AN – 10b Alma Mater continued.

After an uneventful few days, Chuck texted her on Friday morning, that he had a line on Fleming, and that it seemed like a narrow window in which they could pick the professor up. That need for haste is how Sarah ended up driving while Casey went in to get Chuck. Sarah watched as Chuck and Casey came out of the Buy More and walked to the van she'd checked out. Chuck seemed to be restraining laughter and even Casey was grinning. They opened the doors and Chuck slid into the seat behind hers while Casey took shotgun.

"What's got both you giggling like schoolgirls?" Sarah asked as they pulled away from the store.

Chuck snickered. "Tang quit. Apparently we weren't 'listening to his process improvement ideas'."

"I know you didn't like him, but that doesn't sound that funny." Sarah commented.

"It is if you know the rest." Casey chuckled. "Tang had proposed a lunch schedule that kept everyone staggered so as to 'avoid excessive fraternization and ensure a presence on the sales floor at all times'."

"Which I rejected as too harsh. Big Mike backed me up on that." Chuck said, seriously. "Tang pretty much walked out then."

"Still not seeing the funny." Sarah said.

"Oh. Well, when Tang was leaving, I announced that he'd had a point and that while we wouldn't be assigning lunch times – we might start if a sufficient presence wasn't maintained on the sales floor at all times." Chuck said, smiling. "I thanked him for all of his hard work for the store and wished him well on his future endeavors."

"Tang just about burst a blood vessel." Casey reported.

"At least that source of problems at the store is gone." Sarah noted. "Who's taking over the green shirts?"

"I nominated Casey." Chuck said. "However, Casey proceeded to quietly threatened to remove my vital organs with a plastic spoon. So we'll see who goes for it."

Sarah nodded as Casey grunted. "So, what's this lead on Fleming?"

"Your boyfriend did something and, all of a sudden, the NSA got a hit on Fleming's face in a traffic cam." Casey said. "Credit cards and traffic footage narrowed it to a house. Address is…"

"Being programmed into the GPS." Chuck interrupted. "You don't need to look at the text. Or ask too many questions about how that data made it onto the NSA's servers. Or the other data from his credit report. Or that several stores in the area suffered sudden crashes so he should be delayed just a bit getting home from the shopping trip his card usage indicates he's out on at the moment giving us time to get there… I'll stop talking now."

The address turned out to be only twenty minutes away and the ride passed mostly in silence. Until they reached the address and slowly pulled into a spot just down the street.

"We'll extract the professor as quickly as possible. You'll keep watch?" Sarah said to Chuck as Casey looked over the two story home with his binoculars.

Chuck looked around. "I could. However… If the personal connection is important and you want the professor to see me. Maybe we should make the approach less threatening? No offense, big guy, but you're kind of intimidating."

Casey gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Sarah considered, weighing it, and Chuck's idea was pretty good. Casey could cover the back and she and Chuck could walk right up to the front door. Any number of stories for why they're trying to talk to Fleming would work.Plus, it doesn't leave Chuck uncovered and alone."That could work. It might be a bit risky, so Chuck?" She paused until he looked at her. "You'll do exactly, as I say? If something happens you take cover, or run on my order. OK? And no side issues right off. We get the professor, get the intel, and get out. We can question him from a safe location." Chuck nodded and prepared to get out of the van. Sarah grabbed his arm. "Hold up. Casey, go first. Check around and setup behind the house. Text us when you get there. Then we'll head up."

Nodding, Casey slipped out of the van and headed between some houses to circle around.

Sarah was watching the house and didn't notice the man in the gray sport coat until Chuck had already slammed open the door of the van and hopped out. He shouted, "Professor Fleming!"

The man began to jog, awkwardly, as he was carrying a bag of groceries. Chuck yelled again as he followed. "Professor Fleming? Hey!"

By this time, Sarah had also hopped out and had caught up to Chuck. She grabbed Chuck's arm to keep him from getting ahead of her. The professor threw down his bag and began to run faster. They gave chase and as he started to run between two houses, Sarah decided they were out of sight enough. "Professor Fleming, Glass Castle! We're here to extract you."

