A/N So sorry for the delay in posting anything. Work travel got in the way but hey I got to drive a Porsche in the desert with my own blonde bad-ass ninja girl next to me so it was all good. Sarah would have been proud. Thanks again for all those loyal to this story and to Permutations. So grateful for all the reviews, alerts and readers to my ramblings.
Thanks again to esardi for his read through. This chapter brings together what our beloved team knows so far and adds another to the very elite list of folks that know the special skill set our favorite nerd possesses.
I also want to thank all the new writers out there who are posting some really good stuff. Also thanks to the veteran writers as well. It seems these amazing characters are alive and well and will be for quite some time.
Still don't own Chuck but if I did I'd have figured out how to have the fans be getting excited for episode 5.20, Chuck vs The Real Estate Broker.
Chapter 21
The Read In
Casa Bartowski
Echo Park, CA
3:35 PM PDT
Chuck and Sarah had arrived back at their apartment after a rather quiet drive from Andrews Air Force Base. Both of them had been thinking about the information they had learned from Chuck's former trainer and one time attempted kidnapper, Andrea Saunders. Their new partner and supposed "Ring Expert" had been Saunders partner when she was captured by cruel warlords in Thailand. Not only had Shaw abandoned her, he had failed to try to find her beyond just a cursory search and notification to CIA officials that she was "MIA" and presumed dead on a mission. Her capture by those warlords had not only lead to her being raped, assaulted, beaten and forced to fight for her life, it also led to her joining the Ring. During her time with the rogue organization she had been giving names of prospective and vulnerable agents for recruiting. Eventually it even led to her being involved in Chuck's kidnapping and possibly to his identity, the most closely guarded secret in US Intelligence being given to the Ring. The result, if in fact the Ring knew that Chuck was the Intersect, was that everyone around him, Ellie, Morgan, Devon as well as his team were threatened and possible targets that could be used against them.
The irony of the fact that this Agent who was supposed to be the CIA's biggest asset in fighting against the Ring was in a very direct way responsible for them potentially losing this fight if in fact Chuck was killed or even worse captured.
But beyond all of that Chuck was devastated that anyone, even a trained CIA Agent could possibly leave their partner behind and not make any more than a small attempt at finding where they were and rescuing them. I guess Casey's most honored phrase of his military background, Semper Fidelis, didn't apply to one Daniel Shaw.
Chuck tried not to focus on the fact that the partner Shaw left behind to rot was female as he was perfectly comfortable and proud of the fact that women were equal partners in service to the greater good. But the chivalrous part of him was horrified that the most distasteful elements of torture were applied to a captured female Agent like his one time mentor. Even though Andrea had tried to hand him over to the Ring he still didn't believe she deserved to have been left to experience that horror. The thought of his beloved Sarah going through all that made him shudder to the bone. He had looked over at his blonde partner and lover many times during the ride back from Edwards feeling wave after wave of emotion when he thought about Sarah going through what Andrea had.
During the drive back Sarah had as team leader called General Beckman asking her approval for them to read in Agent Carina Miller to the Intersect. Sarah had told the General that Carina had seen Chuck flash when they were opening the case that contained the disks that led to their trip to see former Agent Saunders. She knew that Carina was a great Agent and eventually would figure things out especially after their success in Marseille and that she felt it was best to upgrade her clearance to a level that would allow for her to be told at least part of the truth about who and what Charles Carmichael was. Chuck and Sarah had both decided not to tell the General what they had learned from Agent Saunders until after they had met with Casey and Carina to discuss this new information they had learned in the past 24 hours.
Sarah had seen the look on Chuck's face during the drive and had tried to tell him that sometimes Agents in the field had to recognize that the mission came before their teammate or themselves and that all Agents accepted that when they signed up. She remembered back to a mission in Croatia with Bryce where she had to leave him in a basement dungeon for two days while she completed the rest of their mission alone. But once it was finished she mounted a rescue mission that saved her partner from what would have eventually been certain death. That was even before she had met Chuck and his humanity had reached into her heart and soul and begun the change in her that she embraced so freely today. What Shaw had done that led to what happened to Andrea made her skin crawl and her heart broke as she watched the man she loved deal with it internally. She knew his compassion for everyone, no matter how evil or how much pain they had caused him in his life was causing a horrible aching inside when he thought of what it must have been like for Andrea, in part because the tall, handsome Agent who was now a member of their team allowed it to happen.
Once inside their apartment, Sarah turned on the jammers she had set up with Casey's knowledge so that no record of their conversation could possibly be discovered by Shaw or anyone else for that matter. The only people they trusted were Beckman, Carina and Casey. Once they completed their meeting and briefed the General they would have a plan and an understanding as to how this news affected the team and its fight against the Ring.
