutenants in Miami to discuss a strategic expansion plan. As the meeting ended, he looked around the table and quietly shared "project Fulcrum will change how we operate, so buckle up boys…" After the single cryptic comment, Milan sat back, grinned and dismissed his men. He was now alone at his table, nursing a mojito and surveying the lovelies scattered around the pool. His eyes fixed on a stunning redhead wearing a barely-there bikini and flashing her best "come hither" look.
Miller had emerald green eyes that stood out in stark contrast to her red hair. Her skin was smooth and well-tanned, and her body lean and long. In only her second year as a DEA Agent, Miller quickly built a reputation for being involved in some big take downs and building an extraordinary network of informats. Aside from her top model physique and looks, Miller was as quick-witted as she was outgoing, making her impossibly effective at seducing her marks, male or female. Today, Milan would be the next notch on her belt, though she hoped it would not require a notch on the bedpost. Milan was morbidly obese and spat everywhere as he spoke. It took Miller all of her concentration to not throw up over the thought of having to rub herself up against that giant piece of shit to get the information she needed. 'What a glamorous and exotic life we have carved out for ourselves, Ms. Miller' she thought.
Milan gave a predatory smile, then nodded to one of his bodyguards.
Miller had seen him appraising her and knew she had the big fish firmly on the hook even before he nodded to his muscle. 'Men…so easy and so predictable' thought Miller, who was broken out of her musings by a ping from her phone announcing a text message.
MILLER – REPORT TO CIA DIRECTOR LANGLEY - TOMORROW AT 16:00 – PRIORITY 1.
The message was signed by the Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency, her boss's, boss's, boss.
'The Director of the DEA sending me a message directly? And to report to the Director of the CIA…..What the fuck is going on,' thought Miller, who was as perplexed as she was pissed off. 'I've been angling to get to this asshole and his buddies in Culiacan for a month, and now this….' Her thoughts dissipated as a large shadow loomed over her.
"Miss, Senior Milan would like to invite you to his table for a drink….please come with me," the mountainous bodyguard said with a thick Latin accent…..it wasn't a request.
"Sorry lover….tell Senor Milan mama will be back soon….." And with that, Miller gathered her things and left the pool, much to the disappointment of Senior Milan, who would inevitably take it out on his bodyguard.
= ! =
Monday, 22 November 2010 – 15:55 Eastern Standard Time
Langley, Virginia - CIA HQ
Sarah Walker was escorted into the Director's waiting room.
"Please have a seat Agent Walker" the secretary offered with an expressionless face. "The Director will be with you shortly."
Carina Miller saw the blonde arriving and was surprised to hear that she was also meeting with the Director. 'Good looking woman,' thought Miller wondering what any of this meant.
Sarah took a seat next to the red-headed woman and studied her through her peripheral vision noticing that she was very attractive. She was starting to think about what any of this meant when the expressionless secretary spoke up.
"Ladies, the Director will see you now." In perfect synchronicity, both women stood up and smoothed the front of their skirts, sharing a quick look as they realized they were mirroring each other. Both then turned and walked into the Director's office without a word or expression.
"Walker, Miller….sit." Director Brennan paused momentarily, sifting through some files on his desk, letting silence fill the room.
"Agent Walker, I'm very pleased to meet you finally. We've been keeping an eye on you and have been impressed by your performance at the Farm. But then again, when I look at the rest of your background, we were right to have such high expectations for you. Top of your class at Harvard with a double degree in Political Science and International Business and a competitive volleyball player. You have also have a private pilot license with IFR and multi engine ratings. Impressive. Two years at the State Department, who saw enough promise in you to fund your Masters in Public Administration and International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School of Public Policy, before you were steered our way by one of our friends at State. You raise the bar for future recruits, Agent Walker, and we look forward to seeing great things from you."
"Thank you, Director," Sarah offered in a quiet but confident voice.
Another uncomfortable pause as the Director quietly looked at the two women seated in front of him, his face devoid of any expression.
"Miller, your file is also quite impressive….Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, followed by two years at the Cardozo School of Law in New York, which you left to join the DEA. Since joining the DEA two years ago, your performance in the field has exceeded all expectations, not to mention your contribution to the submarine intercept that resulted in the largest seizure of contraband in US History. You have rightly been identified by your Director as a "fast track" candidate, much like our own Agent Walker here."
"Thank you, sir," replied Miller, "but with all due respect, why am I in the office of the Director of the CIA?"
