Don't own Chuck
Miguel was in Donna Rosenda's room talking up old times and reminding her of the good old days of life in the jungle. At first it seemed to be working she seemed to be getting close to him and he could smell her perfume. However, just when he thought he was making headway there was a knock at the door then one of his men walked in.
"What's the matter with you people? When I say I don't want to be disturbed that means stay away," barked Miguel.
"You ought to go see what your man wants. I don't want to keep you away from your work and we've got plenty of time to talk about you, me and Pablito."
"Pablito? I never mentioned Pablito," said Miguel as he quickly did a replay of their conversation in his head but he was sure he never mentioned Pablito that would've been the last name he would've brought up.
"Of course you did when you talked about walking through the jungle at night hand in hand. That was so Pablito," she said then sighed. "He was so romantic."
"With you and all the other women he'd had," thought Miguel. He could see his memories were very much different from hers. He remembered quite well walking through the jungle holding Rosenda's hand when Pablito was off with one of his paramours especially that Russian woman.
"Right... Okay, then I'll just step outside. There's no need in bothering you with this," said Miguel as he pushed the man out the door closing it behind him. "This had better be important or those pigs are going to eat well today."
"Well... si, I mean yes El Jefe it is. I think it is but we're not sure," said the man as his courage started to leave him thinking about wild pigs chewing on him. The man shuddered.
"Oh, just spit it out," said Miguel. The man's eyes got big. "I mean what do you have to report. Good grief, it must be important or do I need to drop kick you down the stairs. Maybe then you'll talk."
"No, no, well the patrol found the guards at the front gate asleep or at first we thought they were asleep now we think they were drugged."
"Drugged!" said Miguel as his mind started racing. "With me now," he said as he flew up the stairs then down to the room where the hostages were being held.
"I should've listened to my gut when that idiot handed me an American passport after he said he was Canadian. I knew something was wrong." The man following didn't know what to say. If he should agree or disagree so he played it safe and said nothing as he tried to keep up with Miguel.
"Good you're still here and awake," said Miguel to the man standing outside in the hallway. The man looked back puzzled.
"Of course, El Jefe," said the man as he looked over at the other guard behind his boss. "I'm watching the door as I was told."
"At least one person knows how to follow order around here. How are our guests? Any more ruckus out of them after I left? Have you been inside to check on them to see if they both are still with us?"
"No Sir, everything is quiet in there and my orders were to stay out here not to go inside. I think they might've gone to sleep after all the exercise throwing furniture around."
"Well let's see," said Miguel as he went to the door and insert his keycard in the lock. The door made a clicking sound then he slowly opened it. The room was dark inside with the lights off and the curtains pulled. Through the darkness seemed to be someone in bed asleep but the more Miguel stared the more he was convinced something was wrong.
"Something is off in here," said Miguel so he flipped on the light then walked over to the bed and yanked down the covers to find pillows. Miguel ran over to the adjoining room to find no one in that bed either.
"They're gone," said the man who'd been guarding the door. He was now standing in the middle of the room. The other guard started checking the windows but they were all still sealed shut.
"What great powers of deduction you've got there. But the question is if they got out how'd they get out without them passing under your nose? Do you have any idea?"
"I... I don't know. I swear I never left my post and I didn't fall asleep," said the man realizing he was in deep crap and sinking fast. "El Jefe, you have to believe me."
"I don't have to do anything," said Miguel as he pulled his weapon from its holster. "Someone is going to pay for this and you know who that someone is?"
"Please Miguel... please listen to me I swear on... on whatever you want me to swear on. I didn't move a muscle from outside the door," said the man as Miguel raise his weapon pointing it at him. The man closed his eyes and began reciting the rosary. However, in that moment the whole house shook from a loud explosion. It shook so much that the bureau Casey had moved over to cover the hole fell over revealing what was on the other side.
"There that's how they got out," said the man as they went over and looked in the dark hidden passageway. "See, I'm not to blame," said the man as he heaved a sigh of relief thinking he was safe.
