Don't own Chuck
Chuck knew they didn't have much time left. He heard the sounds outside and flashed they were setting up a M2 Browning. Its armor piercing rounds would soon turn the Rover into Swiss cheese and them along with it. He also heard one call in for back up so either way they were the goose that was about the get cooked. Chuck hunkered down and flashed again.
"Now," yelled Chuck. Devon flopped open the back door of the Rover drawing fire from the two assailants. Chuck leaped out of the side of the Rover using the arm rest between the seats a kind of trampoline then jumped up and off the back of head rest on the front seat. Like this he was able to spring out like a jack in the box, or better like something out of a Shaw Brother film doing a 360 in midair.
Chuck hit the ground rolling as the two men tried to shoot at him. But as they were shooting it gave the Premier a chance to scramble past Devon and fire. Chuck swept the feet out from under one of the men dropping him on his back. The man sprayed air as he went down. But the other man had Chuck dead to rights with his finger on the trigger. He was about to shoot but the Premier shot first. The man dropped face first in the dirt.
"Thanks," said Chuck as he recovered they're radios then grabbed up the man in front of him. "I want you to call in and tell them mission accomplished. There's no need for backup."
"Never you American pig, I'll die first. We're taking our country back for our people so you can go to hell. Hasta la revolución patria o muerte," the man said then spit on the ground.
"You idiot, you're not giving our country back to the people but to Turrini and his mad Generals and Colonels. You think they care about the people? If you do you're a bigger fool than what I thought," said Alejandro. "I wanted to give our country back to the people but you and yours want it for yourselves."
"Political rhetoric isn't getting us anywhere," said Chuck. "Bruno you and I need a private chat. Yes, I know your name, Bruno Escolbar." Bruno looked startled then Chuck pulled him close and whispered in his ear. The man's look went from startled to terrified.
"You wouldn't... You couldn't," he said as he pushed Chuck away tears welled up in his eyes. "How do you know these things?"
"Your problem is I do, now make that call... Oh and remember I'm standing right here and I'm listening, entiende?" The man complied and made the call while Chuck stood over him.
"It's done they still will be coming to collect the Premier's head but they won't be driving as fast. Now get it over," said Bruno as he close his eyes and prepared himself.
"If that's what you want," said Chuck he drew his dart gun and tranq'd him. Devon ran over looking at Chuck then at Bruno on the ground.
"Chuck, dude you shot poor Bruno down in cold blood. That's so not cool, not cool at all bro," said Devon as he started to check Bruno.
"Devon I wouldn't... I didn't... oh it's only a dart gun he's asleep when he wakes up he can continue his revolution. I just hope this one will be over before then. Come on we need to go. Open the back of the lead Rover and let's mount this in the back," said Chuck as he grabbed the M2 off the mounting. "Premier thanks again get in. I'll drive," said Chuck as he went back for the mount.
"Let me rid back here," said Alejandro. "I know my way around an M2 and I can set it up while you drive." The Premier and Chuck grabbed two boxes of ammunition putting everything in the back.
"Chuck, what did you whisper in Bruno's ear to get him to cooperate like that," asked Devon riding shotgun. "Are you some sort of bad guy whisperer? Did they teach how to do that in the company? Looks pretty... well awesome."
"It's really nothing. Look Devon I'd prefer not to talk about it," said Chuck but Awesome wouldn't let it go.
"Is that one of those things where if you tell me you have to kill me? Dude, I could use it in the hospital or on Ellie... sorry but you know what I mean."
"Devon, there's only one reason a man will betray what he believes in and that's if he thinks the ones he loves are in danger. Chuck threatened to... what are the words you people use... to terminate with extreme prejudice Bruno's whole family."
"No, Chuck wouldn't do that, right bro?" asked Devon but Chuck remained quiet and kept on driving looking straight ahead. "Oh bro, that's so messed up and so not cool."
"Desperate times require desperate measures. That bought us a little time but not much so as soon as that relief detail gets there it won't take them long to figure out one of the Rover's missing. We'll never make it back into the Capital in this thing so we need a plan."
"You know there's an airfield close by maybe they're still loyal. My Air Force keeps a squadron of Mi-17 helicopters there."