After setting her gun on the end table she walked over and sat next to Chuck on the couch. She pulled his arm around her shoulders and snuggled into his neck and chest. Even though she had not experienced anything like what Andrea had, she wanted and needed the feeling of being safe in Chuck's arms. Chuck instinctively knowing what his beloved Sarah was feeling as well as his own unease pulled her in tightly and closed his eyes for a few moments relishing in the ever present calming effect this blonde goddess had on him when they touched.
Surprisingly even to herself, Sarah spoke first. "Chuck, I know you well enough to know what you are thinking and feeling. I love the fact that even though Andrea was involved with your kidnapping you feel badly for what she had to endure those years ago."
Sarah lifted her head so that she could look directly into his eyes. "But I love you even more because I know for certain that you are worried that Shaw might do something like that to me. But Chuck, that simply isn't going to happen. I, we won't let it."
"Sarah, how can you say that?"
"Because for one I'm very good at my job."
"I know that but so was Saunders and yet she still was abandoned and captured."
"But you see, I have something that will never fail me she never had."
"What's that?" Chuck's face turned an inquisitive look.
"I have you." Sarah then lifted up and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Chuck felt his heart skip a beat because of the love he felt between them. As Sarah pulled away she continued. "Plus I also have Casey and Carina on this team and I now know what to watch out for when it comes to Shaw. Forewarned is forearmed or so they say."
Chuck had to smile at the amazing woman before him.
"But Chuck we also have to recognize that was a long time ago and so far the information Shaw has given us has panned out."
"But Sarah..."
"Chuck, I know what you are going to say and you are right. What we learned today tells us clearly that Shaw can't be counted on to have our backs. He will do whatever he sees as beneficial to him or possibly the mission. But his teammates mean nothing to him."
"Sarah, I agree that we have no proof that what happened with Saunders will effect this mission negatively but you know I simply can't stop worrying about you if you ever have to be alone on a mission with him."
"Chuck, I know that but I'm asking you to trust me."
"I do Sarah, I always have. But I love you and I can't just stop being who I am when it comes to the people I care about most and that my beautiful blonde ninja is you."
Chuck leaned down and kissed Sarah again. It was long, passionate and full of emotion. When they broke Chuck pulled Sarah into his chest and held her for a minute before speaking again. "Sarah, I also care about Carina and I don't want anything to happen to her when she is partnered with Shaw as well."
"Carina is a great agent, Chuck. She may be unpredictable and like to improvise but she is a survivor and can handle herself in any situation. I have seen her many times over the years in some really off the wall situations and no, I can't tell you about them so don't bother asking okay?" Sarah had to chuckle at the disappointment on Chuck's face. "Well maybe a couple of the less classified ones some day but trust me if anyone can handle someone like Daniel Shaw, it's Carina." Chuck's eyes lit up and his pouty frown was reversed into a Bartowski grin.
"Promise you'll tell me some Sarah/Carina stories?"
"I promise, but just remember sometimes getting what you ask for might be more than you bargained for." Sarah made sure to keep her sarcastic smile on her face to let Chuck she was kidding, well sort of.
"Wow, now I really want to hear them someday." Chuck gave Sarah a short peck once again.
As they snuggled into each other's arms again, they heard a knock on the door. Sarah picked up her Smith and Wesson and held it low on the couch while Chuck went to check on who was outside. Looking through the peephole he nodded to Sarah who lowered her weapon back onto the table.
"Hey Carina, come on in. Casey should be here in a second."
"Hey Chuckie, what's the big secret and why don't you want Shaw to know I'm here?"
Sarah got up from the couch and walked over to her redheaded partner. "Let's wait till Casey get's here. We've got some things to tell you and then we need to discuss some new information and how we want to proceed."
"Wow, sounds serious." Carina noticed the looks going back and forth between Chuck and Sarah. She knew something was up and she figured she might as well ask her question now. "Does this have anything to do with what happened to Chuck yesterday at Castle?" Carina looked back and forth again trying to catch their reaction. Chuck was stunned but Sarah was giving Chuck an 'I told you so' look.
"Carina, we will tell you all about it once Casey get's here I promise." Sarah led Carina over to the couch and sat down across from her in the chair opposite her. Chuck sat on the arm of Sarah's chair before realizing Ellie would kill him for not being a proper host even if it was a spy meeting.
"Carina, I'm terribly sorry, can I get you anything? Water? Beer? Cheese Balls?"
Carina looked shocked at the last item he mentioned. "Water would be nice but I'd rather not have my fingers turn four shades of orange if you don't mind Chuck."
"Suit yourself but you haven't lived until you've gone on a synthetic cheese flavored styrofoam bender." Carina rolled her eyes at Sarah as Chuck headed towards the kitchen. "Really? You love this guy?", she whispered.
Sarah just nodded and shrugged her shoulders. "More than you know."