The Director smiled. "Direct….I like that Miller. This conversation is classified as Top Secret. Agent Miller, you are here because the head of your organization thought you might be a good fit for a multi-agency task force set up under a Presidential Executive Order. The task force will be led by the NSA but also staffed by agents representing the CIA, the FBI, the DEA, and Justice. The task force will have several teams, each with two people, and each person on a team will represent a different agency. Agent Walker, you are also here for the same reason. And the reason the two of you are here together is that for the duration of the task force, you two will be partners."
"Sir, if I may," Walker politely interjected, "what is the objective of the task force?"
"Very simple Walker…The task force will catch and turn the Piranha, potentially the most dangerous cyber-criminal on the planet, and therefore potentially the most dangerous person on the planet. If it turns out Piranha is not a person but some sort of hacking organization, then you shut it down and bring those people in. Your orders and the task force dossier are waiting for you outside, but to put things in context, this Piranha was able to breach the most secure data networks on the planet. He…or they, got to us, the DEA, Justice, and the NSA, to name a few, without leaving a trace. Piranha could disrupt the banking system, potentially access NORAD….the list of very unpleasant things Pirhana could do is impossibly long, so you get him or them, or whatever, but you do it fast so we can put those skills in a deep dark hole and use them the way that we want. All the salient details are in the dossiers. You will report to General Dianne Beckman of the NSA at Fort Meade tomorrow. You are both dismissed."
"Thank you, sir," both women said as they stood in unison, again catching their synchronicity as they walked out of the Director's office.
They picked up their orders and their dossiers and walked out into the hall, where they paused and faced each other.
"Good to meet you, Miller. Look forward to working with you," said Sarah extending her hand.
"Good to meet you as well, Walker, and please call me Carina."
"I'm Sarah…What do you say we grab a coffee, review the case file and get to know each other better?"
"Sounds good," Carina said amicably as the two women headed down to the cafeteria to find a quiet corner for some coffee while reviewing the case file. As the two women walked through the halls of the CIA headquarters together, the heads of many men, and several women, inevitably turned to stare at the pair.
XXX
Daniel Shaw was standing in the doorway of his office chatting with his colleague, Bryce Larkin, when he saw Sarah and Carina approaching. The trained spy used his peripheral vision to scope out the two women, and as they passed, he gave an almost imperceptible not to Larkin, who quickly followed Shaw's line of sight to the two shapely bodies gliding down the hall.
"How about that coffee?" smirked Shaw, dropping the cup he had in his hand into the nearby trash can pulling Larkin along as they followed the women towards the cafeteria from a reasonable distance.
Sarah and Carina grabbed some coffee and found a quiet table in the back corner of the cafeteria. Their conversation so far had been friendly, mainly focused on comparing their training, skills, and experiences so far. They no sooner opened their case files when two strikingly handsome men approached their table and asked if they could join them.
"Good afternoon, ladies," offered Shaw with a smarmy smile, "my partner Bryce and I noticed you were sitting all alone in this dark corner, and though you might like some company. I'm Special Agent Daniel Shaw, and my partner here is Bryce Larkin," Shaw said while emphasizing "special" to assert his seniority and importance. And as Shaw made his pitch, Larkin put on his best 1000 watt smile without saying a word.
Both Sarah and Carina were stunning women and quite familiar with the regrettable antics of frat boy alpha-males, their inflated egos, and their sense of entitlement. While the two men were unquestionably handsome, both oozed self-importance and believed they were a gift to all women. Even more disconcerting was that despite their training, neither man could hide the desire in their eyes, which both Sarah and Carina were more than adequately trained to read.
In another unexpected bonding moment between Sarah and Carina, both women spoke at the same time, with the same response, "Thank you, boys, but no thanks, we have work to do." The women paused a beat and gave each other a slight smirk, enjoying that they had the same reaction to the unwelcome intrusion.
"Perhaps we can meet after work for a drink then," proposed Shaw. "Why don't the two of you swing by my office at say 6:00 pm, and we can carpool to a little place I know that I am sure you will like." Shaw again tried to push his seniority by mentioning his office as Larkin continued to stand smiling silently.
"Shaw was it?" Sarah cut in with the warmth of a cobra about to strike. "I don't think we will be "swinging" by anything today, or tomorrow or the next day. We have work to do, so please let us get on with it."
Shaw's expression changed slightly as he was not used to being flatly rejected in such a way. And certainly not in front of his junior partner, who had somehow not received the message and continued to broadcast his exceptional smile.
"I didn't get your names," Shaw remarked with irritation he couldn't hide.