"We can't risk going through the main gate but maybe it might be a good place to go and have a look," said Chuck. In the distance they saw a cloud of smoke coming from the direction of the city. Chuck's heart sank he had to do something then he felt the Premier reach forward and place his hand on Chuck's shoulder.
"We need to keep a cool head or we won't do them any good. You know that's true don't you Chuck?"
"Yeah I do. Let's go get us a helicopter."
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Under the safe house outside the palace perimeter the ground shook and the lights flickered in the tunnels as dust and cobwebs fell from the overhead. Sarah held the girls tight while Ellie looked around too frightened to talk. Only Hortencia spoke and that was in Spanish cursing Turrini and his conspirators as well as all their families both living and dead. The Doctor had a rosary out and was deep in prayer. John broke out a cigar and put it in his mouth.
"I hope you don't plan on lighting that thing in here with a pregnant woman," said Sarah as the ground stopped shaking. "Where are your MREs?"
"You mean 'with two pregnant women'," said Casey catching her look. "They're in the other room. Ellie, if you look through them you can find a couple pouches that say brownie or chocolate chip cookie on them for the girls."
"Maybe three," said the Doctor. "We haven't had anything to eat since last night. I need to keep my strength up."
"You two might have something in common you're both doctors," said Casey as he uncuffed the Doctor. "I don't even know your name."
"It's..." he started to say but Casey cut him off.
"You try anything and I'll do you like I did Juan, comprende?" The man gave a nervous nod then followed Ellie into the other room with the girls.
"Is he going to be a problem?" asked Sarah. "If he is I'd prefer we take care of him now instead of waiting around for him to do something."
"You mean like giving the pink slip to the hired help? He's all right he saved me from Dengue fever and he knows if El Comandante gets a hold of him his doctoring days are over.
"Well, he's your responsibility so what did they just bomb because it wasn't us but it was close by," she asked as Casey smiled rolling his cigar in his mouth. "I swear don't even think about lighting that thing or I'll throw up all over you."
"Looks like you really do need to use that test. Let's see if we can call Chuck now Turrini was nice enough to bomb his own Command and Control headquarters. I had a relay setup through their antenna array. It's about a mile away but when road crews were working I spliced into their cable."
"I take it that's where they had their jamming equipment so if Chuck has his Sat phone we should be able to call him now," said Sarah as she tried there was a click then she heard a voice but it wasn't Chuck's. "Premier," said Sarah disappointed, "wait let me put you on speaker. Okay, go ahead."
"Mi corazón are you okay," asked the Premier. "We were worried when we heard the palace fell but I knew I left you in good hands."
"I'm fine, we're fine, mi amor but how are you and your compadres? You don't have to worry about us we're safe but where are you?
"We're in a Rover near… well I shouldn't say if someone's listening. Here let me put Devon on. Devon, say hi to your woman but don't give away our position."
"Hi guys, is Ellie there and can she hear me?" Ellie came running in from the other room with the girls as soon as she heard his voice.
"I'm here hun, we're safe thanks to Sarah. How are you guys? We were worried the General told us… well you guys had some problems," said Ellie looking down at Clara and Sam looking up at her.
"Chuck got us out of a real pickle but we're on our own now. We had to abandon our supplies and now… Premier do you see that there's a light waving?"
"Get off the line we need to go that's the signal. Come on let's hurry."
"But Chuck told us to wait here for him," said Devon. In the excitement of the moment he didn't realize he was still on the line. Suddenly they heard the sound of automatic gunfire.
"Start the engine you drive, I'll take care of things back here," they heard followed by the loud noise of the M2 magnified in the back of the Rover then the line dropped.
"John, I need satellite feed for the area. We can locate Chuck from here. Then we can… we can… I don't know what we can do but we've got to do something."
"Sarah, there's nothing we can do except wait. We know they're outside the city and in the jungle trying to stay ahead of Turrini's men," said Casey as he bent close to her and whispered. "You need to keep your hormones in check for the people around you." Casey looked over at Sam who looked worried.
"Oh honey, come here and stay with me. Did you find what you were looking for in the other room with Ellie?" But she didn't answer. Sarah grabbed her up and hugged her. "I know I wanted to talk to him too but he was busy."