Casa Bartowski
Echo Park, CA
3:55 PM PDT
As the three agents sat around the coffee table sharing some small talk, though Carina's small talk was just a little different than Chuck was used to in his home for the last 7 years, they heard a much more forceful knock followed by a distinctive grunt from behind the door.
"Ahh that would be Casey."
"Ok, tweedledumb, what is so important I had to leave the gun range on a sunday afternoon?"
"Nice to see you too, mon ami."
Casey just glared at Chuck. He hated the French almost as much as he hated Commies.
"Hey Casey. Clovers still in the rotation or did you change things up since the last time I was here?"
Casey just growled.
"Carina, we don't have time for your little dance with our partner. We have some very important business to discuss."
"Sarah, you really aren't any fun anymore since you started playing house here in snoresville."
"Hey!"
"No offense Chuckie."
"Well Carina, I don't think you are going to have the same opinion of this place once you learn what we are about to tell you."
Casey looked at Sarah and his eyes got wider. "It's ok Casey, Beckman approved it. Besides I think our DEA friend already has her suspicions."
Casey let out a # 29, resignation, and sat down on the other end of the couch while Sarah continued. "Plus we need the four of us to discuss something else we learned today and Carina needs to know the truth before we can do that."
"You still haven't told me why I wasn't supposed to say anything to Shaw. I had to make up a lie when I left this morning."
"This morning? Wait were you with..."
Carina just looked at Chuck and this time it was her turn to raise her eyebrows and shrug. Casey's grunt was a number 12, disgust.
"What? He asked me to dinner, he's not bad looking and it was saturday night. You two were playing domestic and Casey, well lets just say I left my handcuffs in my hotel room." Carina grinned at Casey who simply rolled his eyes and tried to hide his growing anger or was it embarrassment. Chuck wasn't so sure.
"Unfortunately Danny boy may be nice to look at but he was stiff as a 2X4 and not in the good way."
"Carina!"
"Hey I just thought I'd warn you Sarah in case old Chuckie here..."
"If you know what's good for you will not finish that sentence!" The fire in Sarah's voice could have set off an alarm 5 miles away.
"Fine, fine no more talk about Chuck, Shaw and wood products. Got it." Chuck's face was almost as red as Carina's long tresses.
"Ok, can we finally talk about why we asked you here please?"
Carina, Casey and Chuck all settled down and let Sarah speak.
"Carina, we had your clearance level raised 3 notches. The information you are about to hear is classified to one of the highest levels in our government. Do you understand?"
Carina nodded.
"Have you ever heard about the Intersect?" Sarah looked closely at her partners expression which remained calm and professional.
"A little. some super computer thing but I thought it was just a myth. Why?"
"Well it isn't a myth. It's real and as a matter of fact your looking at it." Sarah looked over at Chuck and Carina's jaw dropped in confusion.
"Wait, I thought it was a computer, are you saying Chuck is the computer?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"How can... what... ahh . . . our Chuckie, your nerdy analyst boyfriend, has a super computer in his brain?"
Chuck took over for Sarah at this point. "Look Carina the data in the Intersect computer was encoded into images and I saw those images. So that data is now stored in my brain and I can recall it when needed."
"So all that in Marseille was the Intersect?"
This time Sarah interrupted. "No most of that was just Chuck, he is incredibly smart." Sarah looked over at her boyfriend and smiled. Chuck mouthed 'thank you'.
"But the Intersect helped put it together faster."
"So if Chuck is the Intersect, then that explains why the CIA's top Agent and the NSA's top assassin are guarding a nerd in the middle of suburbia." Carina nodded as she finally understood why Sarah had been given this assignment.
"Among other things."
"But why didn't they just put Chuckie in a bunker? Why keep you two here babysitting?"
"Because, first we didn't know how it would work if Chuck was locked in a bunker. He needed some form of stimuli for the Intersect to work, for him to flash if you will."
"Is that what I saw yesterday?" Carina looked at Chuck as she spoke.
"Yes, I flashed on the device in the case we had recovered at the beach house. The flash told me what it was and the pattern to safely open it."
Carina sat back on the couch and looked at Chuck in amazement. Sarah then continued.
"After we learned what triggered the flashes, it became clear to us that Chuck could be a great asset on missions. Most of our success in the defeat of Fulcrum was because of Chuck's help. For someone who wasn't trained at the time he made a very good field agent." Sarah again looked over at Chuck with pride and adoration in her eyes.
"What do you mean trained 'at the time' and why did Chuck have it and not a real agent?"