The professor skidded to a halt and turned around slowly to face them. Chuck had his hands held out to the sides. In a much more normal tone, Sarah continued. "You called the emergency code, Black Coat, then disappeared. We were sent to find out what happened." She raised her watch to her lips and hit the button. "Casey, we're two houses down by the carport. We have the professor." She returned her attention to the professor who seemed to be calming down. They'd moved a few feet farther and she turned them so she could watch the street.

"You're with the agency. Thank god, agent…?" The professor trailed off.

"Agent Walker. Agent Casey will join us in a moment." Sarah said. "Mr. Bartowski is here because he's aware of our work and because you know him. We thought it would look slightly less suspicious." She glanced up the street and then back. "Do you have the intel on you?" Chuck looked as if he were about to say something, but Sarah waved him down.

"No, I managed to…" Fleming started to say, then there was a hissing noise and a solid thump. He looked at Chuck for a moment and pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding a piece of paper. "I'm sorry…" He crumpled to the ground, the shaft of a stubby crossbow bolt sticking out of his lower back.

At the hissing noise, Sarah had grabbed Chuck and pushed him to the ground beside Fleming and behind a bush. Then she drew her sidearm and trained it in the direction the shot had come. A van screeched to a halt and Sarah put three rounds into the van to keep them honest. Then Einersson popped around a corner raised his weapon. Sarah cracked a shot off at him, but missed as she'd already been bending over to grab Chuck's arm. Time to go… except I know Chuck won't leave this guy. "Chuck, get the professor up and move! Casey is on his way."

Chuck had picked up the piece of paper and got Fleming's arm over his shoulder. He was moving slowly towards the back of the house. Einersson fired, and the bolt sailed past and hit the note, pinning it to the wall. Sarah fired off two more shots, but the Icelandic spy had taken cover. The van door opened and other men started to get out. Sarah could hear Fleming saying something to Chuck, but not the exact words. Things were looking… not great, when Casey came around the corner and dropped the first man in the group that had emerged. Then he'd taken most of the weight off Chuck and they'd moved together towards cover, taking shots at the Einersson's men as they went. Eventually they'd moved far enough back, the Einersson darted in and grabbed the note from the wall. Then he'd run back to the van, avoiding their fire by using his own men as cover, and the van screeched away. The sirens had already started, so Sarah didn't bother to call an ambulance. Casey called in the incident to the field office so that someone would deal with the police.

Sarah opened Chuck's door and slipped inside, closing it behind her. His room was in a state of disarray as he'd begun to sort and pack for the move across the courtyard. She smiled at him and looked around. "You are bringing the posters right?"

"I was going to ask you about art – didn't know if you wanted the Tron poster up announcing your boyfriend is a giant nerd or not." Chuck said, getting up and crossing the room to hug her.

"My reputation will be irreparably tarnished, oh know what will I do." Sarah replied in a monotone, then giggled. "I think, maybe, there are other signs. Bring them, please."

"Okay." Chuck said, squeezing her before letting go and returning to the books he was sorting. "So how was the hospital? Is the professor gonna be okay?" He paused. "I know I screwed up jumping out and going after him like that."

Sarah took his harm and pulled him over to sit on the edge of the bed. "They'd taken him right into surgery, we should have an update soon – that was about two hours ago." She took a hand to hold. "And, yes, you did screw up. I won't sugarcoat that. However… I'm not sure it would have turned out much different. They had a grab team ready and you can go crazy second guessing yourself." She squeezed his hand and looked at him. "Casey and I have been slacking on the training aspect, so for now – don't beat yourself up too much OK? Use it to motivate yourself. When we get over to our place." She smiled, she couldn't help it. Our place. "I brought up some textbooks and field manuals you should start reading, to get you up to speed. My own special Intro to Intelligence Studies and Operations course, you might call it. Don't look at it as something to follow perfectly, I want you to keep your outside viewpoint. Look at it as insight into how and why Casey and I act the way we do."

"Spy homework." Chuck said with an exaggerated frown. "Greaaat."

"At least your instructor can provide… special incentives to study hard." Sarah said, leaning in to give him a kiss. This led to more kissing. They were about to get seriously going, when there was a knock at the door.

