A/N Thanks one more time for all the support for this story. The reviews, PM's, Alerts and reader hits are simply incredible. Thank you so much.
Thanks to atcDave for the aviation help with this chapter. Thanks to the ever helpful Esardi for his proof reading and suggestions. These chapters always end up much better after he has looked them over. Thanks to ersk4 for the shoutout in their great Chuck VS The Jill Ride. Also thanks to Frea for the tips on writing better story summaries.
Still don't own Chuck but if I did I'd be I'd be looking towards a back 9 pickup if the disaster of NBC's ratings continue.
Chapter 8
The Reply
St Charles Hotel
Sarah's room.
O7:22 CET
Sarah Walker on the rarest of occasions woke up before her alarm. She had known for a very long time that she and mornings were not a match made in heaven. But as she once told Chuck "It depends on the morning". This was one of those other mornings. She had set her alarm for 08:00 to give some time to go running before she had to be at the DEA headquarters for a mission briefing regarding the evidence they had acquired last night on Pierre Marchon and Marco Renaldi. Interpol and DEA were still trying to decide if they had enough evidence to take down Marchon or should they continue the operation a little longer in order to solidify their case against the drug kingpin.
Sarah hoped that the decision would be to delay and planned to express that if she was given the opportunity to speak at the briefing. This was her best "professional" opinion but she also had definite personal reasons for wanting the delay.
On a professional level her decision was based on the fact that Marchon had contacts in every level of the French Government. He was incredibly wealthy and had made large scale legitimate contributions to various government officials both in France as well as many other countries in Europe. Pierre Marchon was not going to be a man who would go down easily or cleanly. There most definitely would be "collateral damage" throughout European political and Justice circles. She was certain of that. She was fully confident that he would take down as many as he could with him.
So the evidence in this case had to be solid, irrefutable and locked up tighter than Max Roach's drumkit. There could be no slipups or Marchon would certainly walk and end up taking revenge on quite a few politicians and law enforcement officials. That kind of war Sarah didn't want to be involved in as the body count usually ended up very high with no clear winner.
One of Sarah's real reasons for wanting the case extended was to keep her away from that sleazeball Mitchell for as long as possible. She knew he would most definitely assign her to a deep cover seduction mission after having subtly tried to offer her a way to avoid that assignment by being more "closely" aligned with him and his office. He knew most agents didn't like those kinds of missions but accepted that they were part of the job. Sarah Walker was notorious for avoiding actual sex but everything up to that point she was an absolute master at in the course of a mission. She could leave men in an agony full of lust and desire by just glancing their way with a devilish smile.
Mitchell loved watching the surveillance videos he had seen of her past missions. There was never any actual intimate footage or even semi naked footage for that matter but the tease was amazing. Sarah was sure that he would try to assign her a mission where she would almost assuredly be expected to cross that line to be successful. So once she realized that it was going to be a necessity she would acquiesce to his offer to work more closely with him and eventually accept that it could definitely advance her career if she was a little more open to his 'plan' for her future.
But the main reason for wanting to stay in Marseille was to be closer to Chuck. She could not believe how much better she slept last night after having received his message. It wasn't as good a sleep as she will have once he is lying by her side again but it was better than any she had had since Burbank. So she awoke feeling better than she had in weeks and was actually up and out of bed before the alarm had gone off. She then had time to relax before she would put on her workout clothes for her run.
Sarah glanced around the hotel room taking in a few deep breaths. She walked over towards the window and could smell the scent of the sea air. The wind must have been coming from the south, as the smell of the Mediterranean was stronger than she had remembered since she got here. Maybe it was just that her senses were more alert and more sensitive now that some of the malaise that had come over her since Chuck left for Switzerland had been dissipated.
It amazed her how much effect he had on her. Even from hundreds of miles away deep underground he could change her entire mood just by a simple text. What impressed her even more was how he came up with the idea. It was beyond brilliant, incredibly geeky or nerdy to be exact, and just so Chuck. When she saw him next she was going to have to ask him how he came up with that out of the box way of solving their problem.
In many ways this part of Chuck, his brain, was the sexiest part of him. Sure he was very handsome, in decent shape, tall with amazing eyes, hair, skin, smile… she could go on and on. But there were two things that made him stand apart from any man she had ever known, his brain and his heart. Chuck was brilliant there was no question about that but the one thing the CIA never really got about him and why they sometimes dismissed him was how creative he was at solving problems. Their rules, protocols and management structure were so limiting in many ways but Chuck always seemed to find a way around all of that. Sarah believed that Beckman had started to see the light about how special Chuck was when she offered him the analyst's job after he had the first Intersect removed. She just hoped she could count on her to value him enough to let him live the life he needed to live to be the as successful he could be.
Sarah had always known that wasn't in a bunker. She saw how much his friends and family meant to him right from the beginning. She knew that he was at his best when he was allowed to be with them even under the kind of cover life he had come to accept with the lies and the half-truths. No, Chuck would not do well in a bunker and that was why she worked so hard to protect him from being sent to one. But here he was stuck multiple stories underground in the Swiss Alps with just a few hours a week of fresh air and sunshine. The contact with other "normal" people he needed so desperately kept to an absolute minimum in hopes of breaking his spirit.