"Why do these bad men want to hurt us? Do their mothers know what they're doing? If they did I don't think they'd be happy."
"You're a genius like your father," said Sarah as she kissed her. "John, I know what we're going to do."
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In the cenote at the opposed end of the country Frank watched as things progressed. He thought at first it looked like there might even be hope for Turrini but El Comandante shot himself in the foot when he bombed his own Command and Control headquarters. Turrini's Generals lost the ability to communicate with their men in the field and the provinces learned just how weak Turrini's forces were.
"Dr. Martin, no one says anything about us giving Turrini those coordinates, do you understand? I don't think our people would be too happy with us if they knew."
"How were we supposed to know what was in that two block radius? He should've at the minimum checked with his own people. I don't see this as our fault."
"I don't either but others might not see it that way. He's going to have to restore cell towers if he wants to communicate with his troops but if he does that he'll give his opposition the same ability. Already those with Sat phones can communicate with the outside and internally."
"We could jam those signals from here if we used our constellation. It wouldn't be difficult to do," said Dr. Martin. But Frank shook his head.
"No, then we'd have to go active and now that there's a hole in the wall everyone will be overhead trying to look through. You close that hole and the wrong people are going to ask who closed it. This is all on El Comandante's head if he'd done what he was supposed to he'd been elected just he didn't want to wait."
"What are we going to do," asked Marcus. "Do you think he can hold on if we just sit back and watch?"
"I don't see as we have much choice. Like I said he went out on his own. I warned him and now either he'll succeed or fail on his own." As Frank was talking Marcus touched his ear he'd received a message.
"Frank, you need to see this," said Marcus as he brought up a live broadcast being transmitted over internet and relied over local television. On the screen was the image of Hortencia Goya holding two children.
"Oh crap this is the end. Contact our people in the capital and tell them they need to get out as quickly as they can. Also patch me through to Colonel Toledano I have something I want him to do for me," said Frank as they listened to Hortenica's appeal.
"My fellow countrymen, mothers of our nation I am speaking to you not as the wife of our beloved Premier but as a mother who loves her children. This was a surprise present my husband wanted to give you with our new constitution. I am expecting our first niño and we wanted to call him or her 'Liberty' after what our new constitution was to give you. But Turrini and his henchmen are trying to steal that from you as well as rob you of your children in a senseless civil war. As a wife and future mother with these niñas I ask what kind of man would chase a pregnant woman from her home? What kind of man would attack women and children? I just talked with my husband, your beloved Premier. He is organizing resistance in the jungle for this outrage. Comandante Turrini don't get comfortable. Hasta la victoria siempre." Her image faded into a superimposed flag of Costa Gravas with an audio recording of their national anthem.
"Wow you've got to give it to her that was good," said Marcus. Frank gave him a look. "I'm sorry but she was moving. I'd vote for her."
"And so will everyone else. It's imperative you get the word out to our people and I need to talk to that Colonel right away," said Frank his phone began to ring. It was Tuirrini which meant he had turned the cell towers back on. Frank let it ring for a bit as he went over to the bar and poured himself a drink then he answered putting it on speaker so his hands could be free to walk and drink."
"Hasta la victoria siempre," said Frank as he answered then he took a sipped and continued. "How goes the revolución El Comandante?"
"Funny, I take it you saw the broadcast. This is your fault you gave me those coordinates now I'm sitting in my palace with mobs of angry mothers in the street out front. You can image my troops are reluctant to shoot their own mothers."
"You should've had a battalion of orphans. I think I told you that this would blow up on you and as far as those coordinates are concerned I told you I could only give you a two block area. You were the one who decided to bomb it without checking it first."
"If you want me to stay in power I need help, I need men and weapons. I'll sign anything just give me something so I can hang on."
"Hang on to what? Even if I give you what you're asking for the Americans will move their ships off the coast and drive you out which is exactly what we didn't want. This was our window while the fleets where up north looking for that lost sub."
"I don't think you want me to be captured," said Turrini playing his last desperate card. "I wouldn't hold up too long against torture."
"I understand what you're trying the say. Well we wouldn't want you to be captured either. I think we can put all this behind us. If you have to run go to the airport and take your Yak-40 we'll clear a path for you to safety."