"That's still to be seen," said Miguel as he shot the man in the back of the head. "I want to know what that explosion was then I want our guests found and shot. You have a choice you can shoot them or I can shoot you."
"Yes, El Jefe I'll get right on it," said the man as he looked down at the body lying on the floor. But as they were talking they heard the sound of small arms fire coming from outside.
"Well, that was handled quicker than I thought. Once you've taken care of our guests get someone up here to clean up this mess and fix that hole," said Miguel thinking his men had found Morgan and Sarah but as he was talked he looked out the window and saw Morgan and Sarah along with Casey and Roan run out of the side of the house disappearing behind it.
"What the heck?"
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The Russians drove their van around the perimeter fence then found a place to park out of sight in the underbrush. Anatoly and Stefan looked over the compound from a recon photo they'd received from the center. They wanted to plot out an incursion plan that would get them in to do their job but more importantly would also get them out safe and sound.
"Look if we head to this building here," said Stefan pointing out a large block building structure. "Then we move over here to this grove of trees we should have a clear line of fire at the house. We can set up a sniper nest there and be in and out before anyone is the wisher."
"That won't work," said Tatiana. "That building you're pointing at is a bunkhouse where they house their guards and inside is also a small armory where they keep their weapons. We run in there and it will be like running into a hornet's nest."
"And how do you know that? Do you have some sort of x-ray vision that enables you to look inside," said Anatoly as he glanced over at Tatiana then at Stefan.
"I just noticed all the men hanging around the building and they're armed... beside I've been on other plantations since I've been stationed here so I know my way around."
"Good, then tell us how we can get in and get out in one piece," said Stefan. "What about these sheds here?"
"Those would be the old stripping barns where the tobacco was cured. The plants were cut down and put on poles then they were hung inside to dry. After they dried the leaves were stripped and bundled before being taken to market or that's what they used to do when tobacco was more profitable."
"So, we try to make it to the sheds then to the grove. How does that sound," said Anatoly but as Anatoly and Tatiana were nodding they heard an explosion coming from the plantation house.
"What was that," said Tatiana as she went to check the monitor and used the external cameras to zoom in on the house. They saw a bellowing black cloud coming out of the corner.
"That would be Chuck and our distraction we need to get inside the compound. Come on we need to go now," said Anatoly as he grabbed a 47 then handed it to Stefan before grabbing another one for himself. Tatiana grabbed one too along with extra ammo and they started out.
"Sirs... ma'am," yelled the man sitting at a comms desk. "You need to wait a moment. It's the center. The Director wants to speak to you. They say it's urgent."
"K Chertu... crap, this is urgent too," said Anatoly but he knew they had to take the call. "Okay, put the Director on speaker.
Igor came on and laid out for them what he wanted them to do. To say they were confused and angry was an understatement but they understood what he wanted.
"Very well we'll stand down for forty-eight hours then go at her again. But it's not going to be as easy as it is now. She's basically right in front of us."
"I don't care. Do as you're ordered and I'm also going to turn this over to the GRU. You've been at this long enough and it's time you come home. Don't worry about anything negative in your records I will have all this expunged and other than the GRU no one will know about Natasha or that she's being hunted. I want you to wrap up things there then return home on the next flight." Igor didn't give them a chance to respond he just hung up.
"Well that's that I guess. The GRU will take over and we'll go back home. Tatiana, you should be happy we'll be out of your hair in a few hours."
"And you two are just going to roll over like that? I bet the Kremlin doesn't even know about this deal with the Americans. No, this isn't over. I say we go in like we've planned and if the opportunity arises we take her out."
"You heard the Director and it doesn't matter now who gets the glory. The only thing that will matter is we disobeyed orders and that will get you a one-way trip to Yakutsk where your eyebrows will freeze off."
"Okay, okay so we don't take her out but there's still your friend who needs our help. He's taking on a lot of men by himself. If he were my friend I'd try to help him out in any way I could even at my own personal risk."
"She does have a point there," said Stefan. "Besides you like fishing and I've bet you've never gone ice fishing. Just think about it, you'll catch your fish already frozen. It's like fishing in a supermarket."