From the moment she translated the text and understood what Chuck was saying she started working on a plan to let him know what he had done had worked. That Butch had seen the transmission and contacted her with the message still in Romulan to protect it from being discovered.
She planned to work out much of the details of the plan while running this morning. She always did some of her best thinking while exercising. There were very few times, two actually, where she had had a decent almost brotherly conversation with Casey while sparring. But the basic idea was in place.
One thing about Sarah Walker was no matter how smart Chuck was, Sarah matched or exceeded his intelligence in many, many areas. He may have her beat in some of the more technical and science related areas and lord knows he was light years ahead of her in pop culture knowledge. But her ability to think on her feet and her skills at mission planning were second to none.
Sarah kept her workout clothes in the top drawer of her dresser because she used them daily and if she had to leave in a hurry she wouldn't miss them if she had to leave them. Most of her normal attire was still in her suitcase like always along with the picture she kept with her on missions. Ever since that trip to Palm Springs when they had it taken it came with her. Even when she thought there was no chance at a relationship she carried it because from the moment she first saw it, it made her feel comfortable and safe. She may not have been able to admit it back then but from that moment she knew the only place she would ever feel truly safe was in Chuck's arms.
But one part of Chuck's message concerned her. He said he wasn't flashing. She knew that meant he was probably taking a beating in hand-to-hand combat training. Without the skill set from the 2.0 he would be a virtual beginner in those situations. That worried her greatly. He was alone, unprotected and vulnerable. It pained her that she wasn't there to help and protect him. It had been her primary mission for 2 years now and she knew it always would be from here on in.
There had to be a reason for him not flashing and she was sure it was very frustrating for Chuck. The reason he was even there was because of the 2.0. Without it he was useless to Mitchell and she dared not think of what that would mean. But for Chuck the 2.0 would allow him to really make a difference. That mattered a great deal to Chuck and she knew it. She had always known it. The reason he had accepted his life once it had been turned upside down by Bryce's email was because in his heart he knew he was helping others, protecting his country and protecting his friends and family. A big part of the reason Chuck downloaded the 2.0 may have been to still have Sarah in his life but the biggest reason was his inherent need to help people. It was at his core long before he met Sarah Walker. Now that she had had time to reflect on things she realized she shouldn't have expected anything less from him. The 2.0 would also protect him when she couldn't be there to do it but now he didn't have it. But she also knew that he would do everything he could to be successful under whatever circumstances he was forced to live under. That was another reason why she loved him.
So if anyone could figure out what was wrong with the Intersect it would be Chuck. She put her hair into a ponytail, got dressed and headed out the door for her morning run feeling more excited about it than she had in weeks. Agent Sarah Walker was going to put her amazing skills to use developing a plan to reply to Chuck's message and let him know she was here for him and that she loved him. He had made an extraordinary effort to communicate with her and he deserved nothing less from her. She knew it would lift his spirits. That had concerned her in light of the other part of his message and maybe it would help him find the answer. It wasn't perfect but this was starting out to be a pretty good day.
Zuoz Training Facility
Saunders office
21:10 CET
Andrea Saunders was not happy one bit. This was a call she really didn't want to take. During her last report on her special phone she was told be in a secure location at 21:15 and expect a call from The Director. He wanted to speak personally with Agent Saunders about the progress or lack thereof in the training and activation of the Intersect 2.0. This wasn't going to be good, not good at all. Even with a scumbag like Mitchell running the CIA there were certain protocols and policies that a government agency had to operate under. Sure they danced on top of and many times skirted those lines but at least those lines sort of existed.
The Ring however was under no delusions of rules or protocols. You were ordered to do something, you did it or expect the consequences to be swift and severe. She knew that The Director was unhappy, he had to be. It had been nearly 2 months since the demise of Fulcrum and the capture of five of his best agents at the hands of a computer geek who just so happens to be the government's biggest secret weapon. Since that time she had been training him virtually 24 hours a day and he had not flashed even once. It was like something had flipped the on/off switch in his brain.
The only progress she had made was his improved speed and endurance on the track. It had allowed him to go outside for sniper training. He had even finally landed her on her back in the ring. Sure it was caused by a slip but he had seen the opportunity and used it to his advantage.
But The Director was only concerned about one thing, The Intersect. He needed Carmichael to begin flashing so that he could extract him and use his talents to both build an army of new Intersect agents but to do his bidding in whatever god-forsaken place he sent him to.
In many ways he was just like Mitchell. Obsessed with power and seeing Carmichael as a means of accumulating even more of it. But he had a more ruthless side to him. Mitchell could be manipulated by feeding his ego and an ample bit of cleavage. But The Director was not that careless or weak. He could never be seduced to do someone else's bidding. He was absolutely committed to the cause and would never betray it for personal gain. His obsession with Power was for The Ring and not himself.
So Andrea sat at her desk waiting for the phone to activate. At precisely 21:15, spy leadership did like to be punctual, the green lights on the faceplate illuminated and she picked it up and held it to her ear.
"Agent Saunders, what progress do you have to report on you little project" The Director asked firmly and directly. He was a no nonsense manager.
"Director sir, well he is excelling in all classroom areas. He is actually one of the most exceptional students I have ever seen in the areas of mission planning, communications systems infiltration and in field tactics."