"You're telling me to run? I'm no coward and what kind of help is that?" said Turrini but he already knew he was pushing his luck threatening to talk.
"Don't consider it running. Instead consider it a strategic retreat to regroup and reorganize. Maybe you could setup an opposition government aboard with the goal of retaking your country."
"The idea sounds a little familiar I think I've heard of something similar. Give me time to think it over and if I decide to go that way I'll let you know."
"I wouldn't wait too long. My people just put up on the screen for me video feeds coming from around the provinces and thousands of women are pouring in the street. I've just been told something similar is happening on the outskirts of the capital."
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Earlier Chuck parked the Rover by the side of the road leading to the air base at Los Perdutos then left the Premier and Devon to cover it while he walked the perimeter. He hung just past the treeline to stay out of sight. When he saw enough he made his way back to the Rover to brief the Premier about their next move.
"It looks like they're holding the loyal troops in hangar one. My guess is just a handful of officers and troops turned. There were too many for them to know what to do with. Now, there's only one guard on the main gate. I'm going to go down take him out then try and free the rest."
"Let me come with you. This is our fight not yours," said the Premier as he pulled out his pistol. "This isn't the first barricade I've charged."
"No, I need you to stay here. You're too important to let you go off and get yourself killed. Besides it will be easier for me if I go alone. I'll tranq the guard then liberate the men. After that if we're lucky we'll retake the base, piece of cake."
"Then we'll have a squadron of helicopters and we can launch an attack on the Capital," said the Premier smiling. "I like your plan Chuck."
"Well we also will be able to broadcast over your military channels and see how many troops Turrini really has. Something tells me if we can get the word out your alive and well things will change quickly. Wish me luck. Devon, tell Sarah… well tell her I really hope she is… You know. I've tried to be cool about it but I need to tell her the truth."
"Bro you can tell her yourself when you get back," said Devon. "I've got faith in you. We'll be waiting for your signal."
"Right the signal, I'll wave my flashlight and that will be your cue to drive through the main gate. Once you go through hang a right then go to the hangar with a big number two written on the front door. If you hear gunfire and I'm not back… well give me ten minutes then haul out of here. If you head east you can ditch the Rover and it's about a two mile huff through jungle that will take you into the neighboring state. The Premier can ask for political asylum at the border."
"Oh Chuck, dude, and what about you?"
"Devon, if you hear gunfire and I don't show up it means I won't be. Just remember to tell Sarah what I said." With that Chuck disappeared in the darkness.
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General Beckman was sitting in the vault beneath the embassy in Brussels watching the feed out of Costa Gravas. There was a loud shout of joy and laughter when the Ilyushin Il-28 bombed their own command center. No one had seen anything like that since the line of death and the bombing of Tripoli. Suddenly lines of communication came open once more which lead to a massive flow of intel.
"Thank you Colonel Casey," said the General as her assistant gave her a look. "What? It was the Colonel's idea back when we were covertly establishing the safe house to tie into their Command and Control array that way we'd always get a signal in and out. Who'd every guess they'd be stupid enough to take it out with an air raid."
"General, it's as you thought. It seems the coup attempt was limited to the capital. Oh General you need to see this," said her Major from the monitor. Then they went to a split screen with the image of Hortencia appearing on the left side.
"Christ, what does she think she's doing? I thought I told them to hang tight. Raise the volume and can the rest of you in here pipe down I need to hear this. You up front you're the translator I need to know what she's saying."
"You mean you need an interpreter. I'm sorry but I only translate I don't…"
"Today you've been official promoted to interpreter so start interpreting," said the General as the room when silent. The man spoke slowly but clearly interpreting everything she said.
"I need feelers out in the provinces," said the General. "Bring up the birds I need to see the reactions of the people."
"General, reports are starting to come in of rioting throughout the country. It seems the only city holding out is the capital."
"Good, now if Chuck would report in everything would be right with the world. Major you're ordered never to tell him I said that."
"Roger General. I've got a report of a possible firefight outside of Los Perdutos air base. It seems a column of Turrini followers are clashing with an unknown force."
"That could be Chuck and the Premier, go back and find out more."