"Funny and I've already been ice fishing and it's cold... really cold. Okay, but if we get sent to Yakutsk, you're going to have to break the news to my wife."
"We'll never have to worry about going there. As soon as your wife finds out she'll kill us both and in hell it's warm year-round." They both started laughing as Tatiana just stood there and shook her head.
"If you two are done clowning around we need to get a move on it. The guards won't be distracted forever so we need to go now."
They left the van and found a place under the fence that had already been dug out. They took turns slipping under the fence then once on the other side they ran for the sheds. Anatoly grabbed Stefan by the arm and let Tatiana run ahead of them.
"You don't have to tell me anything I caught it too."
"Something is going on so we need to keep our eyes and ears open."
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Sarah and Casey along with Morgan and Roan ran across the green towards a block building out behind the plantation house. They ran out of a side door after the homemade bomb they constructed exploded. They'd hoped in the confusion they'd be able to cover the distance and neutralize the armory. However, Casey greatly underestimated the Morgan factor. Halfway there Morgan stepped in a goffer hole and went down hard.
"Crap, my ankle, I think I twisted it," he said as he tried to get up. "I think I can make it he," he said as he started to hobble. However, by then it was too late they'd been seen.
"Quickly head for the sheds," yelled Sarah as guards outside the block building opened fire on them. She returned fire taking both out. Casey stood at the door to the shed and took out two more as everyone ran inside.
"Now what? We're trapped in here," said Morgan as he looked around. A short burst whizzed through one wall barely missing them.
"We wouldn't be if you watched where you put your foot. Quickly up in the loft," yelled John as he returned fire through the wall. "Get a move on it," yelled Casey then he grabbed Morgan by the collar and tossed him halfway up the ladder.
"I'm going already," said Morgan as he continued up moaning each time he put pressure on his foot. Sarah waited down at the bottom of the ladder with Casey. They were both half expecting Miguel's men to pour in through the doors at any moment.
"Sarah, go on up and stay with them. I'll stay down here hold them off down by myself. There's no need in us both being here."
"I'm not going to leave you here and let you get yourself killed. We're a team and you're my partner. We'll see this through together... as a team."
"Gee, thanks but really you should go on up and cover them. If worse comes to worst someone is going to have to hold their hands and I'd rather take a bullet first."
"Shush, be quiet," said Sarah as she held her finger up to her mouth. Casey gave her a look. "No be quiet for a moment."
"There's no reason to be rude. I'm only trying to look out for your own good and the good of the girls you've got waiting for you back home. So, get on up in the loft or I'll..."
"You'll do what? You'll make me? You and what army but that's not why I'm telling you to be quiet. Listen up and tell me what you hear?"
"Listen to what? I don't hear anything or nothing nearby," said Casey as he looked at her puzzled. "What's going on?" Suddenly there was a lull in the shooting. They could still hear gunfire in the distance but at least nothing was flying through the walls.
"Hey, why have they stopped shooting at us," yelled Morgan from the loft. "Do you think they ran out of ammo?"
"If you want, you can poke your head out of the door and see if they'll shoot it off. It wouldn't matter anyway you never use it anyway."
"Do you think they could be regrouping? But I hear gunfire but just not near us. Do you think the cavalry could be here?"
"I don't know but let's climb up in the loft from there we might be able to find a place to look out and see what's going on."
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Chuck drove straight through the gate and down the driveway straight for the plantation house. The colonial front had Ionic columns that supported the large balconies on the upper floors and two of the columns were on each side of the door. Chuck flashed and realized that the width between them was the exact width of the Range Rover.
"Folks this is going to be a tight squeeze," said Chuck as two men appeared outside the house and open fired. Chuck had to duck down as the windshield shattered. Natasha rose up and returned fire.
"Is this your great plan? To get us killed before we even get in," said Natasha as she ripped the rearview mirror off and used it to see what she was shooting at over the dashboard.
"Oh, we're going to get inside all right," said Chuck as he floored the Rover. They bounced up the stairs and across the porch crashing through the front doors. The columns took off what was left of the side mirrors as well as the door handles. Just before they hit there was an explosion from the rear of the house but they couldn't hear it from the noise around them.