"Continue"
"He has improved physically in both speed and stamina. His basic self-defense knowledge is improving. He has shown some real talent in his real life sniper training with remarkable improvement in marksmanship."
"Agent Saunders that's all well and good but you seem to be avoiding the most important subject. Is there are reason for that? Are you hiding something?" The Director's voice was becoming more angry and threatening by the minute.
"No sir, definitely not." Saunders pulse rate was increasing steadily. The calm tone and slight British accent in his voice made it all the more intimidating. He spoke softly but you knew he was not someone you messed with. One slip and it would be your last.
"So…."
"Well sir, Carmichael has still not flashed. We have not seen any element of the 2.0 being used in any form of combat. No Kung Fu, no gymnastic abilities, no intelligence flashes. Nothing that he has done has been because of the Intersect enhancements. He has done everything on his own."
"That is most disappointing"
"Understood sir."
His voice darkened even more. "No I don't think you do. You have failed at your mission of gathering intelligence on the functionality of the 2.0. Yet you report on only the positive elements of a grade D agent now becoming a B in training like it's a big success story. Well Agent Saunders I fail to see how any of that matters when the only thing I'm concerned about is The Intersect"
Saunders didn't have any response for that so she remained silent.
"Maybe its time we think about sending a replacement who can actually do her job this time." The Director said with a much more ominous tone to his voice this time. If she could see him she knew there was a fire in his eyes.
"No sir, that won't be necessary. I will accomplish my mission. You have my word on that."
"See that you do. But I am going to suggest" yah right 'suggest' she thought to herself. "that you try a different tactic. A tactic that we are certain has met with success with this particular asset."
"Sir?"
"Agent Saunders, Mr. Carmichael has accomplished many incredible things for a man of such limited abilities and training. He has never been schooled in how to be an Agent but was the most important person responsible for taking down Fulcrum. Do you have any thoughts on why he was so successful?"
"Not really sir."
"Well it's pretty obvious to me. I think you had better think again." The menacing tone had entered his speech once again.
"His team sir?"
"Finally a little intelligence on your part Agent Saunders. Yes the key to the success of Mr. Carmichael has been in large part caused by the amazing work of that team "handling" him. The NSA's John Casey has been a significant part of it but the true key to the success of that team lies in Agent Sarah Walker's ability to control Mr. Carmichael and therefore The Intersect.
"Now we believe that is it highly unlikely we could ever turn Agent Walker to our way of thinking. She is simply too dedicated to her job and the CIA but we can use what she has shown to be a very successful way to control him."
"You want me to get close to him? Seduce him? I'm not so sure that's possible. He has a very strong connection with her that will be difficult to supplant."
"I don't expect it will be but he's a man and you are a very attractive woman. I expect it done or we will have to find another agent who can do it."
"Understood sir"
Zuoz Training Facility
Dojo
09:30 CET
"Damn Carmichael, what's got into you today? I haven't connected on more than 50% of my punches so far. You're still leaving your right side exposed and it's going to be a problem for you but you seem to finally be learning something here. Maybe letting you go outside has been a good thing after all."
Chuck smiled slightly and dropped his hands just a little as he was stunned by Agent Saunders almost compliment. But that was the opening she was looking for. She threw a left jab followed by a roundhouse kick that dropped Chuck flat on left side.
"But one lesson you haven't seemed to have learned yet is to not listen to your opponent when they are trying to distract you. That is how someone like me, 6 inches shorter, 75 pounds lighter and a couple of years older than you can drop you so easily. You let your mind wander because I complimented you and you exposed a weakness."
Chuck picked himself back up off the matt and bowed once again to his victorious opponent.
Saunders grabbed two water bottles and threw one to Chuck. Both trainer and trainee opened the caps and took long drinks practically emptying the bottle in one try.
Agent Saunders walked over next to Chuck and signaled for him to sit down next to her on the matt. Once they were seated she spoke to him in a softer tone than he had ever heard her speak in. "Carmichael you do realize don't you that Acting Director Mitchell and I are the only ones who are trying to prepare you to be the spy you have always wanted to be. General Beckman, Former Director Graham, Agent Casey and Agent Walker never wanted to help you. If they really were concerned about your well being why didn't they train you in at least the minimum level of self-defense skills you would need to at least somewhat defend yourself. They could have cared less if you were put into danger as long as you accomplished your mission."
Chuck refused to show any emotion. He knew that she was trying to bait him again and get a reaction that might trigger the Intersect and he simply couldn't let her know she was getting to him. This was part of her psychological game to gain his allegiance and have him turn away from Sarah and their team. But he had to admit that she had a point. Why hadn't Beckman and Graham wanted to train him in basic skills? Had they ordered Casey and Sarah not to train him? He figured Sarah didn't want to do it because it might have meant he was more likely to not stay in the car but when had he ever stayed in the car? Casey you would have thought would have felt that all men should be trained in basic defensive skills so why hadn't he taken it upon himself to train Chuck?
Chuck shook his head slightly and took another sip. He had to put those thoughts out of his mind. That's what she wanted him to do, start questioning his partners and their bosses. She was good and he had to always remember that this was all a game to manipulate him. Every single word out of her mouth was planned and had a purpose. Actually everything and everyone here had that same purpose as far as he knew. Saunders, Agent Landers, even Ursula may have all been part of the plan. That's why he needed to start flashing again so he could figure out whom the players were and until then he had to always be on guard for any weakness in his resolve that any of them were trying to exploit.