Chuck took a breath and decided he should speak on this subject though he knew it was difficult and would bring up some awkward memories. "Carina, I don't think we can go into too many details and it really isn't that relevant to this discussion but I wasn't really chosen. I was sort of a victim of circumstance." Chuck then looked at Sarah and she nodded for him to continue. She knew this would be uncomfortable for Chuck for many reasons and it was still a bit awkward for her as well given the circumstances of what happened the second time Chuck got the Intersect on Ellie's wedding day. But she and Chuck had been adults and spoken about it both before and after Chuck went to Zuoz. They both had put the events and the mistakes of that day behind them.
"Well for a long time I wanted it out of my head so I could go back to a normal life. When we heard about an upgrade, a version 2.0 if you will, I had mine removed and that version was supposed to be downloaded into Bryce."
"Wait, Bryce? Bryce Larkin? I thought he was dead?"
"So did we, but no, Bryce was still alive." Sarah said and then looked from Carina to Chuck with a small sad smile.
"So, the whole time you were falling for Chuck here, your old boyfriend was alive?"
Sarah nodded. Carina sat back against the couch again.
"Wow, Chuckles I'm impressed."
All three agents looked on confused at the redhead.
"It's just I don't think I have ever heard of Bryce losing anything especially a beautiful woman to another man."
"Carina, Chuck didn't win me and Bryce didn't lose me. In fact Bryce never had me. I was never in love with Bryce. Sure I had feelings for him but it wasn't love. When I met Chuck I didn't know what love was. But I fell for him the first day we met. It just took me a while to realize that it was love I felt from the very beginning."
"Can we get back to the story please before I throw up here." Casey finally interjected to end the lady feelings part of the meeting.
"Fine, continue Chuck." Carina smiled and winked at Chuck still impressed that Chuck had won the heart of Sarah Walker away from Mr. Pretty Boy perfect spy Bryce Larkin.
"Well as I said we had found a way to remove the Intersect from my brain and then Bryce was supposed to get the 2.0. But at my sisters wedding we heard that Bryce had been captured and Sarah ran off to rescue him. I couldn't let Sarah go in alone so I went after her."
"So without any real training and now without the Intersect, you went up against trained enemy operatives to help Sarah and her captured ex-boyfriend?" Carina looked at Chuck with almost awe in her expression.
"I loved Sarah. I couldn't just stand there and not do everything I could to help her and protect her." Chuck looked over at Sarah and a small smile was shared by the two. Sarah then looked back at Carina as if to say 'now do you see why I love this man?'
"So what happened?"
"Well when I got there I found Bryce in the Intersect room. He had been shot and was dying. He wanted me to destroy the Intersect because he thought it was too powerful and we couldn't let it fall into the enemies hands. So I had a decision to make. Let who we found out later was the Ring get the Intersect, destroy it like Bryce wanted or..."
"Download it yourself."
Chuck nodded. "I couldn't let the Ring get it and I couldn't destroy it as even though I've had plenty of issues with Bryce that go back long before I met Sarah, I couldn't let Bryce's death be in vain. So yes, I downloaded it." Chuck then looked down humbly at his hands. Sarah reached over and took his hand in hers and stroked the back of it. Even after all the misery, heartache and betrayal Bryce caused in Chuck's life, Sarah knew his death affected Chuck more than he let on.
"So Bryce is really dead now?"
"Yes, Bryce is really dead." Sarah answered this time. Though she was never really in love with him, Bryce was her partner for two years and his death affected her as well, not once but twice.
Chuck took a breath and looked up at Sarah, Casey and then Carina. "So this is where the training comes in."
Sarah decided to take over the conversation at this point. "The 2.0 gave Chuck certain skills that the earlier version of the Intersect didn't. Skills like martial arts, languages etc. All things an Agent learns at the farm. But Chuck needed to learn to control them. So it was decided to send him to Switzerland for training."
"So that's where he was when we were in Marseille?"
"Yes, Beckman wanted to keep me away from that slimeball Mitchell who she knew had plans for me while Chuck was in training."
"I bet I know what kind of plans those were, that asshole."
"Exactly, so she got me assigned to DEA and Interpol so I could be close to Chuck if needed."
Casey decided to join in at this point. "She assigned me to Stuttgart for the same reason. Mitchell was trying to take complete control of the Intersect project for himself and we were Beckman's hold card."
"Carina, besides being the smartest man I've even known, Chuck has always been an extremely important piece of National Intelligence. Knowledge of his identity is held by only eight people on the planet. Three others are now dead. You are the nineth. The 2.0 has made Chuck even more valuable than he was before. The secrets in his head and the skills that he now is learning to utilize make his protection our number one priority and our most important weapon in defeating the Ring." Sarah added.
"Ok, so Chuckie here is P1 but what does this have to do with Shaw and why you are keeping Chuck's identity from him if he is our "Ring expert? Shouldn't he be aware of Chuck's abilities and status so he can be best utilized for why he is now on the team?