Casey's voice came from the hall through the door. "Walker, Bartowski, I'm coming in. Put it back in your pants or I may have to shoot someone. Maybe myself to save time." There was a barely audible ten count and the door opened, he poked his head in and gave a grunt. "Alright." He walked into the room, closing the door, and dropped into Chuck's desk chair. "I checked with the hospital. Fleming is probably going to be OK. They're going to keep him out for a few days to be sure he doesn't mess up anything. Apparently it could have gone really badly if we hadn't been there." He waved a hand at Chuck. "The problem is we can't talk to him, sort this mess out, until he comes out of it. You sure it was Magnus you saw?"

"Gee, I don't know, Casey. How many psycho archers do you know?" Chuck's voice was sarcastic.

Sarah sighed, Fleming being out would make things harder. "Fleming said something to you, tried to give you a piece of paper? We had to pull back and Einersson grabbed it. What did he say?"

"Uh, something like get this to Bryce Larkin." Chuck replied. "The paper just had a couple of short number and letter combinations. I keep thinking about what he said. Why would he want me to bring those numbers to Bryce?"

"Bryce must have been one of his CIA contacts. Fleming might not have known about his death." Sarah replied. "Which is odd, at the very least he should have been interviewed. All of Bryce's contacts were after he went rogue."

Casey pulled out a notepad. "List off the numbers you remember."

"There were like ten of them. A couple of nines, a five. It definitely started with a two." Chuck looked frustrated. "There were a couple of letters."

"That's it? You have a computer for a brain...?" Casey's voice was disbelieving.

Chuck interrupted before Casey could get going with his insult. "It was a very stressful situation, okay? I watched a guy get skewered by a crossbow." He turned to look at Sarah. "Fleming knew something. Before he fell, he said, 'I'm sorry.' Why would he say that?"

"I don't know, Chuck." Sarah replied. "There could be a lot of things he was sorry for, he may have just been talking about the intel he copied."

"Yeah, well, I think he might know why I'm in the Intersect. Maybe more." Chuck said firmly.

The day of the game, Chuck let her know that he'd figured out the numbers and they'd have to go to Stanford. Casey and Sarah made a few hasty preparations and they loaded into the Crown Vic to caravan with Ellie and Devon's group. Sarah had discretely let Ellie know that they had a job to do on campus, related to Chuck's old professor, and Ellie had promised to help cover their absence. Both Sarah and Casey thought that it was likely Einersson was waiting for the game to make his move anyway when the campus would be overrun with outsiders. So they had a good chance of getting to the drop location in time. After parking and walking, and walking… and walking, they found themselves on the quad. Multiple people had setup pop-up canopies and were getting into the full swing of a pregame party. There were even the inevitable political and social issues booths trying to attract the attention of the increasingly boozy crowd.

Chuck was looking around in an almost daze. "This is really freaking me out. It's like nothing has changed."

"Is that good or bad?" Sarah asked, bumping shoulders as they walked with Ellie. Devon, already shirtless and painted blue in places, had run ahead.

"It's, uh…" Leaves fell on Chuck, interrupting, and he brushed them off then continued. "It's, you know- Yeah, it's- Yeah."

Both Sarah and Ellie grinned at his awkwardness. Devon came running back to them, a few of his frat brothers trailing behind him.

Tossing a football into Chuck's stomach, making him 'oof', Devon shouted. "Woo! Go Bruins, huh?" He then whirled and scooped Ellie up, slinging her over his shoulder and spinning.

After a couple of revolutions, and laughing out loud, Ellie managed to get some words out. "Devon, put me down. Put me down. Stop it!" Devon complied

Devon pointed around at them. "You ladies ready to rock?" he said, then he moved past Chuck grabbing the football and yelling at his fraternity brothers.

"Yeah, when you put it that way, maybe not." Chuck replied with a certain amount of embarrassment. Sarah was looking around grinning at the antics. Some additional blue painted shirtless UCLA fans continued past following Devon. "Okay. Nice barbecue." Chuck paused and deadpanned a response to their cheering. "'Woo' you."

"Uh, you wanna meet us at the stadium? I think we're gonna hang out here until the game starts." Ellie asked, waving at the people they'd brought.