"Carmichael, even with the beatings you have taken you are better now than you were when you got here. I even have arranged for you to get weekly training outdoors in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I did that. Not Beckman, not Walker, not Casey. Even Mitchell wouldn't do that. I'm the one who is truly helping you be the spy you are destined to be. Don't you ever forget that. The only person who has been looking out for you even when it seems I'm abusing you is me. I'm making a man of you Carmichael and as soon as you realize that maybe you can finally show your appreciation by flashing for me and putting me on my ass a few more times. Hell I might even like it and want you to put me on my ass outside this dojo if you show you're good at it."
Chuck was a little surprised at that last comment. Was Saunders flirting with him? Was she now trying to seduce him to get him over to her side? This was something he never expected to hear from as cold and hardened an agent as Saunders. Hell she made Agent Forrest look like the queen of personality compared to how she had treated him for the first 7 weeks here.
Agent Saunders was even a little surprised at herself for saying that so believably. But a part of her was still a woman and Carmichael wasn't exactly unattractive. Maybe this new tactic might work after all. Beating the crap out of him daily didn't seem to be causing him to flash, maybe a little "extra credit" homework might be more in line with what would control him. Maybe that was how Walker had done it. Maybe all those looks and glances were just part of her method to "handle" the asset. It actually made more sense than the idea a woman like Sarah Walker would ever fall for a geek like Carmichael. She was so clearly out of his league.
If that's the case then two can play at that game. Saunders knew she was beautiful. She had more than her share of guys checking her out when she walked into a room. Maybe The Director was right, its time for the seductress to come out to play.
"Ok breaks over Carmichael, let's see if you can figure out a way to get on top of me this time instead of me always being on top." She said with a slightly seductive tone in her voice.
Inside Chuck's mind he was swallowing just a little bit. Hey he knew Sarah Walker, the most beautiful woman in the world loved him and he loved her but he still had a bit of the shy geek in him that still got nervous when an attractive woman made not so subtle comments like that to him.
The beatings were bad enough but now he had to worry about her trying to seduce him too? It was never going to happen of course but he didn't need that added layer of aggravation.
Zuoz Training Facility
Gym
Friday 08:27 CET
"Mr. Carmichael after our normal morning workout and your weekly session with Agent Landers you will be given a different assignment for our exterior training session. We will be trying a little bit of big game hunting in the Swiss countryside."
"Wait we are going hunting? What are we hunting for? Deer? I can't shoot Bambi's mom or dad. In fact I can't even kill a spider. I just let them go outside to find a new home."
"No Mr. Carmichael we will not be hunting deer. Or spiders."
"Well that's a relief. I… " She cut him off before he could continue with his ramblings.
"No, we will be hunting a different kid of prey"
"What kind of prey is that?"
"You."
"Me?" Chuck answered with a bit of concern mixed with surprise.
"Yes you. You will be the prey in our little exercise of hunter and prey. You will be given a 15 minute head start and then 4 Agents will try to find you and shall we say "collect" their trophy."
You will need to evade "collection" for a period of three hours. You are to use whatever means necessary to keep the agents from finding their prey. There are two caveats. You are not to go anywhere near the school grounds and possibly alert the students that something is amiss here and you are not to leave a 5 kilometer radius of this facility. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am" Chuck nodded.
"You will be given no weapons of any kind. If confronted by one of the Agents you are to use the skills we have been training you for to deal with the Agent. If you can manage to stay out of trouble for the entire three hours you are to report back to me at the café that I was at last Friday."
Chuck nodded his understanding.
"If you are successful I might even agree to share a drink with you at the café along with a meal that is not prepared 50 feet underground." Angela gave him just the faintest of seductive smiles.
'Well at least she isn't as over the top about this as say Carina was' Chuck thought to himself. But still he didn't like this added complication and tactic.
"Ok let's get back to work. But don't kill yourself on the track after the sparring. You are going to need your strength and wits about you later on." Again with a hint of sultriness in her voice.
Zuoz Training Facility
Agent Landers office
Friday 13:00 CET
After a soft knock on the office door Chuck listened for Agent Landers to respond. Chuck found these weekly sessions tedious. They were always the same questions and he always gave the same non-informative answers. He didn't quite understand why he had to continue having them because simply nothing had changed in his condition or his situation.
He understood that Agent Landers was the NSA rep for his training and that he was reporting directly to General Beckman but without the Intersect he had decided to keep everything close to the vest, as he had no idea whom he could trust.
"Come in Mr. Carmichael and have a seat."
Chuck opened the door quietly and proceeded to sit in the same chair across from Agent Landers he sat in week after week. It was like déjà vu all over again or so he thought.
"Mr. Carmichael, how are you feeling?"
"Fine, sir"
"Mr. Carmichael, you have been here for almost 2 months and during that time you have not had a single incident of the 2.0 responding to any stimuli. Is that still correct?"
Chuck nodded subtly.
"I realize that I ask you these questions these same questions each week but I'm going to try a different approach to hopefully get you to feel comfortable enough to open up to me."
