A/N (1) Previously on Chuck versus The Journey: The spy saved the nerd again in the last chapter. I see a pattern here. The raid on the criminal society that gathered at the hotel took place. Sarah Walker is now tasked to separate the wheat from the chaff, not stepping on any VIP's toes and still not letting them baddies slip through. And if you're more on the sensitive side, beware that a certain redheaded agent is present, so this chapter is C-rated: Carina-rated.
Our town was peaceful and quiet
Before she came on the scene.
The lady has started a riot
Disturbing the suburban routine.
The naughty lady of Shady Lane
Has the town in a whirl.
The naughty lady of Shady Lane,
Me, oh, my, oh, what a girl.
"The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" (Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett)
Chapter 41: Chuck vs. The SAIC
"Where has young Charles gotten himself into this time, and how hard was it to get him out of it?" Roan Montgomery asked good-naturedly when Sarah and Chuck exited the elevator.
Her appearance gave enough reason to call for footnotes.
Her hairdo had suffered during the fight. It almost looked as wild and untamed as Chuck's curls. Part of the diamante fringing of her dress had been torn off. The dress itself was ripped open at hip level. It was dirty from rolling around the garage floor. So was she, with blots of oil on her back and grime on her legs and arms. She perfected her look with bare feet as her high heels still dangled on her left hand.
She would be a sensation on a catwalk in Paris or Milan, but she certainly turned everyone's heads here in Santa Monica as well.
Sarah was about to allow herself a quick, closed-mouth smile. She had to talk to Chuck about what was so hard to understand if she told him not to drop from her view, but that had to wait until later. Alas, she had not even time to send Montgomery the ghost of a smile because a commotion erupted with the impetuous force these things happen.
The loud conversation that had filtered through the moment they stepped out of the elevator rapidly picked up on intensity and loudness. Sarah had no trouble recognizing at least one of the competitors. Major John Casey, his voice only a few seconds away from letting his fists do the talking.
Having himself identified as an agent when the raid began and giving up his role as the maître d', Roan led them swiftly through the airtight security check, as Sarah, after following Chuck and Ginger as fast as she could earlier, didn't have anything but her clothes on her.
All entrances were heavily guarded by agents from various agencies, and even the ballroom itself was crawling with Feds. There were undoubtedly more than the sixty agents Beckman had announced. The surprise effect of the swift raid and the impressive amount of firepower was probably the main reason that nobody dared to offer resistance. Even trying to take someone hostage seemed like a useless undertaking as it appeared that there was a smaller group of agents for every group of people. The General planned to blight any resistance with a superior power that offered no opportunity to defy it. The decision indeed was based on the fact that, however successful the operation would turn out, no agency could afford a gunfight in the midst of the wealthy families of California.
The gaiety in the miens had vanished, and the plush dresses and suits suddenly were crowned with pale and worried faces. The din of a large gathering of nervous and scared people hung over the place like the smog over Los Angeles. The countenance of everyone was tested further by the uproarious dispute. Sarah saw a man who looked like he was from a SWAT unit. Her year in the Secret Service had given her an uncanny ability to recognize high-profile security and look behind the suits and ties. Casey looked like going to war in full combat gear. He gripped a Heckler & Koch MP5A2 submachine gun and looked more fearsome than Makron, the Final Boss of Quake 4. His opponent was a sturdy and equally headstrong man not impressed by Casey's martial appearance. Warriors recognize each other.
The deep conciliating voice of Governor Kowalski was drowned in the argument, but Sarah thought to pick up words like, 'Gentlemen' and something that 'should be acceptable for both sides'. His wife stood by his side, and her higher voice was filtering through more audible, wiggling a finger at Casey and reminding that he dealt with the Governor of California and had no right to demand anything whatsoever from him. Casey was no man to ignore rank, but it had to be the rank earned in battle. So Sarah rushed over on the double. Chuck tried to keep up and, despite his height, looked like a poodle who was walked on a leash a bit faster than it could follow.
"I can't understand how you made any rank anywhere! We're talking about the Governor of the State and his family - and I'll get them out of this high-risk situation faster than you can blink!" the man shouted, and Casey was quick to retort.
"Nobody will go anywhere as long as my SAIC isn't here and decides who's allowed to leave!" he screamed. "With all due respect to the Governor-" Casey nodded curtly but deferentially in Kowalski's direction "-this is about national security, and you can pick up all your Chips and collect some speeding tickets out there!"
The other man, his short red hair standing on end, proved that he could match Casey in decibel.