Chuck shifted on the armrest and shared a look with Sarah as they knew they had another bombshell to drop. This time on both Carina and Casey. Sarah nodded to Chuck and their undeniable connection took over telling each other how they wanted to proceed.
Chuck began. "This is where things get a little more complicated. First of all Beckman knows only the barest of minimum of what we are about to tell you. Sarah as team leader decided that we should talk with you both before we proceed."
"That's right. I may be leader on this team but we all play an important roll. No matter how we decide to deal with things going forward I want you all to know I want and need your honest input in every decision I make." The teammates all nodded their consent. "Continue Chuck."
"Casey you remember the agent you escorted back from St. Moritz?"
"You mean the woman who tried to kidnap you?" Casey grunted his hatred for traitors.
"Yes, former Agent Andrea Saunders."
"What does that traitor have to do with Shaw and why we are here instead of enjoying blowing stuff away?"
Chuck looked at Carina who was now even more confused. What she had learned so far today was shocking enough. But she got the impression things were going to get a lot worse based on the look on Chuck and Sarah's faces.
"Carina, Agent Saunders was my chief trainer while I was in Switzerland. She was assigned to turn me into the Super Agent that the CIA/NSA had paid for when they developed to 2.0."
"They wanted you to become Bryce Larkin."
"Essentially yes. But with far more knowledge and skills than even Bryce had. But I lacked the basic training Bryce had already. Had he been given the 2.0 he would have been going on missions very quickly once he learned how to handle it. Everything was happening so fast. I needed to have intense training so as not to put the program and the war against the Ring back six months. Agent Saunders was given the task by then acting Director Mitchell to make me into the secret weapon he had planned to use for his own political gain. He was hoping I was going to be his ticket to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."
"But Casey said she tried to kidnap you?"
Sarah decided to take this part. "Carina, it seems that Mitchell was thinking with his little head again and forgot to fully vette Agent Saunders once she had "impressed" him in her interview."
Carina's eyes rolled. She knew exactly what Mitchell was like and had the hand prints on her ass to prove it.
Chuck continued. "Well it seems my illustrious trainer was working for the Ring as a double Agent and was supposed to turn me over to them in exchange for her ultimate freedom."
"Ok, so this Agent Saunders screws Mitchell, gets assigned to be the trainer of the most important government asset in the world and it turns out she's working for the very organization that asset is being trained to destroy?"
"That's about the size of it." All four Agents lean back shaking their heads.
"No wonder we are losing this war with incompetent politicians more worried about getting their rocks off than defending this country." Casey growled. The anger in his voice could have cut glass. Once he calmed down a bit he asked. "So what does this have to do with our Ken doll Ring expert?" Casey had always disliked pretty boy CIA Agents like Larkin and Shaw.
Carina had to chuckle, Casey was a lot more close to the truth than he knew.
Chuck took a deep breath before he began once again. Sarah noticing his discomfort took his hand in hers. They had decided long ago to keep things professional at work but she knew this small gesture would calm him. Casey just rolled his eyes.
"Well once I could flash again I saw a picture of Saunders and Mitchell someone had taken probably to use as blackmail later on. When I interrogated her back in DC she admitted she was assigned to get close to Mitchell by the Ring. But that wasn't the most disturbing part of her story."
Both Casey and Carina were now really curious about what Chuck and Sarah were about to tell them and what if any connection it had to their uninvited partner. Sarah continued to gently rub her thumb along the back of Chuck's had as he spoke.
"After we got back from the beach house and opened up the case that contained the disks, I made a complete sector by sector copy of what was on them as I was sending the viewable files to Langley. But something didn't add up. The total size of the files I sent was smaller than what seemed to actually be recorded on the disks based on the discoloration when they were written by the recorder. So last night I began to try and break the Ring encryption and found that the files were..."
"Less nerdspeak and more info Bartowski."
"Fine Casey. What Sarah and I discovered were the logs, videos and progress reports that Saunders had been writing to send to Mitchell. They were buried on these disks that were being transported by Stromberg to the Ring agents we captured."
Sarah now spoke. "That means that had the Ring gotten a hold of these disks they would have known Chuck's strengths, weaknesses and worst of all his identity as well as his picture."
The seriousness of the situation was now becoming quite evident to the two agents on the couch.
"So Saunders was sending the files to the Ring and Shaw's intel was crucial in stopping that from happening." Carina thought that meant their new partner was legit.
"That's what we suspected but we needed to know for sure so Chuck and I paid Agent Saunders a little visit this morning to confront her and ask if she had betrayed the deal Beckman had made with her in exchange for her testimony and keeping her alive."
"She told us she didn't send it and that all of the data she had was recovered from the safety deposit box in St Moritz."
"And you believe her?" Carina asked with skepticism.
"Yes we do. She has no reason to lie if she wants to stay alive. If she breaks her agreement she knows she will be "dealt with harshly".