'Unlikely' Chuck muttered to himself.
"From what I have been able to read in the reports I have been given and what I have witnessed for myself you have begun to show some progress in your physical conditioning, stamina and defensive skills. Is that correct Mr. Carmichael?"
Chuck nodded again.
"Charles, if I may now call you that after all this time, I believe I deserve a verbal response."
Chuck took a deep breath resigned himself to at least be polite and responded, "Yes, sir"
"Thank you Charles. Agent Saunders has also reported that since you have begun some training sessions outside of this complex that the pace of your improvement has improved as well."
"Yes, sir."
"Do you have any explanation as to why that is?"
"Not sure sir except that it's nice to see something besides these drab grey walls"
"True enough. They can be rather monotonous. What I am trying to figure out is why with your improved performance and stamina that you still have not been able to show any signs of Intersect skills or data retrieval."
"No sir."
"It's very curious. In your prior time as the Intersect you had regular flashes and they were easily triggered by virtually any stimuli, a picture, a name, a sound etc. Then when the 2.0 was downloaded and your life was in danger you flashed on marital arts skills immediately and disabled 5 Ring agents and saved the lives of your partners."
"But I wasn't able to save the life of Agent Larkin." Chuck looked down at his folded hands in his lap surprised that he said that much. He may have hated Bryce for so many things but he had been his friend at one time and didn't deserve to die like that.
"Regretfully no, but that wasn't your fault. He was already mortally wounded when you got there."
"But I should have gotten there sooner sir."
"Mr. Carmichael do you think that maybe your guilt and horror at seeing your best friend die in front of you is contributing to your inability to flash?"
"He was no longer my best friend."
"I understand that Agent Larkin's betrayal of that friendship on multiple occasions is the reason you are sitting here before me today but unfortunately there is nothing that can change the past Mr. Carmichael. All I can help you with is to come to terms with it and move forward on the path that you yourself chose this time by downloading the 2.0"
"Understood sir."
"Very well maybe its time you put that incident behind you and see if that will help you trigger the Intersect."
Chuck looked back up towards Agent Landers and leaned back in his chair. He had been trying to size up what his strategy was and if he was on the level or not. Unfortunately there were too many variables to reach out and trust him just yet.
"Mr. Carmichael, I have counseled many soldiers who have come back from multiple tours in the Middle East, Bosnia and Afghanistan and I have helped them come to terms with their life and go on to be very effective agents for the NSA. I believe I can help you with whatever it is that is suppressing the Intersect. There is a key and if you will let me help you I believe we can find what that key is."
"Thank you but I'm fine sir."
"Very well I can see that you are still reluctant to open up. I just hope you can learn to trust me at some point. I'm afraid that until you do you will not be able to flash again and you will be here for a very long time or worse."
Chuck's eyes narrowed a bit as he turned back to look at Agent Landers in the eyes for the first time.
"Well I see that I finally got a reaction. I certainly don't want to see anything happen to you but look at the reality of the situation Charles. You are smart enough to realize that there are only 2 options for you here. Either you figure out what is causing you not to flash and you become an Agent or you will be terminated. You know as well as I do that there is no way the CIA or the NSA is going to allow you to walk around the streets of LA not knowing that there is absolutely no chance of the Intersect to start working or have you join a rogue outfit like the Ring.
'There is no up side to putting you in a bunker if you can't flash so the simplest and yes most cost effective solution is to simply send out a termination order. Charles I am sorry for being so blunt but I have found that the best way for me to help the people I have been tasked with counseling is to be as direct and honest as possible. You are all intelligent and dedicated men and women and I don't feel you are best served by sugar coating what is plainly obvious to people who are so bright like yourself."
Chuck had not taken his eyes off of Agent Landers but after he paused for a second he realized that he was telling him the absolute truth. He either started flashing again or he would be killed. There were no other options. Mitchell would certainly give the order but he also believed that General Beckman would agree. The risk of him starting to flash again on his own was too great.
"Now Mr. Carmichael I think that maybe you need to rethink your opposition on letting me help you. I sincerely don't want to see you pay the ultimate price for something you really were thrust into but it is the reality you face."
Chuck leaned his head back and ran his left hand through his hair. He needed to figure out what was going on with him and he needed to do it fast. He still didn't trust Agent Landers but all he found in his words were sincere honesty with no hint of gamesmanship.
"Well Mr. Carmichael I see our time is up for this week. Think about what I said. I really am here to help you."
Chuck nodded once more then stood up and headed out the door. Hopefully his trip outside that afternoon would raise his spirits, as he certainly needed them to be after what he just finally realized. He either started flashing then finished his training so he could return to Sarah or he would never leave this place alive. His determination was still solidly there but there was a new element added, fear.
Côte d'Azur Airport
Nice
12:30 CET
Sarah Walker got out of the cab that she had taken from the Gare de Nice Ville train station to the private terminal at the Côte d'Azur Airport. She had taken the early morning train from Marseille. Carina had arranged for Sarah to have 24 hours off before she had to report back the DEA and Interpol task force in Marseille. They were still trying to develop more evidence in the case against Pierre Marchon. For her plan to work she had to be back in Nice to catch the midnight train back to Marseille.
