Don't own Chuck

Chuck was sitting in the co-pilots seat while Casey flew the chopper. They commandeered a Mi-17 from the Premier with the promise that if they broke it they'd buy it. The Premier had one flown in from the airport and dropped off in the Embassy compound keys in hand. That was when they took off now they were flying over the central jungle heading to a clearing near where the girl was last seen.

"So Chuck, tell me again why we had to leave in such a hurry? I think I know why and I can't say as I blame you. You didn't want to wait for Sarah so she could meet your ex?"

"First of all she never was my anything to be my ex. She was a friend of Jill's who actually hated me and one of the people who told Jill, no actually insisted that she should dump me. She told Jill I was a loser and that I wasn't good enough for her. Then the thing with the test came out and you know how that went."

"Well, sounds to me like she left a lasting impression with you. But if Jill was Fulcrum it goes without saying that this Dr. Martin is probably some sort of traitor too. Just Chuck don't get all... well you know all Chuck on me. We need answers and she's going to give them one way or another."

"The last words she said to me at Stanford weren't exactly wishing me the best. She told me I ought to go back to the Buy More that was where I belonged. As far as I'm concerned we can drop her out of this chopper on the way back and I wouldn't care."

"Okay, we can do that," said Casey without batting an eye. "We could have an accident on the way back and the side door open. Yes, I can see how that might happen."

"John, people say things like that but they don't mean them. You do know that," said Chuck thinking Casey wasn't most people.

"Well we're here. Hold on while I take us down," said Casey. He brought the chopper down in the middle of the clearing then shut down the motors. "Okay Chuck, time to go find your girlfriend."

"I told you she's not my girlfriend," said Chuck as Casey grabbed an AK-47 from the weapons rack and loaded it. "Before you start blasting let me talk to her. I can talk her into turning herself in."

"Sure why not. You like getting shot so go for it. But I thought you said she hated you. You know people act out against the people they care about. Who knows maybe she still has the hots for you and you can turn her."

"First, we've got to find her," said Chuck as he checked his dart pistol. "How do we know where to start looking? The jungle looks all the same from here."

"Easy, we ask for help from eyes in the sky," said Casey as he handed Chuck an earbud sync'd with his watch radio. Casey had the transmission relied through the chopper.

"Sarah, are you in the vault?" radioed Casey. Chuck gave Casey a look wondering how long Sarah had been listening to them and if John had set him up on purpose.

"I'm here and I've got a visual on your target. She's about three hundred yards from your position off your nine o'clock. But you need to hurry she doesn't look to good."

"I just want to say one thing for the record. I never dated or even when out with this woman. Actually she was sleeping with Bryce. They broke up and he ended up with Jill."

"Come on," said Casey as he grabbed Chuck to pull him along. "So she slept with Bryce Larkin everyone has."

"Guys, you need to get a move on it there's a rather large cat near her," said Sarah as she heard Chuck sneeze.

"Love," radioed Chuck as he started having the sniffles. "I think I know that but when you say large could you quantify it? I mean are we talking about a large house cat or Bengal tiger. Oh my God we see it!"

"Chuck, don't freak out," radioed Sarah. "Everything is going to be okay. Just think of it as a rather large imposing house cat."

"Imposing, yeah that's what he's going for all right imposing and you know I think he's done it."

"Chuck, don't move and above all don't make any noise. I've got him," said Casey as he started to raise his 47 to take aim.

"No, you can't shot him. He's an endangered species and besides he's... he's," Chuck started to speak but Sarah cut in via radio.

"Majestic, Chuck you said that before and we ended up trapped in a closet," radioed Sarah as Casey just shook his head.

"But I've got my tranq gun this time," said Chuck as he pulled it from his holster but as he pulled it he let out a loud sneeze. The jaguar turned and charged them instead of Silvia. Casey dove out of the way and rolled trying the come up with a shot but Chuck was in the way. "Move idiot," yelled Casey. "Get out of the way."

"Ah-choo," said Chuck as he sneezed again even louder. The force of the sneeze cause him to bend over and as he bent down the cat leaped over the top of him and ran off into the jungle. "Sarah," radioed Chuck. "Did you see that?"