Carina looked him in the eye and said with the same look Sarah had, "That's need to know, and you don't need to know. Now please, we have real work to do here."
Shaw produced a forced smile in a vain effort to mask his displeasure. "Well, so much for being friendly and polite. Let's go, Bryce." He added, in a non-complementary way, "Ladies."
Sarah and Carina waited until both men were out of range, then shared a brief giggle.
"Can't stand men like that," they both said in unison, resulting in a hearty laugh and another bonding moment.
"I think they grow these idiots in bunches at the Farm….and they are almost all the same," Sarah said with a flat look. Then, with a growing smirk, she added, "I think we are going to be great partners, Carina."
At about 7:00 pm, both Sarah and Carina were getting a bit tired reading and re-reading the file, and Carina suggested they go out somewhere fun for some drinks and maybe something to eat. They collected their materials and started making their way to the underground parking garage. Unfortunately, Shaw saw the pair leaving and called Larkin to let him know the two "birds" were on the move and heading towards the garage. Shaw was confident that this afternoon's discussion had been an unfortunate misunderstanding as the girls obviously had some papers to push. Now that they were done and ready to leave work, they would be much more reasonable to deal with. He quickened his pace to pursue the two as Larkin, his wingman, approached at a steady jog.
Sarah had arrived early that morning and grabbed a parking spot immediately next to the staircase entrance and close to the exit ramp. She had backed into the spot putting the driver's side of the car further away from the staircase door. Carina was perhaps 20 spaces further away, so she would have to walk another 40 yards to her car.
"This is me…I'll wait for you here and follow you out," said Sarah. They had agreed to go to a place in Georgetown that Carina knew well.
Sarah climbed into her car and was about to turn the key when her phone vibrated, announcing a text message. It was her mom, checking in on her. As Sarah sat quietly in the darkened car reading her mother's message, she saw Shaw and Larkin walk through the stairway door, tracking Carina a few yards ahead of them.
"Where did blonde bimbo go?" muttered Shaw, trying to acquire the missing target. Then his lack of patience got the best of him, and he headed to the other side of the parking garage with Larkin right behind him.
Moments later, Carina pulled out of her spot and headed for the exit as her mobile phone rang.
"This is Miller," Carina answered into her mobile phone.
"Carina, it's Sarah. I just wanted you to know that those two frat boys followed us into the garage. They saw you, and are now behind you in a black mustang. They did not see me, and they don't know what kind of car I drive, so I'm going to going to hang back behind them to see if they are following you, or this is just an unhappy coincidence. Either way, I'll meet you at the bar in Georgetown.
"I don't believe in coincidences, Sarah…And thanks, partner," said Carina. "I'll park at Colonial Parking on M Street and walk over to Martin's Tavern. Let me know what they do."
40 minutes later, Carina pulled into the parking lot and found a section with some free space. She parked and made her way to the exit as a black Mustang with tinted windows drove by her slowly. Carina watched the car peripherally, pretending not to notice it, and made her way out of the parking garage. As she exited, she saw Sarah pull over and park on the opposite side of M Street.
As Sarah watched Carina exit the garage, she quickly shut off the engine and her lights, waiting for Shaw and Larkin to appear, which they cautiously did just a few moments later.
"Miller," Carina answered her phone.
"They just exited the lot and are following you," said Sarah in a flat voice.
"Yep…made them pulling onto the lot….not very good spycraft," she replied.
"Piss poor if you ask me. Go to the bar, I'll see what they do, and I'll join you right after," said Sarah as she closed the call.
XXX
Carina settled at the bar, saving a seat for Sarah, who was tailing Shaw and Larkin discretely. She watched the pair approach the hostess, who led them to a table outside the restaurant. As they walked to the table, she could see that they were looking towards the bar, where Carina would be seated. The outside position gave them some concealment as the inside of the bar was more brightly lit, and the window would reflect light making it harder to see outside. While Shaw and Larkin were led to their table, Sarah walked straight to Carina and took the seat next to her.
"Hey, Blondie…welcome to the party….drink?" asked Carina.
"Blondie, heh?" replied Sarah. "Ok, Red….How about a vodka martini…shaken, not stirred," she added with a giggle. "What do you want to do about "Spectre"…they took two seats outside and were scoping you out."
"Well, if they come over here and try that slick crap again, we know they are egotistical but probably harmless frat boys trying to bag two hotties. The creepy factor changes significantly if they just hide and follow us. But for now, let's pretend they are not here and have a drink….or two." Carina smiled and waved to a handsome young bartender who was all smiles at the two beauties as he hurried over.