"Wow, She made a deal with Beckman?"
"Yes in exchange for all her testimony against Mitchell and all of her info on the Ring she is being protected from any retribution by them and has had a stay of her termination order that was put in place after she tried to kidnap Chuck."
Chuck noticing they were still quite skeptical about what he and Sarah were telling them decided to change the subject slightly. "Carina and Casey, there is something else you need to know. When I first flashed on her file I found a report that Saunders had been captured eight years ago in Thailand. I found out she had been thrown in a local prison where she was beaten, raped repeatedly and then sold to a local "businessman" who ran a camp where what were tantamount to slaves were subjected to all kinds of abuse and then forced to fight to the death for the perverse pleasure of anyone willing to pay to watch their brutal treatment."
Carina's face grew pale. It was a female agent's worst nightmare. They all knew it was a very real possibility in their business but in was the unspoken constant fear they all tried to bury deep inside but never fully accomplished.
"Saunders was in that camp for eighteen months before she escaped. The CIA never knew where she was or went looking for her. They never tried to help her. She was written off as just another star on the wall at Langley." Chuck's heart was pounding as he told her story. No matter what had happened to him at the hands of Andrea Saunders he still couldn't accept that happening to anyone let alone a government Agent. It was one of the deep dark things about the life of a spy that Sarah had tried to keep from him and one of the many reasons she was so deathly afraid this life would change him once he downloaded the 2.0. But watching his reaction when even discussing the dark underbelly of the spy game happening to a traitor who tried to kidnap him made her fears that she would lose "her Chuck" to the spy game fade away.
Chuck took his other hand and wiped his face trying to clear the anger and anguish he was feeling. After closing his eyes for a few seconds he continued.
"After Saunders escaped she was found at a hospital in Thailand and recruited by the Ring. The CIA had done nothing for her so she felt she owed them nothing. She knew she was betraying her country but the torture in Thailand had changed her and the Ring offered her a chance at a better life and a chance to get revenge on the CIA for doing nothing for her."
"Chuck, while I understand how much this bothers you, Sanders knew the risks when she joined up. It still doesn't excuse her turning against her country."
"I understand that Casey and in my head I agree with you but I just can't accept someone being left behind like they don't matter."
Casey, though appalled by anyone who would betray their country was also angered by anyone who fights for their country being left behind to rot. The myriad of emotions, well Casey emotions anyway, were very clear to the other three Agents as well. Chuck then knew he had to drop the bomb about his team member.
"The worst part of all this was that it could have easily been prevented. Saunders had a partner. A partner that abandoned her and never notified the CIA that she had in fact been captured. He just wrote it up as missing and presumed KIA. If her partner notified the Agency that an Agent with knowledge of area operations was captured by local hostiles I'd like to think they would have done something, anything to at least protect their secrecy and maybe even their agent."
Carina looked at Sarah and a small expression of understanding went between them. It would have been like Sarah abandoning Carina in Pakistan and leaving her to die. Carina nodded a quiet 'thank you' and Sarah responded knowing Carina had done the same thing when she was captured by Peyman with Chuck's help of course.
Chuck stood up and took a couple of steps away from the group to gather his thoughts for what he was about to say. After a few seconds he turned around to the other three members of his team.
"Carina, Casey... Saunders partner, the one who abandoned her in Thailand and ultimately led her to joining the Ring was none other than Daniel Shaw."
To say that the two agents seated on the couch were stunned would have been the biggest understatement of the year. Chuck couldn't tell whose mouth was open more Carina's or Casey's. Both proud, loyal agents had just learned that their new partner had abandoned his teammate and never reported her last location to his superiors. He simply listed her "missing, presumed dead."
"That bastard!" Casey spoke with a fierceness rare for even the NSA's top agent. "He let his partner be captured, raped and tortured so that his pretty boy ass could go free and never did a thing to protect his team."
Chuck walked back to the chair Sarah was seated in and sat back down on the arm. "I'm afraid there's more."
"What?" The both exclaimed. "Isn't that bad enough?"
Sarah began the next part. "It seems that Shaw visited Saunders in her cell in DC and basically threatened to kill her. She believes it was on the orders of Mitchell to take out the chief witness against him at trial. But when we told her that Mitchell died in a "car accident" the next day we don't know what to think. Was Shaw behind the killing? What was his true relationship with Mitchell and Graham? Why is his file so redacted and he only came to life after Mitchell's death? Then he gets assigned to this team and low and behold his 'source' get's us intel on the Ring that has encrypted inside, Saunders' logs and videos from Chuck's training. Encrypted so carefully that only someone as gifted as Chuck was able to find it. The Langley analysts would have been so focused on the known Ring encryption data files they would have missed what was buried underneath. It's all just too convenient."