"I saw every bit," she said as she wiped her eyes. "And we're going to have a talk about it when you get back. This is the last time you pull this or next time I shoot you."

"That's nice," said Casey breaking in. "But right now this woman needs medical care. She's burning up, comatose and has shallow breathing."

"Let me see her," said Chuck as he bent close to her to smell her breath. "She's been poisoned probably from the water she drank. Casey, I need a cup of water fast." While Casey was pouring a cup from his canteen Chuck picked up a piece of burnt wood. He took the piece of chard wood laying it on a rock then with another he began to pound it until he had charcoal powder.

"Give me your cup," he said as he added the powder then stirred it with his finger. He went back over to her and raised her head tilting it slightly backwards. She seemed to come conscious looking up at him.

"Chuck is that you? How did..." She started to ask but he cut her off so he could get his brew down her while she was still conscious enough to swallow.

"Be quiet, relax and drink this," he said as he held the cup to her mouth. She started to swallow but as she was drinking she passed out again. "I hope I got enough in her. The charcoal should keep her body from absorbing any more poison but we need to get her out of here." Just then he was hit in the head with a flying banana.

"Crap John, what'd you do that for," said Chuck as John came over and picked her up throwing her over his shoulder.

"Don't blame me that was Morgan up there in the tree. Pick up the banana if you don't want it I'll eat it. That's his way of saying nice job."

"Morgan huh," said Chuck as he picked up the banana then caught sight of a spider monkey making faces at him from the tree. "So you just happened to name him Morgan. I think you missed Morgan. I think you missed him."

"Like a hole in the head. Shut up all that chatter but you have to admit the resemblance is there," said Casey as they got back to the chopper. On the way there Silvia started to come around.

"Sister you throw up over my shoulder and we're going to have a problem," said Casey as he passed her to Chuck who laid her out on a stretcher and got an IV flowing.

"Sarah, have Devon standing by to meet us when we land in the Embassy. Then tell Mike to get a room ready."

"Do you think this is the Holiday Inn and I work in central booking? I don't know if I want her here with Sam."

"No not in the Embassy, Embassy but in the Embassy. What I mean is I don't know if they have a detention cell or if we can just lock her up in a room. But she needs to be interrogated."

"Roger that. Guys I didn't want to tell you this before but the General's plane is officially missing. Chuck, I'm sorry but that means your mother is too."

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The General came to slowly. Her head was aching and throbbing slowly things around her started to come into focus. She found she was lying on a cot with a blanket wrapped around her and she could see her breath. Her throat felt like she swallowed all the sand from the Sahara as parched as it felt. Then she realized there was a man sitting next to her offering her some water.

"Here drink, this will make you feel better. They brought you in here six hours ago with your two American friends," she didn't have to see the man's uniform to know he was Russian. His accent gave it away.

"Spah see boh, thank you," said the General. "You're the Captain of that Russian Borei class submarine that everyone's looking for."

"Kaptain Yanis Primack and this is what's left of my loyal crew. My next in command mutinied with the other officers and some of my men. And you General? What is your story?" She started to speak when she heard Greg.

"Diane what's going on? Leave her alone," said the Lieutenant Colonel as he tried to jump to his feet but he fell over.

"Stand down Colonel. They're in the same boat or plane we're in. Check on the Major and see how he's doing. You asked for our story. I was on my way to Costa Gravas to attend a ceremony and my plane was hijacked. Someway these people took control of it and made us land here."

"General you need to come and see this," yelled Greg. "It's the Major, he's dead. Near as I can tell they gave us something to knock us out after we landed. It looks like they gave the Major too much or he had an allergic reaction either way he's gone."

"Do you know if he was married or if he had family?" asked the General as she pulled his blanket over his face.

"No the Air Force was his family. His father was ex-enlisted but he told me both his parents passed away a while back."

"What's going on here? Do you have any idea General?" asked the Captain. "First our submarine and now your plane what do they want?"

"I think they're studying our countries stealth technology and I don't like. What if they can produce their own submarine platforms to launch stealth missiles? As good as stealth is if they launched ICBMs there's nothing stealth about them. We'd see the launch from space then we'd be able to get in a position to… well this I can't discuss with you. But both our governments have counter measures."