"Some bullshit!" he roared and, in an almost comical move, pressed out a low, 'I'm sorry' towards Kowalski and his wife. "Thank God you weren't in Timothy McCarthy's place, or Reagan would have been shot dead back then!"
Uh-oh, Sarah thought on her last hasty steps to the battlefield, he's walking on very dangerous ground with Casey now.
"Drag your SAIC's ass over instantly, or I'll kick his and your butt from here to Virginia!" the man bellowed.
"Casey!" Sarah shouted before anyone could do or say anything else. It was undeniable that only quick action could prevent the outbreak of hostilities.
Seeing how he relaxed and leaned casually on his submachine was a testimony to the perfect working relationship and trust that they had. Casey pointed a triumphant thumb at Sarah and smirked.
"I'd prefer if we could leave my behind out of this discussion," Sarah said as she reached out a hand to the other man, offering him a clever mix of a controlled, very businesslike yet disarming smile while her posture was cordial but decided. "Sarah Walker, CIA, and SAIC for this joint operation of the NSA, ATF, DEA, and my agency."
It turned utterly silent, and everybody gaped at her. The effect multiplied as the people nearby also halted in their conversations as they were astounded why the two large men stopped yelling at each other. The most pronounced sound was a very contented grunt coming from Casey.
The man addressed had the decency to slightly redden. It was hard to say, as the shouting duel had raised blood pressure anyway.
"If you heard the exchange," the man apologizingly grumbled as he shook her hand, "then you know that this was spoken in the heat of the discussion and not meant literally. I'm Sherman Newbury of the Governor's Protective Detail."
Sarah nodded with a forthcoming smile.
"Mr. Newbury, we'll do anything to accommodate any requirement you have for the security of the Governor and his family, and we understand that you want to relocate everyone as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I need to talk to the Governor immediately. I'll keep it as short as possible."
Newbury was impressed by Sarah. She handled the situation coolly and with authority, while her outfit, aside from being torn and dirty, was not what he had expected from the SAIC of such a huge operation, and that confused him. He looked over to the Governor.
"Gov'nor, if you want to talk with Agent Walker, I insist on a secluded place and proper protection."
"Kitchen area is cleaned," Casey remarked before Kowalski could reply. "We have all the employees lined up for interrogation as well, so it's empty there."
Sarah anticipated what Newbury was going to say and added to Casey's words, gesturing to the background.
"Is that your SWAT team? You're used to protecting the Governor, so would it be acceptable for you to take care of the perimeter while we talk? To dispel any possible misunderstandings, this will not be an interrogation."
Newbury understood that she had opened the door for a compromise and smiled back, for the first time noticing that, as rumpled as she was, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful agent he ever met. Looking past the beauty, he noticed with a subconscious thrill that she also had a natural command that didn't have anything to do with her outer crust.
"Casey, I need you to prepare the interrogations. It is essential to filter out the suspicious ones first to reduce the chance of any last-minute panic reactions. I only trust you. Your word will be the law out here, but follow me back first to discuss some details" she bolstered Casey's position up. The man spoken to stood there with a face that said more than a thousand grunts.
"It's OK, Sherman," Kowalski decided, addressing him by his first name to underline that he trusted him and would not accept any undermining of his position, at the same time registering that Sarah, with only a few sentences, had calmed the waters and steered the situation where she wanted it to be. He didn't let seep through that he had one or the other question for her himself and nodded grimly.
"Let's hear what caused this concentration of agency power," he said and made an elegant gesture. "After you."
•••••••••••••••••••
As Governor Kowalski and his wife entered the kitchen staffroom, Sarah excused herself for a second, and while holding the door almost closed, talked in a low voice to Montgomery.
"Roan, escort Chuck to Casey's room. No, you will not be down here!" she added as Chuck was about to protest. Though undoubtedly battered from the earlier fight, she exuded a silent authority that Chuck did not dare to question, so he nodded dutifully.
"You need to be out of anyone's sight. You lock yourself in, stay there unless I allow you to leave. Support us via the monitors and earwigs."
Her words were clear and precise, but her tone was loving, and she didn't care who heard it. Chuck knew she was right. There was no reason for any further presence of him, even if Sarah was sure that Ginger had been the only one identifying him as the Intersect. But there were just too many people, and she didn't know how the situation would develop. He should be safe.
"Yes, Ma'am!" he whispered, mightily impressed how naturally she took charge. She checked his expression and found he was not kidding her, which she would not have tolerated at this point, so she curtly nodded and addressed Roan again.