She had decided not to use an airport in Marseille for fear of somehow being seen by anyone involved with the task force or by Marchon's men. Nice was a comfortable distance away and with this being summer and the busy tourist season it would be easy for a blonde American to be missed among the crowd. Well as much as the beautiful Sarah Walker could ever blend in with a crowd at least.
She had booked a small Cessna 182 aircraft and had arranged for the installation of a Sky Smoke kit to be installed for what she called some "mild stunt flying" over the Riviera. The kit was short money and was an easy installation for the mechanics at the terminal she rented the Cessna from.
Once she arrived and signed all the documents and showed her copy of her pilot's license in the name of Elena Truffaut she was taken to the hanger where the aircraft was being fueled.
After she did her pre-flight and was shown the operation of the Sky Smoke kit she thanked the mechanics in perfect French and climbed up into the cockpit. She hadn't flown this model Cessna since she had arrived in Burbank but had over 100 hours in one back when she was with the Cats. It is a 4 seat aircraft and she would rent one and take Carina, Amy and Zondra on shopping trips when they had a weekend off.
She planned to buzz the coast and then according to the flight plan she had filed she would head to Milan where she would then land for a bit before flying on to Zuoz. If all went well she would be over Chuck at about 15:30. She had no idea if he would be outside when she was there but she had to risk it. She could only afford to make 2 passes down the valley without arousing suspicion.
As she taxied out to the tarmac she called on the radio again in perfect French asking for clearance to take off from the tower. Within 5 minutes she was rolling down the runway on her way to signal the man she loved. She only prayed he would be there to "hear" her.
Zuoz Training Facility
Exit door
Friday 13:57 CET
"Mr. Carmichael as we discussed you will be given a 15 minute head start before the four agents here begin their hunt. You will have to evade capture for 3 hours while not endangering any of the students or civilians in the town. You will refrain from breaking into any locked facility, you will not carry any weapons and all communications in and out of the town are being monitored.
"You would be advised to use whatever skills you have learned in your classroom preparation and your natural wits to keep you safe and out of sight for these three hours. Once you have hopefully completed your task you will meet me at the sidewalk café by the school. If you are successful I will have with me a change of clothes for you and have arranged for you to use the showers at the school's faculty lounge. You and I will then finally get the first decent meal either of us has had in two months and a bottle or two of a nice Pinot."
Chuck nodded letting Agent Saunders know he understood. He really could use that dinner and maybe a glass or two of wine might lessen the sense of apprehension he had since his session with Agent Landers.
"Don't disappoint me Mr. Carmichael. I really want that dinner and whatever else we might find to do." She said with a slight smile. It was probably the biggest one she had shown since he first met her.
There it was again Chuck thought. She definitely was coming on to him. "Yes ma'am" was all he decided to respond with.
After another nod he headed off with the four "stalkers" waiting downstairs till he had completed his 15-minute head start.
Rock outcropping
4 kilometers south of Zuoz
15:20 CET
Chuck had headed north when he had left the training facility. He then had circled back around the eastern edge of the main school building and headed off towards a trail he had seen across the valley the last Friday when he had set up his snipers nest. He headed along that trail at a rapid clip till he came to another small overgrown trail that looked like no one had used in years. It looked like if he headed further south he would have headed up beyond the tree line but he wanted to stay in the forested areas to provide him with cover but hopefully allow him to see the Agents if the came after him.
He then headed west down the overgrown trail till he came to a small outcropping of boulders. He looked in between two 3 meter in diameter blocks of granite probably left here during the last ice age, as there were no signs that they had rolled down from above. He noticed there was a small opening that would give him cover but allow him to see anyone coming down the trail or up the slope from below. It also offered a panoramic view of the valley in front of him. It really was an awe-inspiring view from there. If only… Chuck stopped himself from letting his mind wander and tried to focus back on his mission. He had to survive for approximately another hour and a half undiscovered. It was like an adult game of hide and seek he thought and Chuck Bartowski was a great hide and seek player.
2500 meters ASL
15 kilometers southwest of Zouz
15:22 CET
Sarah finished her final check of her instruments and looked over the controls for the Sky Smoke device. She was flying east northeast up the valley from St Moritz to Zuoz and then on to Zemez. There she would turn around and fly back down the valley towards St Moritz and finally back on to Milan before heading back to Nice.
Thankfully the weather was beautiful that day and the visibility good. The view coming over the Alps was incredible but for Sarah the only thing that mattered was Chuck knowing she was there.
'This has got to work!' She pleaded to herself. 'Somehow he has to know I'm here and that I love him. He needs to know that. I need him to know it. He needs to believe that no matter what they say about me or do to him I will never betray him. He means everything to me and if nothing else these past two months have proven that beyond whatever I could imagine. He has made me a better person and I don't ever want to go back to the way I was'
"Please Chuck, Please hear me!" She said out loud this time her eyes brimming with tears behind her gold rimmed aviator sunglasses. "I love you Chuck and I'm up here calling to you."
Rock outcropping
4 kilometers north of Zouz
15:33 CET
Chuck had been constantly watching the slope below and the trails around him He was on high alert for any sound of an approaching "hunter". They were armed with trang guns and if he were caught they would simply shoot him and bring him back down to the Training Center instead of his meeting with Agent Saunders. She would be waiting at the café at precisely 17:00 for him to arrive IF he had been successful in evading capture.