"Everyone all right?" said Chuck. He didn't wait for an answer. "We've got to move we're sitting ducks in this thing. So everyone who can move, move now."
Chuck kicked open his door and rolled out firing at the men who came running in. Natasha did the same from her side. In the confusion Luiz bolted for a backroom with Alex running after him. Chuck fired until he ran out then recovered a weapon and continued firing. The noise inside was deafening from the gunfire and men screaming. Finally, it died down and standing on the top of the stairs looking down at them was Miguel.
"You, you, you brought the Americans here to my house," said Miguel. He raised his Tokarev and fired at Pablito but Natasha leaped in front of him. She let out a small moan as she dropped to the floor. Chuck returned fire but Miguel had already turned and ran. Chuck ran over to see Pablito holding Natasha in his arms.
"She saved my life but why?" said Pablito as he brushed her hair away from her face. "I don't understand why?"
"Oh, I think you do if you really try hard. Where's Alex," said Chuck looking around. "And Luiz? Where are they?"
"Luiz ran back there and your friend followed him," said Pablito as tears welled up in his eyes. "You should go find her. I want to stay here."
"Take this," said Chuck as he handed Pablito a weapon he picked up from the floor. "I have to go but use this to protect yourself. I'll be back."
Chuck thought about making Pablito come with him and he knew it wasn't safe to leave Pablito where he was. However, Chuck couldn't stay and he didn't want to fight Pablito to pull him away. Thoughts came back flooding Chuck's head of when his father had died in his arms along with rage. He might not have been a fan of Natasha's but she didn't deserve this.
"Miguel, I'm going to make you pay," Chuck said to himself as he ran up the stairs looking for where Miguel was hiding. However, when he got to the top of the staircase he heard two shots ring out. His blood ran cold as he hurried down the hallway towards where they'd come from.
"Alex, Alex," yelled Chuck. But he got no answer and he was really starting to worry when he found an open door and went inside. In the room he found Alex over the body of Luiz frantically trying to administer first aid.
"Come on, come on," she cried as she did chest compression after chest compression. But Chuck could tell from the size of the pool of blood he was lying in there was nothing left to circulate.
"Alex, Alex," he's gone. There's nothing left you can do," said Chuck as he tried to pull her off but she fought back.
"No, there has to be something. I can't stop. Flash or do something please," said Alex as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes and blood running down her hands.
"I'm sorry but there's nothing I or anyone can do. Luiz is gone. Tell me what happened," said Chuck as he lifted her up and took her out the door away from the body.
"Luiz ran after the shooting started. He ran back to the servant's staircase then up and I ran after him. Along the way he met a guard must've gotten a weapon from him and got his hands freed. The guard fired at me and I returned fire but that slowed me down..."
"You were lucky you weren't hit. Are you sure you're all right? John is going to be so pissed and he's going to tell you that you should've let him go."
"I don't care and let me finish. Miguel did this. I got here just in time to see Miguel shoot him as he was entering the room and I watched Luiz fall inside... I just stood there I couldn't do anything because I'd run out of ammo getting here. Chuck, all I could do was watch..."
"It's alright that was all you could do. So what happened next? Where did Miguel and Rosenda go afterwards?"
"Miguel fired at me then grabbed the woman that was in here and left. I heard her crying as they left down the back staircase. But Chuck why did Miguel have to kill Luiz? It seems so senseless."
"Miguel is going to tell Rosenda that we are to blame for Luiz's death and perpetuate this hoax even longer. Look Alex I'm going after them but I want you to go back downstairs," said Chuck as he picked up Luiz's weapon and handed it to her. "I want you to go down and keep an eye on Pablito. Natasha didn't make it and I don't want him doing anything stupid before I can show him to Rosenda. She's not going to believe me but she might believe him."
"I should go with you. Miguel can't get away with this... someone needs to make him pay," she said. Chuck could see the Casey in her eyes.
"Don't worry he won't. I'll see to that."