"Yeah. I'm gonna take Sarah for the Chuck Bartowski memorial tour." Chuck replied, and gave Ellie a significant look. "So call me if any rabid Stanford fans decide to put Awesome in the hospital."

Ellie nodded, understanding that they were going to go to work now. "Hah. See you. I'll cover for you if you're not back for the game."

They walked on through the booths and met up with Casey coming from the other direction. Chuck looked at Casey and shook his head. "Nice job blending in with the crowd. Who you rooting for, death?"

Casey grunted a reply. "Leave the quips to me."

Sarah suppressed a laugh at the interaction. As time went on, the two of them were behaving more and more like brothers. Sarah figured it was all to the good.

"The library's this way, across the quad." Chuck said and began to lead the way. He stopped, looking around. Casey shrugged and opened his phone to check messages.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, concerned.

Chuck shrugged. "I don't know, I figured this would be tough, but this place... is just a lot to take in, you know. I used to have so much fun here, and then…"

"And then Bryce betrayed you." Sarah said, quietly.

"It was the worst day of my life, getting kicked out of here." Chuck nodded. "Like I told you, you know? Its just all somehow fresh again being here."

Sarah stepped close and slipped an arm around his waist, leaning into him. Casey made a show of looking away. "Any new thoughts on why you think that Bryce betrayed you?"

"I don't know. He had years to call and set the record straight." Chuck put his arm on her shoulders and they resumed walking. When they approached the steps of the library, he spoke up again. "You know what? Forget it. Bryce has betrayed a lot of people, hasn't he? Its time I dealt with what's happening now."

Casey gave an approving grunt. "Mm. Roger that. We have to play this really cool. Magnus has the book number. He could have beat us here."

"Think he's in there?" Chuck asked.

Sarah chewed the inside of her cheek, worried. "Maybe you should stay here." she said.

Chuck's reply was acerbic. "Yeah, leave me on my own... that always works out well. Besides, you can't find the book without me. I'm going in."

"OK. Stick close. If anything happens, take this. Really we should have set this up the first week we were in Burbank, but now's a good time." Sarah said, handing him a phone. "There's one number programmed. Call it, give them the name Carmichael and your location. When they as you to code in, your code is 'blank apricot'. They'll ask what you need, tell them you need extraction and then follow their directions. Its important that you do what the operator tells you, OK? Its their job to help."

"OK, OK…." Chuck said, taking the phone gingerly. "Secret codes and special access. Cool. Is this US only, or is it the global line, because..."

Sarah smiled at him, interrupting. "Chuck, focus, its not a convenience store. Its for emergencies. Now, lets go find this book before Einersson."

They entered the library and approached the badge access. Chuck looked panicked. "Oh, no, no, no."

Casey smirked and held up a card. "Looking for this?"

"You stole my ID?"

"I borrowed it to reactivate it. Sorry, I couldn't wipe the idiot grin off your face in Photoshop."

"Charles Bartowski?" The man at the desk said, as soon as Chuck swiped his card. Sarah's eyes narrowed and her hand went to the small of her back.

Chuck looked startled and crossed to the desk. "Yes?"

"You have an outstanding charge of $294.68 in late fees, including the lost book charge." the man said officiously. He was balding and wearing a sweater vest. Sarah relaxed and glanced at Chuck who sighed and looked embarrased. "Do you take credit cards?" Chuck pulled out his wallet and settled the fee quickly, and then led the way to the third floor.

They made their way down the rows, keeping a lookout for anyone. On a game day like this, it was extremely unlikely that there would be anyone else in the library. Chuck quickened his pace and they hurried to keep up. "There, that row right there." he said, pointing.

Sarah saw the books scattered on the ground. "Oh, no. We're too late."

"Magnus beat us here, he's got the book." Casey said, looking around the floor again.

Chuck shook his head in the negative. "Its not the book. You weren't listening when I explained Casey. This is where Bryce stashed ammo for his dart gun, it wasn't in a book it was… hold on a sec..." he paused then, fingers searching the underside of the shelf. "Here." There was a click and a compact optical disk fell out into Chuck's hand. He held it up. "Gotcha."