The four Agents had split up after doing a sweep of the village. Each one had headed in a different direction once they were certain he was no longer in the village. Two each headed to both sides of the slopes above the valley and then those two split up with one heading up the valley and one heading down. They would keep in contact via radio.
Chuck's attention was shifted to the sound of a small plane flying northeast up the valley towards Zemez. What a beautiful view of the mountains, glaciers and the quaint Swiss Alpine villages it must be from that vantage point. If only one day Sarah could take him on a flight like that somewhere.
All of a sudden he noticed that the engine started sputtering. The sound coming from it made him think that the pilot was having engine trouble. As it flew over Zuoz and closer to his position he noticed small burst of smoke coming from the rear of the plane. This pilot was in serious trouble. With all that was going on in his life Chuck did not want to witness a plane crash here in the Alps. His life was depressing enough and he was in no position to be able to help with any survivors should the pilot lose control near him. Plus the attention the scene would grab would certainly attract the attention of his "hunters". It tore him up inside to believe that he, the prey, was actually thinking of not helping should he be needed. How selfish had they made him become? Was all that mattered to him making sure he passed this test so he could continue his spy training and these weekly visits to the outdoors?
'No it isn't.' he thought to himself. 'If that pilot and passengers need me then to hell with the stupid CIA test. Let them beat the crap out of me again. It would be better than spending the rest of my life in shame that I didn't help these poor innocent people.'
Chuck climbed out of his protective place in between the boulders to get a better look as the plane was heading closer to him.
Sarah reached over to the fuel cutoff valve once again and began to turn it to starve the engine of fuel. She then turned it back on. She did that a few more times for varying lengths each time. She hoped that the erratic noise it would create would attract Chuck's attention if he was outside anywhere in the area.
Then she began to pulse the Sky Smoke switch in the pattern she had memorized on the train ride from Marseille. Long-short-long-short space space long-long-long space long-short-long space space long-short-long space short-long-short-short space long-long-short-short space space short-short-short. She repeated the pattern one more time before heading towards Zemez.
The smoke trail lead out behind her as she continued to fly northeast. "Please Chuck you have to see this! Please Chuck I love you!" She screamed into the noise of the cockpit and as she grabbed the wheel her knuckles were as white as the smoke behind her.
Chuck watched the trail of smoke behind the plane and was getting more and more worried. He began to head out into the open a bit more. When suddenly he noticed that the smoke had stopped and the erratic noise of the engine smoothed back out again. The plane continued back on its course northeast.
When Chuck looked back at the valley below his pulse began to slow. It seemed like whatever had caused the engine to foul had cleared and the pilot was going to be ok. He then began to look back at the smoke thinking about what might have been. But something seemed odd about the smoke. It was almost like it was a pattern. Short bursts and long bursts arranged almost. Chuck had always been great at recognizing patterns. It was now starting to dissipate but he could definitely notice the pattern and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He climbed out a little further to see the pattern more clearly as the wind was taking if back down the valley and blending it together.
"Shit!" He exclaimed! He said way too loudly if any of his "hunters" were nearby. 'I can't believe it' He screamed but this time in his head only. 'Ok ok wait wait before you jump to conclusions figure out what it says.' The conversation in his mind was racing all over the place.
He found a small stick on the ground and began to write down the pattern in the mountain soil.
-.-. - -.- -.- .-.. -.. …
He then wrote a letter underneath the corresponding pattern.
C OK KLZ S
'Oh my fucking god! It's Sarah! Sarah is flying that plane!' He was clenching his fists and shaking them as hard as he could. 'It fraking worked! Thank you Butch, thank you thank you. I owe you big time!'
'KLZ. Klick Largch Zolt, Romulan for I love you!'
Chuck felt like dancing he was so happy. The woman he loved had gotten his message and flown to signal him that she loved him! He was in heaven! He looked back out at the valley hoping to see the plane once more and noticed it a few kilometers up the valley beginning to make a turn back down towards him.
As he watched it approach the dissipating smoke above the Village of Zuoz he noticed a slight dip of the wings as she flew over the school. 'It was her! The most amazing woman in the world is just a few hundred meters away and she fucking loves me!'
Sarah looked out the window as she flew through the smoke making sure there was no trace of what she had written. She looked down towards the main school building and closed her eyes hoping to feel his presence. He was only a few hundred meters away and then as she opened them and looked back towards the direction she was flying in a small rainbow appeared in the remaining white smoke. She knew it was just the angle of the sun refracting through the moisture in the smoke but she decided to take it as a sign of his love and that he had heard her
As she continued southwest towards St Moritz a small smile came across her face. It was something that hadn't happened very much since she stepped out through the Morgan door in into the warm Burbank breeze 2 months ago.
"I love you Chuck." She said aloud once more as she headed back over the Alps towards Milan hoping he would contact her again soon somehow.
Chuck watched as she flew through the remaining smoke turning it into one big broken up trail and headed back down the valley towards St. Moritz.
Chuck leaned his head back as the tears were really beginning to flow. All of his anxiety of the past 2 months came rushing out of him. It was like the weight of a thousand boulders like the ones behind him had been lifted off of his heart. Suddenly he heard the snap of a stick coming from the trail up above him.