"Stay outside and guard the door."
She turned to Casey, giving him her undivided attention during the short time she talked to him.
"Casey, have the basement sealed. There is a body down there that I want to be transported to Castle, and there is someone wounded. Take a medic with you and let me know ASAP if the person could be brought up to us," she ordered as she gestured towards the staffroom, not mentioning any names as there were too many ears around.
As she reopened the door and stepped in, the last thing she heard was an odd request by Chuck.
"Say, Roan, on our way up, could we pick up a bottle of Chardonnay?"
•••••••••••••••••••
"Governor Kowalski-" Sarah commenced.
"It's still Stan," he interrupted her. "Unless you insist-"
"No. Thank you, Stan," she said and felt a pang of hurt over what she had to tell him and his wife. Mrs. Kowalski had made it very clear that she would be with her husband. If he had heard something between the lines in Sarah's request to speak to him transpired that the conversation might be personal, or if he considered his wife an advisor, was unclear. She was present, tight-lipped, and far from the amiable person she had been earlier in the evening.
"We investigated the sale of an atom-bomb to terrorist forces taking place this weekend here at the hotel. To be specific, a mini atom-bomb that can be transported in a suitcase."
The Kowalskis looked at each other stunned. Even the head of the world's fifth-largest economy was not used to deal with nuclear weapons.
Sarah could not tell Kowalski about the Intersect. She was peculiarly relieved that she did not have to lie to him, albeit the initial mission objective had changed over time. She also knew that the atom-bomb investigation would be taken as the official explanation in every document that would be written. Beckman would keep the Intersect out of it and use the bomb issue as a reason for the raid.
"Unfortunately, one of your family members blamelessly got mixed up into the operation," she proceeded before any questions could be raised, "but we saved your son Robert. He is safe, and I might add, he's a brave man. When he saw me disappear to arrest the head of the criminal organization, he was curious, followed me down to the garage, and upon seeing that he had stumbled into a fight, tried to help me."
As if on cue, Casey was in her earwig.
"Will bring him up in five. A little bandage and a large Johnny Walker, and he'll be boomps-a-daisy."
"Robert will be with us in a few minutes," Sarah concluded as she saw that tears pooled in both Kowalski's eyes, their faces ashen in shock even though the message had been reassuring.
"Where is he?"
"Ellen," the Governor reminded his wife, "Sarah just explained that he was down in the garage and will be brought up right away, correct?"
His gaze wandered to Sarah, who understood the need for further reassurement.
"Stan, I've been down there myself as it happened. Your son has a medium-deep scratch that certainly will be painful in the next few weeks, but he's safe and out of any danger. As soon as he's bandaged, he'll be brought up."
Ellen began to cry softly, and Kowalski embraced her, pulling his dress handkerchief out to give it to her, and wiped away a few of his own tears with his fingers.
"That certainly is a huge relief to hear, Sarah. We wouldn't know what we would do if anything happened to one of our children."
He studied Sarah's face. "But you were not finished?"
Sarah Walker didn't wince while on duty, but she was sincerely regretful about what she had to tell the elder Kowalskis.
"Ginger was the person that attacked Robert and me."
"Nonsense," his wife ruled. "You're talking about Ginger, my son's fiancée?"
"Absolutely impossible...," she continued when Sarah nodded.
The Governor interrupted her. "Ellen, let us hear first what Sarah has to report."
She waited a moment and then told them the facts.
"It's beyond doubt that Ginger was the mastermind behind the, I should add, failed operation. When we found out, she tried to kill me, and when Robert showed up, she tried to kill him too, wounding him in the process. I can't express how sorry I am for how this developed."
Kowalski waved that away, taking that blow much easier than the news about his son wounded. "I believe you, and that what happened was not your fault. We are thankful you saved our son."
His eyes betrayed his calm demeanor.
"Where is Ginger now?" Ellen asked the question that Stan was reluctant to ask. "Is she in custody? Can we talk to her?"
Sarah slowly looked each of them into the eye and noticed that both read her gaze correctly. There was nothing but the truth to tell, especially as Robert had been a witness and knew anyway.
"I had to kill her in the attempt to save your son's life and mine," she simply said.
Though they had expected that somehow, both gasped.
"Ginger was infiltrating the Californian government and used your son. I'm sorry I can't erase the pain of being deceived and the trauma he experienced when he witnessed the fight."