"Check it out, the Blonde bimbo just materialized out of nowhere…she must have already been here waiting for the redhead…maybe in the restroom or something," Larkin said to Shaw as a predatory grin appeared on his face.
XXX
"Hi. My name is Carina," Carina said to the smiling bartender.
"Jules…nice to meet you, Carina. What can I get for you."
"Hi Jules, first, we would like two vodka martinis, shaken, not stirred, with lots of olives. Then I need your help with a work-related favor if you would be so kind," Carina said as she discretely flashed her DEA credentials making sure the act was not visible to the watchers outside. "Please act natural and do not look anywhere except into my eyes right now. …are you with me Jules?"
"I am sooo with you, Carina." replied Jules, with a flirtatious smile, as Sarah looked on at what her partner was concocting.
"Good boy Jules…you have lovely eyes, by the way," she smiled at him before her face turned completely hard. "We are tailing two members of a drug cartel who have critical information about a shipment of illicit substance arriving in the next 24 hours. They are sitting…eyes on mine Jules…..they are sitting at a table outside. I want your help feeding these guys some heavy drinks over the next hour to lubricate their tongues so that my partner and I can more easily approach them and get the information we need. Also, after this first round, I want you to keep serving us martini glasses with water and lots of olives, so we keep our heads on straight…the DEA will pay for those like they were real, and you will get a nice tip out of it…ok? Now, can we arrange for the hostess or one of your pretty waitresses to buy them a few rounds "on the house" which the DEA will also pay you for, so we can get these guys lit up?" Carina's seductive smile returned. "And then you can give me your phone number, Jules….I really do like your eyes."
Jules wrote his number on a Martin's Tavern card and handed it to Carina, gave her a wink and a smile before grabbing the hostess and whispering in her ear, then he got busy making two perfect James Bond-style martinis.
Sarah watched in wonder as Carina orchestrated her play so smoothly and easily. "Wow, Red….that was impressive. I was top of my class at the Farm, including seduction school, but what you just did was awesome partner….." Then Sarah's attention focused on the large vodka martini set before her and her partner. "Here's to a great partnership and to a successful fishing expedition." Sarah raised her glass and clinked it with Carina's.
An hour later, both Sarah and Carina had four empty martini gasses in front of them, giving everyone the impression that the two beauties were letting off a lot of steam and drinking more than their fair share. Their act was supported by loud laughs and blatant flirting with the bartender.
In the meantime, the table outside had consumed an entire bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label, courtesy of the charming hostess. Both men were very buzzed, and the alcohol-fueled their appetite while at the same time disconnecting any mental safety features that might prevent them from doing something seriously stupid. While the hostess momentarily distracted the two men by clearing away the empty bottle and glasses, Sarah slipped off her barstool and glided out the back with help from Jules. Carina would wait a few minutes for Sarah to get into position before heading back to her car while hoping the two watchers would stay put and hit on the hostess.
"Daniel, the blonde is gone, and the redhead is packing up," Bryce said excitedly.
"What do you mean she's gone?…She was right there….Bathroom?" asked Shaw
"Don't know…she's gone. And the redhead is leaving," Replied Larkin
Shaw left a $20 tip, and his business card as the pair stumbled out of the bar to pursue the redhead.
Carina had parked her car in a slightly remote part of the parking garage, but she selected it because of the good lighting and the well-placed security camera that would record whatever might happen that evening. Sarah had purposely walked by the camera on her way to her car but stopped just out of camera view, crouching behind a car parked across from Carina's. Carina made a good show of staggering her way towards the garage and then to her parking spot as Shaw and Larkin moved in on her.
Sarah watched the two men in pursuit as she slipped off her heels and snuck out from behind the car, moving silently behind them.
"Whoa there, Red," said Shaw with a confident smile on his face while slightly slurring his speech. "Where are you going in such a rush?" he said as he and Larkin closed the distance to her.
Carina turned to face her two pursuers and saw Sarah quietly approaching the men from behind through the corner of her eye. To avoid accidentally giving away Sarah's position, Carina fixed her gaze on Shaw while keeping both Sarah and Larkin in her field of vision.
"Agent Shaw, why are you and your boy toy following me around? And have you been drinking?" demanded Carina in her most condescending tone.
"It's SPECIAL Agent Shaw, and I wanted to allow you and Blondie to show a little more appreciation for the friendly gesture we made earlier…and to apologize to us for being so rude. We could have some fun together if you'd just loosen up and see that we are just a couple of great guys who want to show you both a good time. I'll even pay for dinner," added Shaw with an oily smile that made Carina think more favorably about Augusto Milan, the obese drug trafficker.