"You talk like you know us quite well," said the Captain as he was beginning to get an idea who the person was sitting across from him.

"I, like you, have been at this game for a very long time but you never ask a lady her age or how long she's been in service. No my guess is they want to study your sub as a stealth delivery system, a platform if you like for stealth missiles. Makes sense they can get the platform in close to the coast then rain hell down on you before you can react. The first wave takes out radar or any system that can detect the second and the country is open to invasion or what's more likely a ransom demand."

"That's awfully callous and where's the honor in that?"

"Captain, there's none. There's just a bottom line dollar, euro, ruble, or yuan sign. These people, if you can call them that, who are behind this use humans like fodder. I've been fighting them for some time now along with Igor Trotski," said the General and from the Captain's look she knew he knew him.

"That's a name best not spoken... So you're a spy, CIA. How do I know this isn't some elaborate trick to steal our secrets?"

"Seems to me Hydra, the people behind this, already have both our nations' secrets. The question is why are we still alive? In my case I know why they plan on extracting everything I know or at least they'll try, but in your case is there something they need from you they can't take?"

"I don't know what it could be and I'm being honest. I haven't got the foggiest idea other than a work force."

There was a knock on the door then two men walked in carrying automatic weapons followed by a party of four five people in artic parkas. The General immediately recognized Frank as he led the group inside.

"General Beckman, Diane, it's nice to see you again. My boss used to... well I was going to say speak highly of you but that would've been a lie. The Admiral actually hated you."

"The feeling was mutual and I still hate her even if she's dead, dead by your hand. You've moved up in the underworld I see no longer the gofer and they let you wear long pants too."

"Funny I like that but what can I say? Hydra knows talent when they see it, which is more that I can say for the people on Capitol Hill," said Frank as he looked around the people in the room. "I was told there were two officers with you I see the Lieutenant Colonel but where's the Major? Is he still out?"

"You could say that he's out permanently. Your people killed him when they drugged us. He's over there in the rack," she said as she pointed to Major's body.

"Sorry about that I'll look into what happened that wasn't my intention I can assure you. Maybe you'd like to tell me what happened to that Agent that was with you on the plane? I know she got on with you because she was seen."

"How am I supposed to know I passed out then woke up here? Have you checked the parachutes to see if one is missing?"

"Yes we did and there does seem to be one unaccounted for. I know about this woman because my people told me she was getting dangerously close so we set a little trap. It was all ready to go in Stalinstadt but she got recalled before we could spring it. We found out she was supposed to be on your flight with you.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just hope she made it and is organizing a rescue mission. Then you and I can have a nice chat viz a viz."

"I seriously doubt that and even if she somehow did survive in a few hours your plane will be disassembled and on the sub then we can go anywhere. I'm waiting now for our interrogator to get here. He and you are going to have a nice conversation. Well I just wanted to stop by and say hello. Come on, let's go," said Frank as he turned to the men around him then left.

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Silvia woke up with the urge to throw up so she rolled over and heaved up over the side of the bed as someone next to her held a bucket. She looked up at the false ceiling in her room from her bed. The first thing she thought was that she was in a hospital room but looking round she saw the room was dark and drab with a security glass door. Her bed was in a holding cell this was confirmed when she tried to get up and found she was handcuffed to the bed.

"Hey don't try to get up yet you need to stay still. Here let me raise your bed for you," said the man standing next to her. "How's that? It should be much better."

"Yes thanks, but can you tell me where I'm at and how I got here? There was a man in the jungle who came for me, I know this is going to sound crazy but I think I know him, Chuck Bartowski," said Silvia. Devon looked at the wall as Chuck, Sarah and Casey watched from the other side of one-way glass.

"I need to step out but I'll be right back," said Devon as he started to step out.

"You can tell whoever's listening they can come in and talk to me because I don't know anything. This is all a misunderstanding."

"Like I said I'll be back." He walked straight to the observation room to consult with the rest of the team. "You guys heard that right, she wants answers. What are we going to tell her?"

"We aren't going to tell her anything," said Chuck. "We'll take it from here. Thanks for looking at her for us."