"A honey trap it's called, right?" Kowalski only rhetorically asked, and Sarah didn't answer but let him process the information while his wife was accepting the news faster.
"Stanislav," she began with emphasis and worry, "this must not get out! We can not afford a scandal like that. Our family being involved with a most dangerous terrorist!"
Kowalski was very much aware of the political implications, though his biggest concern was his son.
"I want to see my son foremost and see that he's OK," he said, mitigating how his words could be interpreted immediately. "I believe you, Sarah, but I just want to see him and have him here with us."
Sarah nodded wordlessly while Ellen considered a way to downplay or rewrite Ginger's role in their family.
"Bob could claim that he knew about her criminal background and played along to find out about her plans," she suggested. "She's dead, and no one can prove Bob wrong."
Kowalski was perplexed. "Robert is a lawyer and no reckless idiot. He wouldn't do such a crazy thing without telling someone and having back up, no, scratch that, he wouldn't do it at all."
Ellen pointed a finger at him. "Ok, so we say you knew and supported him. We might even get great publicity instead of making dreadful headlines."
Kowalski shook his head, still patiently, while Sarah saw complications arising that she possibly could not solve.
"And I employed her at my office, and no one knew? Superspies Kowalski & Kowalski, allowing a terrorist into the headquarters of Californian power? No one would believe such a crazy story."
Sarah was standing there like she wasn't present. Her time in the Secret Service had taught her the way to be there and seeing everything while looking like a piece of furniture.
Ellen continued undeterred, a finger nervously tapping on her chin.
"Or we could say that she was a victim, that Bob was hurt while trying to save her. You were the only one to be there with him," she addressed Sarah, who had skipped that Chuck had been there as well because it wouldn't matter, even if Robert told them later. Ellen turned back to Stan, "it shouldn't be too hard to maintain that story with so few people in the know."
Kowalski grabbed both of her elbows.
"Ellen, you're not serious. This woman sneaked into our lives, made Bob fall in love with her, eventually tried to kill him, and we would sell her as a victim? And Bob has to play the grieving fiancé? Can you imagine what this would do to him? It's bad enough already, but that would make it even worse. The rest of his life he's the tragic man who lost his love? No, I don't want my son to be any more traumatized than he already is, and we'll weather any political backlash together."
He turned to Sarah only after his words sank in, and Ellen nodded, apparently a bit ashamed.
"I'm only trying to protect my loved ones with all means available to me," she said weakly, and Sarah could empathize. Nothing but death could stop her from protecting Chuckie.
"Sarah, the Kowalski family will fully cooperate. I only ask that the unfortunate situation my son is in will be considered, and you save him from unnecessary agony."
Sarah finally had something to say. She cleared her throat.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I'm convinced that we will have maximum regard for your personal and political situation. That will be beyond my scope then, but I'm certain that General Beckman will contact you in the next few hours."
There didn't seem anything to say anymore, and Sarah didn't want to make meaningless small-talk. She had wished to tell them about their son personally, but others would take care of the further investigations.
"There's one thing I'd like to ask you if you're allowed to tell me," Kowalski said.
Sarah knew the question had to come sooner or later and felt a little sad. Usually, she left the scene of the crime early enough, so no one ever doubted the role she had played.
"Are you and Charles a real couple? Or is your marriage a… cover and the wonderful story of how you met just a fairytale?"
Sarah had no difficulty letting an honest smile reach her eyes. She way past any uncertainties in her relationship with Chuck.
It's love, and I'm telling all the world.
"Stan, we're not married, but we are the happiest couple. As for the story we told you, I'm sorry it was not true. I'm even sorrier that I can't tell you the truth about us, because it was even more exciting than the tale we invented. I only can disclose that you would have liked how we met and fell in love."
"We won't see you and Charles again, I assume?" Kowalski asked, only to correct himself. "Forget that. I don't want you to compromise yourself."
He walked up to her.
"Thank you, Sarah, once again for protecting my son and this country. And take good care of Charles."
They shook hands.
"I will."
Perfectly timed, Robert Kowalski entered the room, and as the parents gingerly hugged their son under tears, Sarah silently sneaked out as a good spy would do.
•••••••••••••••••••
A/N (2) Makron: The Final Boss, or End Game Boss, of the ego-shooter Quake 4 by Raven Software and id Software, released at the end of 2005 and quite popular in the time frame our story plays.
A/N (3) Once in a while, allow me to sneak in praise for my beta, WillieGarvin. Without him, you wouldn't be reading this story.
A/N (4) A review a day keeps the doctor away.