"So you think Shaw is working for the Ring or was he just manipulating Mitchell for his own purposes or vice versa?" Carina asked.
"We don't know. The only thing we know for certain is that Mitchell wanted the Intersect for his personal weapon. He was sleeping with a Ring Agent who he assigned as the chief trainer for the Intersect. He and Shaw knew each other. Shaw's intel from his 'source' was accurate and the intel contained a great deal more than what was on the surface."
"My head is spinning with all this" Carina added in disbelief.
The four agents proceeded to go over all the possible scenarios, Mitchell was behind it all, The Ring was behind it all. Saunders was telling the truth. Saunders was lying. Shaw was behind it all or none or all of the above. The only thing that even midly stood out was Mitchell was connected to each possible scenario and motive but nothing could be eliminated.
After another hour of discussion they were no closer to figuring things out than they were when they started. The four partners were all getting frustrated, angry, confused and they had very little information that was definitive.
Sarah decided it was her role as team leader to make a decision as to what they would do next. "Ok, we still don't have enough concrete information to make a strong case to Beckman. And accusing a fellow agent of being a traitor, even a deceased one, required strong concrete intel. The only things we know for certain are that Shaw betrayed his partner, according to Saunders, Shaw went to see her in DC and threatened her. Somehow data from Chuck's time in Switzerland was being sent to the Ring. Before we make any decision we need to figure out what Shaw's game is and where his loyalties lie."
"How do we do that?" Chuck asked.
Sarah knew Chuck was not going to like what she was about to say but it was the only logical direction to take at this point. But before she could answer Carina spoke. "Well I've been his partner and gotten close to him so I think I should contact him and see what else I can find out."
"No Carina, I'm not going to risk you being partnered with Shaw again until we know more. Next mission I'll partner with him."
"What? No way!" Chuck said more strongly than he had spoken since Casey and Carina had arrived.
"Chuck. I'm not going to put Carina into any position that I wouldn't do myself."
"But she has already gotten 'close ' to him." Chuck realized how that sounded. Though he really didn't want to have Carina have to use her amble seduction techniques any more than he wanted Sarah to. "Sorry Carina. I just..."
"It's ok Chuck. I know you didn't mean it that way. But Sarah's right. It should be her. The entire night I was with him the few times we actually talked he kept asking about Sarah and what her relationship was with you Chuck. It wasn't just asking about a partner. He wants to know what is going on between you two but make no mistake about it, he wants Sarah for something and I think it's pretty obvious what that is."
Casey now seeing the logic here knew he needed to calm Chuck down a bit. They needed to know what was going on with the "super agent" and Sarah was their best option. "Chuck listen. Carina and Walker are right. It's been pretty obvious that Shaw has something going on in his head towards Walker. No offense Carina, but if anyone can get Shaw to talk it's Sarah."
"None taken Casey, plus it will mean I get to be partnered with you or the cutie pie Intersect." Casey just rolled his eyes and moved back on the couch. Sarah glared at the redhead though she knew Carina was just trying to get a rise out of Casey.
Chuck turned to Sarah and took her hands in his. "Sarah look I trust you completely but the thought of you being partnered on a mission with someone like Shaw scares the hell out of me. I know you can protect yourself but someone needs to watch your back and Shaw has proven he's not that guy."
"Chuck, I know this will be hard for you but it really is our only way to find out what Shaw is up to and if we can trust him. Shaw is CIA and so far everything he has told us has panned out and though I believe her too, Andrea is still a Ring agent. Whatever happened eight years ago we have only heard one side of it. Beckman seems to trust him and until we know for certain and we can get him reassigned, Shaw is a member of this team."
"Fine, you're right and I know you will have us three watching your back as well. Something Andrea didn't have. But I want to talk to Beckman. I want to see those files on Shaw they got from Mitchell's computer. Maybe there is something in there they overlooked. Maybe there is more info on what happened in Thailand."
"OK we'll call her and get those files sent to us."
The four agents stood up and stretched a bit. They had been sitting for a long time and as Chuck picked up the empty beer bottles and Carina's wine glass to head to the kitchen Casey put his hand on Chuck's shoulder. The gesture surprised Chuck and his eyes grew large as he looked at the large man's hand. "Chuck, Walker is the best partner I've ever had and I'm not Shaw, remember?"
Chuck knew exactly what Casey was telling him and he trusted the gruff NSA Agent with his life but more importantly he trusted him with Sarah's even more. "Thanks Casey. I know you will have her back."
"We all will Bartowski"
Carina seeing Casey talking with Chuck in the kitchen walked over to her blonde team leader. "Sarah, so this Intersect thing is really true? It really works?"
"Yes it does. But what makes it work is Chuck. Even though I didn't want this for him and am worried the spy life will change him, he always seems to show us time and again just how special he is and why he is the perfect host for the Intersect."