"And beside we want answers too," said Casey. "I'll go in and get them out of her."

"Hold up, we don't know she knows anything," said Chuck. "Devon, what kind of condition is she in right now?"

"She's weak but getting stronger. That idea of using the charcoal probably saved her life but she should really be taken to a hospital for real examinations like for her liver and kidneys."

"She's not going anywhere," said Sarah. "She has to stay here for now until we can get an idea what she knows. She might know something about the General's plane."

"Devon, I know you mean well but the new constitution for Costa Gravas goes into effect this afternoon and with it no one can be arrested or even detained without habeas corpus so maybe it would be better if you left. Guys, let me go in and talk to her," said Chuck. "She hated me but I'm sure she'll talk to me then we can go from there."

"No, we start with me. I'm going in. You guys can watch from here," said Sarah. "Chuck, do I have to remind you how your interrogations with Jill went." She started to leave.

"Wait Sarah, hold up, you don't know her," said Chuck. "She's a lot like Jill."

"I know I think I just said that and that's how I'm going to treat her," said Sarah as she walked out and went into the detention room.

"That's what I'm afraid of," said Chuck. "This isn't going to work, I know it. I should be the one in there."

"Keep it in your pants Romeo and let your wife have some quality time with your ex. This could get interesting."

"Your ex," said Devon. "How many girlfriends did you have at Stanford? Does Ellie know about this one? Oh dude, Sarah knows so not cool, not cool at all."

"No she's not an ex anything. She was Jill's roommate and they pledged into the same sorority. Silvia's mission in life at the university was to slam me especially in front of Jill. What hurt the most was in the end Jill shared everything about us with her so she used that against me too... too... Oh crap she knows about Carmichael," said Chuck he bolt to the glass wall and pounded.

"I think your wall is calling you," said Silvia as Sarah walked in. "I want to know where I'm being held and why I'm handcuffed to this bed agent... I'm sorry I didn't get your name." The pounding got louder.

"The name is Carmichael, Sarah Carmichael and I've got some questions for you first," said Sarah but Silvia started laughing uncontrollably. "Are you okay? Do I need to get the doctor back in here?"

"No, no... oh this is so rich. You're... I can't believe it you're married to Chuck. You don't look like the pictures he had of his sister so you have to be his wife. I'd like to hear how that happened."

"And I'd like to hear the sound of you shutting up," said Chuck as he walked in. "So Jill told you about Carmichael too. It really doesn't surprise me. She told you everything she knew about me you two were two peas in a pod. Just to let you know I arrested her and sent her to Supermax."

"Which is going to be your destination unless you cooperate," said Sarah as she looked over at Chuck. He shrugged his shoulders and whispered.

"I tried to tell you but you didn't listen," he said then he turned back to Silvia. "We know you shot down that satellite."

"I don't know what you're talking about and unless you've got some proof I want out of here before I bring a lawsuit..."

"Against whom? You don't seem to understand the gravity of your situation. You're at a black site outside of the judicial reaches of the U.S. And as far as no proof well look at these," said Chuck. He pulled out of his pocket a bolt and nut showing them to her.

"So you've got a screw loose. I told that to Jill a long time ago now look you've gone and proven it," said Silvia. "If you're done with show and tell I'd like to go.

"I'm sure you would. You see these came from that debris site you salted with those satellite parts. You know the one you shot down," said Chuck. Sarah gave him a look but he signaled for her to play along. "Well for future reference... I don't know why I said that because you'll never be getting out of Supermax."

"Sweetie can you get to the point," said Sarah. "We need to move this along."

"I'm sorry I was rambling. Watch this," he said as he screwed the nut on the bolt. Maybe you can explain to me how this falling from space unscrewed itself without stripping the threads? Because to me it looks like someone disassemble this satellite," said Chuck as he laid photos out for her to see. "Then spread them out in a site that was obviously man-made. I found traces of C-4 in the so-called crater site. I won't bother explaining how the crater site was all wrong too. But you really didn't do a good job. That cenote you were standing next to I wonder what we'll find when we send down an underwater camera?"

"Death and destruction but above all a lot of death," she said as she started to cry.