Chuck quickly and stealthily climbed back into the space between the boulders. He looked up towards the trail and he could see one of his "hunters" slowly walking up the trail. His heart was racing from having been contacted by Sarah and he hoped that the Agent couldn't hear how loud it's beating sounded in his head.
He continued moving further west as Chuck watched quietly from his hiding place. He knew he had to return back this way in a while and Chuck was going to be ready for him.
Sure enough about 30 minutes later he saw the Agent coming back towards him. Chuck had moved to on top of the boulders but out of sight of the trial below. As the Agent lowered his head to get under a low hanging branch Chuck saw the opening he needed.
He quickly ran and jumped off the boulder feet first right into the side of the Agent's head. The impact knocked the tranq gun out of his hand landing a few feet in front of him. The agent still rocked by the impact of Chuck's climbing boots stumbled and fell against a small scrub pine tree and rolled back onto the trail.
Chuck had done a drop and roll maneuver that Saunders had taught him in the Dojo and rolled towards where the tranq gun had landed. He grabbed it and then jumped to his feet running back to where his "hunter" was trying to get to his feet.
"I guess this time the prey has become the hunter." Chuck said as he raised the gun to fire.
"Not so fast Mr. Carmichael" he heard from behind him. Chuck turned to see one of the other "hunters" aiming his gun at his chest. He dove behind a small log that was leaning against another pine tree just as a tranq dart came whizzing by his head.
The other agent had surprised him but what happened next was the most surprising thing of all. He flashed.
Chuck had hid behind the tree so he thought the Agents had not seen him flash. He wasn't sure he wanted to let anyone know it had happened yet. He fired a tranq dart at the Agent who had come from behind and saw him leap behind one of the boulders Chuck had been on before. He turned back to the first Agent that was still trying to get up and fired 2 tranq darts in his neck.
He then headed back to the small opening that he had used before that the second Agent had not had time to see. Chuck jumped out from behind the other side of the boulder and before the startled Agent could react put 2 more darts in his throat.
Chuck quickly checked each Agent out to make sure they were out cold but had not been injured when they fell on the rocky mountain trail. He then decided to start to head back towards the village. First he grabbed the other Agents tranq gun and then looking down as he was putting it in the back of his jeans he noticed the message he had written in the dirt.
He walked over to it and with a big smile on his face he said, "I love you too, Sarah!" He rubbed the heel of his boot in the dirt removing any evidence of what it said and began his walk back down the trail. The two Agents would be out for a couple of hours but it was warm enough that they were in no real danger.
Village of Zuoz
Café
16:59 CET
Chuck was hiding in a doorway around the corner from the café when he saw a brunette woman be escorted to a table by large planter. He couldn't really see her but he knew it was Saunders by her hair and her confident walk.
He stayed out of sight because he still had not seen the other two agents and he knew that they would be looking for him here near the Café just as the time was about to expire.
As he heard the bell of the clock tower on the school Administration building strike 5pm or 17:00 as it was called here he stepped out from his hiding place and headed towards Saunders. He could see a small bag by her feet that he assumed was his clothes for the evening. She was dressed in a light blue sundress that he could see just around the planter that really showed off her athletically built legs. She was dressed to kill and he surmised he was still the prey but for a different kind of hunt.
As he got closer to the planter he started to make out her profile through the leaves of the roses growing up the trellis above its base. Then without warning he felt another flash come on. He quickly jumped back out of sight.
A hummingbird
A personnel file
A picture of Mitchell and Saunders in bed
A picture of Andrea Saunders handing a jump drive to a known Ring agent.
A jungle cage with people obviously beaten and starved.
A sailboat
A hummingbird
Chuck shook his head both from the effects of the flash but also from what it said. A chill ran down his spine. Andrea Saunders was working for The Ring.
Chuck collected himself and took a couple of deep breaths before heading back around the planter.
The waitress brought over a cup of coffee she had asked to be brought over when she first arrived at the café. When Agent Saunders looked up to acknowledge her she saw a tall lanky man come around the planter and sit down across from her.
"Well Mr. Carmichael it seems that congratulations are in order. You've passed your test."
"Excuse me Andrea if I may be so bold, but please call me Chuck. The test is now over and I believe that tonight should only be about a couple of friends having dinner and a bottle of wine. Don't you agree?" Chuck spoke with a calm confidence about him.
"Most definitely Chuck. I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a very enjoyable evening."
Agent Saunders liked the more in charge Chuck. Maybe this order isn't going to be so bad after all she thought as a small seductive smile crept upon her face.
"I certainly hope so, Andrea." Two can play at this game Ring Agent Saunders. Then Chuck gave her a wide smile with a slight nod and a blink in return.
"Let me go shower and change and when I return we will see where the evening takes us."
With that Chuck took the bag of clothes that Agent Saunders handed to him and headed off to the faculty lounge.
'Thank you Sarah. Thank you for protecting me and saving me once again. I love you so much and I promise we will be together soon.' Chuck thought to himself and as he headed to the showers a sly smile cane across his face.
'Advantage Team Bartowski!.'
A/N 2 So less than a week between updates. But these long chapters just keep coming. Yikes!