"The intel." Casey said, nodding.

"Great, lets get out of here. Einersson will realize the book he has is worthless. We need to be gone." Sarah said, reaching out to take Chuck's arm. She looked up and spotted Einersson and several of his men working their way through the stacks. "Chuck, run, I'm right behind you. Casey! Back door." She pushed Chuck and he sprinted down the aisles towards the stairs with Sarah and Casey at his heels.

Their immediate decision to run for it seemed to have thrown off Einersson and his men who had still been quietly deploying in a movement to trap them. This was Sarah's intent. As one instructor had told her years before, a stern chase is a long chase. Chuck had his phone out and was saying something into it, but Sarah couldn't make it out with the echo in the stairwell. She didn't have time to dwell on it. They emerged from the library and immediately headed towards the crowd of football fans. They'd crossed the street by the time some of their pursuers exited the building.

One man was faster than the rest and had begun to catch up to them. Before Sarah or Casey could take more violent action, Chuck dodged to the side and yanked down banner that tangled the man and tumbled him into the crowd of onlookers. The crowd began cheering and the trio moved around them and into the main body of people. Sarah saw that they were headed right for Ellie and Devon. She elbowed Chuck and pointed, and they changed direction. This had the unfortunate effect of letting another of the men chasing them catch up. The man yelled for them to freeze, but was met by Casey's elbow. He fell like a puppet with its strings cut and they stopped for a moment to look around. Einersson and his men were slowly closing through the crowd, it seemed like they were trying to limit attention.

"We have got to get out of here." Sarah said, breathing fast. "We're not going to loose them in the crowd. C'mon, this way." She took Chuck's arm and ran towards a cluster of buildings. They took several turns through the building and ended up in a chemistry lecture hall. It looked like they'd broken contact, at least for the time being. "We're safe for the moment. Chuck, we… Chuck what are you doing?"

Chuck was going to the lecturer's PC and putting in the disk. "We need, I need, to see what's on this." Chuck replied.

"We don't have time, Chuck." Sarah said. "We're going to have to move soon."

"This could tell us why I'm in the Intersect." Chuck said, still bringing up the files. "This is testing data… and interviews." he said after a moment.

"Ten years, maybe more." Sarah interjected. "Oh my god, these are his recruitment files for the CIA. Everyone he forwarded, and it looks like current contact info."

"Hell." Casey said. "That's almost as sensitive as the NOC list. No wonder Einersson is here. Question is, how the hell did he even know about it." He turned to watch the door, gun out. With his other hand he fired off a text. "Telling them to put guards on Fleming. Something smells here like that damn fermented shark they eat in Iceland." He glanced at them and saw their looks. "I watch Discovery channel, don't look at me like that."

Chuck spoke up. "Fleming recruited Bryce in 2002, he was already in the CIA?" He saw Sarah's look. "You knew that already?"

"Yes, it didn't seem terribly important until we knew more." Sarah shrugged. "I wasn't intentionally keeping anything from you." Chuck looked at her for a long moment. Sarah cringed slightly. I think I may have screwed up there.

"Right." Chuck said, in a tone that indicated they'd discuss it later. "Wait… I'm in here. 2003? I never applied to the CIA, no one ever mentioned anything to me."

"Click it." Casey and Sarah said in unison, only to be interrupted by a gunshot. Thankfully the shooter was less than a perfect marksman an it only served as a warning to take cover. The three of them dropped behind the podium and workbench as more men filtered into the upper tiers of the lecture hall. Sarah and Casey both began to lay down fire to keep them from advancing.

Chuck, his voice wavering just a touch, spoke up. "In hindsight I should have waited in the car."

"Chuck, when I say go, head out the side door. We'll cover you. Get the disk out of here, call the number and get an extraction team in here." She leaned over in a lull in firing to give him a quick kiss. "Love you, now get ready!" She prepared to pop up after looking at Casey. She felt a hand on her belt pulling her back down.

"First, I already called them when it turned out we were outnumbered like three to one – even if you count me." Chuck ducked as another few rounds hit the lab workbench. Sarah returned fire, and Chuck continued. "Second, I love you too and I'm not going anywhere. Worst case we threaten to destroy the disk or run as a group."