"You really do love him, don't you."
"I fought it for a long time, hurt him deeply and made a lot of mistakes but I know now I was always fighting a losing battle. Chuck told me what you said to him about how you knew I wanted him when you first met even if I didn't know myself at the time. Turns out you were right. I've loved him almost from the first moment I saw him."
"For what its worth I knew then that Chuck was the right guy for you. I am truly sorry about Bryce's death but I knew he could never give you what you really wanted and needed. But I saw the way you and Chuck looked at each other when we went on that double date with Martin."
"Morgan."
"Yea whatever. Point is I'm amazed it took you this long to finally buy a ticket on that ride. Lord knows I tried that first night and he turned me down flat."
Sarah chuckled. She would have loved to have seen Carina's face when Chuck said no to her. "Well you know me about as well as anyone and I can be rather stubborn. Maybe deep down inside I knew if I did anything like that with Chuck I'd be a goner and not just being reassigned. I'd rather have what we had than no Chuck in my life at all."
Carina sensing there was still a bit of apprehension from Sarah about Shaw decided she needed to share a bit more of her thoughts on Sarah's teammate/mark. "Look Sarah, I said this before but I get a very strange feeling from Shaw when it comes to you and Chuck but you in particular. He wants you badly and he is going to put a move on you, I guarantee it. But I'll tell you the man has no style. I kept looking around his apartment for where he plugged himself in at night. I almost laughed out loud when I saw he had a copy of the Kama Sutra on the bookshelf in his bedroom. I mean really how freaking cliche is that?"
Carina and Sarah both tried to stifle the laughs but were losing badly.
Carina sensing a chance to tease Sarah took a step closer. "So does the Intersect come with any special fun skill sets I should know about?" Sarah looked up and saw Carina's full blown sassy face. Sarah decided to give it right back to the redhead.
"Well too bad you had your chance and blew it because believe me, Chuck doesn't need them. His very special "skills" are all him." She gave Carina a full on smirk and then winked at her. Sarah knew Chuck had never used the Intersect in bed and she didn't believe it would be even possible for him to be any better than he already was. The Intersect may have techniques but it was their love for each other that took them to another level.
"Lucky girl." Carina said with almost a hint of envy in her voice.
"Oh believe me, I know."
Black sedan outside Casa Bartowski
Echo Park, CA
8:55 PM PDT
A solitary figure watched a redheaded Agent get into her silver Lexus LFA and drive off. Another late model sedan followed. The figure turned his attention to his burner cell phone. He pressed the speed dial and waited for the person on the other end to answer.
"Yes?"
"Sir, the redhead has left the target's apartment. Murphy is following her. What are our orders?"
"Let her go. You two can have your fun with her later. It's the blonde I want. She's too smart not to sweep for surveillance but I want to know what she and the analyst are up to every minute, understand?"
"Yes, sir. There was another person with them for the last almost five hours. Real military type. He went into an apartment next door about a half hour ago."
"Understood. Keep me posted."
"Yes sir." The figure smiled to himself. The boss wanted the blonde badly and though he'd like a shot at her too, he and Murphy were going to have a lot of fun with a certain redhead.
In a penthouse apartment downtown, a tall man turned up the sound of a video playing on his laptop. He heard the voice of a brunette woman speaking to the person holding the camera. As his mind drifted back those years before he quietly said in reply. "Soon, I'll get what I want, your family will get what they want and Sarah Walker and the CIA will get what they deserve when the Intersect is standing by my side when I'm the only one left standing at the head of the Ring Council of Elders."
Navy blue Mercedes 200 yards away
Echo Park, CA
8:58 PM PDT
Another G-man type sat in his rented Mercedes and watched the proceedings. Once he saw the figure in the sedan reach for his phone he turned on the recording device. Though a burner phone is extremely difficult to trace to its owner, it's very easy to listen in on when it is being used right in front of you.
After the phone call he was witnessing ended, the G-man pulled out his round communications device and pressed the one button.
"Secure"
"Target's team is monitoring an apartment complex in Burbank. He just contacted Target with a siterep.
"Continue the surveillance. I want to know where our mole's loyalties are."
"What do we do about the group they are watching?"
"Nothing, no need to raise suspicions till we know where target's loyalties lie and why he has these folks under surveillence.."
"Understood."
He then spoke over his earpiece. "Zulu team has target left his penthouse?"
"No sir. He's been there all night."
"Good, The Director wants him under constant srveillence."
"Roger that."
Meanwhile back in Casa Bartowski the two remaining agents snuggled on the couch and began to watch Sarah's favorite guilty pleasure about vampires and fairies in the deep south. They both had no idea they were under surveillance nor that the surveillance team itself was being watched as well.
A/N 2 New Permutations next then back to this story for a mission, action, lies and betrayal. Hope you liked this one.