While Shaw was speaking and slightly swaying, both Carina and Sarah saw a subtle shift in the men's positions as they started to separate in a pincer movement while continuing to close on Carina. Given her position, Sarah signaled that she was ready to take Mr. SPECIAL Agent hard to the ground if needed, so Carina could pivot to her left and engage Larkin.
"Why don't you boys go hit on some college girls and leave us women alone….I am not interested, and I speak for Blondie as well when I tell you she is not interested, either," spat back Carina.
"Where is your hot friend, Red? I wouldn't mind buttering her muffin once or twice…but since she's gone, it leaves just you to join us for some fun. Whaddaya say, Red…could be something great..." oozed Shaw while Larkin giggled drunkenly at Shaw's comment.
"Ok boys….that is unprofessional, inappropriate, and I would bet the two of you wouldn't know what to do with your pencil dicks in front of a real woman in any case. Now back off before I get angry, because you wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Carina turned to face Shaw, knowing Sarah had him fully covered, giving Larkin a false sense of security.
"Look, Bryce, I think she's getting hot," laughed Shaw as he moved closer. "Don't be that way, baby. We'll take real good care of you. I promise you will have a great time…."
Shaw then grabbed Carina by the wrist and attempted to pull her closer to him, but before he could understand what was happening, he saw a blur of red pivoting away from him and delivering an impressive spinning back kick to Larkin's jaw. Regrettably, for Larkin, he had forgotten to close his mouth and keep his chin down in a fight, but the sound of cracking bone echoing through the garage as Carina's heel made contact ensured it was a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
As Shaw watched the red cyclone neutralize his partner in the blink of an eye, he never heard or saw Walker as she delivered a brutal kick to his balls from behind. As Shaw dropped to one knee while reaching for his damaged testicles, Sarah delivered her own spinning back kick to the back of his head, knocking him instantly unconscious and causing his nose to shatter as his face planted itself on the concrete floor of the garage.
The girls assessed the condition of their disabled attackers, and recognizing that Shaw was unconscious, Carina grabbed Larkin by the hair and looked straight into his eyes with blazing intensity. Sarah could see that Carina was about to go too far, so she stepped in, replacing Carina's hand on Larkin's head and gently shouldering the redhead to the side.
"Here is how this is going to go, you arrogant piece of shit. You and your boyfriend over there got drunk and fought. She then turned his head towards the security camera so he could see it, as clearly as it saw him. Red and I will not press charges for your assault, but so help me, if you push this with either of us, you will regret you were ever born. Do you understand?" Sarah hissed with a fiery glare.
Unable to speak with a badly broken jaw, Larking nodded without lifting his head.
Sarah gave Carina a nod, and the partners turned, heading to their respective cars. On their way out, Sarah dialed 911 from her phone.
"911, what is your emergency?" asked the operator.
"Colonial Parking garage on M Street in Georgetown. Two guys fighting, I think they are going to kill each other," Sarah responded in an excited voice.
"Ma'am, your number appears blocked. May I have your name and numb….."
Sarah hung up, cutting off the operator. A minute later, she saw a Metro D.C. police car drive by with its lights and sirens heading towards the lot on M street. She reached for her mobile phone again and informed Carina, "All done…See you tomorrow, partner."
"Sarah, thanks for stepping in. I was about to put an even bigger hurt on that fucker….I'm still a little amped up from it." Carina paused for a beat, and then with a more chipper tone, added, "I need to wind down a little….I'll see you tomorrow, partner." Carina ended the call and dialed another number.
"Hi, this is Jules. Who is this?"
Carina smiled.
XXX
A few minutes later, Shaw and Larkin explained to the two officers that they were friends but had drunk too much and had a misunderstanding over a woman. They then declined medical attention and confirmed that neither would press charges against the other. The two cops made sure the two men wouldn't start fighting again while they waited for the taxi to pick them up, hoping the two drunks had the good sense to head to George Washington University Hospital to get fixed up.
As the two men sat in the cab, Shaw seethed at having been so thoroughly humiliated. 'This is not over,' he thought to himself. The Blonde and the Redhead…their paths would cross again, and one way or another, Shaw would get some satisfaction.
Twenty minutes later, a large humorless man entered Colonial Parking's central security office near Dupont Circle, showed his credentials, and took a copy of the security video from a specific camera in the M Street Garage.