"Hey, moron, you think maybe we should have known you called in backup?" Casey growled and changed magazines. "Might have picked a different place to run to." He fired and a scream indicated the shot had found its mark. "They give you an ETA?"

"Should be any minute. Apparently there's a team near the campus." Chuck said distracted as he looked through the bottles under the bench. He selected one and rapidly filled a beaker. "Don't spill, don't spill…" he muttered. Then he took the disk out of his back pocket and yelled. "Everyone stop, Magnus we have the disk."

"Chuck." Sarah hissed at the acrid smell. Chuck made a 'not now' gesture.

"Give me the disk, then you can go." Einersson yelled back. "I'm not being paid to kill you, but if you give me any more trouble – I do it for free."

"The moment I give you the disk, we're dead." Chuck yelled back. "I've seen this movie." He held up a beaker briefly and then pulled it back down behind his cover. "This beaker is full of a solvent. I can snap this disk and drop it in before you can make it to me. You won't recover any data at all."

"The moment you do, you have nothing to bargain with." Einersson countered.

Chuck called back. "Send all but one of your men away. Then the forces are more or less even. I can be at least partly confident I walk away if we make the trade."

Casey growled, Sarah waved him down. She mouthed a question "Stalling?" Chuck nodded.

"We could simply kill you all and take our chances." Einersson said, his voice betraying frustration. "Just throw it out here and we'll leave."

Sarah prepared herself, drawing a knife with her off hand, as Chuck continued to speak. She had a feeling Einersson was going to make a show of force. "Or you could take my deal and none of your men have to die." Chuck said.

Einersson fired his crossbow. It was obviously for emphasis, rather than a serious shot. It didn't even hit anyone, though it poked through the facade of the workbench uncomfortably close to Chuck. "The only ones dying today…" he started to yell.

Sarah growled and interrupted, leaning around the side of the desk and making a smooth cast. There was a wet noise like, well, a knife hitting meat – and Sarah gave a start of surprise as she saw the impact. She popped back behind the bench and winced. She'd been aiming, mostly, for the spot she'd estimated Einersson occupied and expecting to hit a chair or something. Unfortunately for him, he'd moved back towards his cover just as she'd thrown and the knife had made contact with his throat. The body sounded like it bounced off a seat and down some steps before coming to a halt. A gurgling noise accompanied the fall, but stopped quickly.

Chuck looked shocked. Sarah shrugged and raised her hands slightly in a 'these things happen' gesture. Then she yelled. "Our backup is seconds away and your boss is dead. We tried to play this with no one else getting hurt, but…" she trailed off. "Drop your weapons before our team makes entry and you might still get out of this."

There were several tense seconds and then some thuds as weapons were dropped. A few moments later a number of men in firefighter gear burst into the room, holding weapons. One of them shouted back through the door. "We've found a chemical fire. Stay back." He waited until the door was closed again and called out. "Agent Carmichael?" There was a noise of paper. "Blank Apricot. You called for tactical team?" There was another pause. "Looks like we got here just in time for the cleanup." There was a muttered. "Damn cowboy field agents."

Sarah had kept Chuck from responding, but when she heard the repeat of the code she relaxed slightly and stood with Chuck.

Sarah stood quietly in the open doorway of Chuck's old room, now half packed, and watched him put the disk in the drive of his desktop. "I'm not really supposed to let you keep that you know."

"Gah!" Chuck jumped slightly. "Make a noise or something." He turned back to the computer and started clicking through folders. "I've got to know, Sarah."

"OK. Hit it." Sarah said, and stood behind him.

Chuck hit the video in his folder and it began to play, showing the view from Professor Fleming's desk. It seemed to start out like the others, about a test subject. It took a change of direction when instead of Chuck entering the room, Bryce did. An argument ensued over forced recruitment and a project Omaha. Finally a plan to invalidate Chuck's results that obviously led to the expulsion. Sarah's anger grew bit by bit as she watched. First that someone would have put Chuck on a forced recruitment list. Then that they'd have sent him to an obviously experimental military program. And then that his friend had chosen this method to 'fix' things. Off the top of her head she could think of at least one alternative – submitting a psychological profile that indicated he was unsuited or unstable. No, this bullshit was Bryce taking the easy road and acting like the self-sacrificing hero doing it. The final thought that occurred to her was the massive security breach this represented. Fleming's actions made no sense for pure research.What had Chuck said about the proof he found about recruitment? This shadow organization… most of their recruitment went back to college...She was jerked out of her thoughts by the ending of the video and Chuck speaking.

"So, he framed me to save me?" Chuck said, quietly. "Maybe he had a good reason to get me kicked out, to steal the Intersect and send it to me."

Sarah put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Chuck always wanted to see the best in people. "He also slept with your girlfriend and chose the most damaging way possible to try to keep you out of the CIA." she said, after a moment. "Stealing the Intersect? He killed people in that theft, Chuck. Normal people, not enemy agents. And don't forget that sending you the Intersect put you directly in danger." She pulled him and his desk chair back and then sat in his lap. "You look for the good in people, its part of why I love you." She hugged him and then leaned back. "Don't give him too much credit. Sometimes things are exactly what they seem."

"Maybe." Chuck replied. "At least there was a reason. It didn't just come out of nowhere."

"True. Plus 'OMAHA' gives us, well the Piranha, something to research." Sarah said, then grinned. "And it gave me what I need to have a… pointed discussion with some Stanford officials. On behalf of the CIA."

Chuck gave a little start of surprise. "How pointed…" he trailed off.

"I'm just going to remind them that one of their professors compromised a program that generates millions in funding for them." Sarah said, primly. "And then I'm going to suggest that they take some measures to reduce the possibility that anyone will look into Fleming's actions. I suspect the least I'll come out of those meetings with is your degree." she finished calmly.

"Wait, what?" Chuck asked.

Sarah snuggled in and put her head on his shoulder. "Part of the whole reason I went up there was to look into this. I'd done a bit of digging and gotten the official files, but this… with this I can at least fix one thing Bryce did. Even if I didn't love you, I think the CIA owes you that much."

"Well, I'll have to come up with some way to thank the CIA for its consideration." Chuck said jokingly.

"As the CIA's direct representative in this matter I am available for any discussions you'd like to have on the topic." Sarah breathed into his ear.

Professor Fleming woke slowly. He could feel a pain in his back, as if it was a bright light behind a tinted window. It was there, and he knew it was bad, but it was bearable. In a rush he remembered the intel, the foreign agent, being approached by Bartowski and Walker. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. It was dark, obviously night time, and he wondered why he had woken now. He'd have assumed they'd rather have him awake when the doctors would be there during the day. A suspicion began to rise and he looked around again, carefully. This time he spotted the quiet, still, figure in the chair by the closed door.

"I see you're awake, professor." Agent Walker said from her seat. She didn't look up. Fleming swallowed… tried to swallow, in reaction to her chill tone. "You must be thirsty." She looked up now and rose from her chair. Crossing the room, she picked up a cup of water with a straw. "Just a few sips, you don't want to overdo it." After he'd taken a few small sips, she removed the cup and set it down.

"Why…" Fleming started to say, then decided to change tracks. "Did you find Agent Larkin and recover the disk?"

"Bryce Larkin is dead." Walker replied, tone still decidedly chilly. "Shot while stealing a database from the NSA. Shortly after that, we find that you've copied intel for 'personal use'. Then, out of nowhere, a freelancer shows up to steal that data." She paused and looked at him. He shifted under that gaze and winced at the pain in his back. She continued. "You can see how we might have a few suspicions."

"I… I think I shouldn't say anything until I speak to an attorney." he said, stammering. Her smile in reply looked, he thought, like what a deer might see before the wolf's jaws closed on its throat.

He was struck by how even and calm her voice remained when she replied. "Its a bit late for that, Mr. Fleming. You've stepped into a world where the consequences are more immediate and permanent. Tonight's discussion will end in one of two ways. The first is that I gain sufficient information to justify sending you to a black site for the rest of your days. The second, a nurse will come for her check in two and a half hours to find you dead from a sudden heart attack." She raised the cup and let him take another drink before setting it down and returning to her chair. "Your life depends on a certain haste Mr. Fleming."