Don't own Chuck

Kasper was sitting in a detention cell in a downtown holding facility. He was waiting for another round of questioning but so far his training had helped him resist. Funny he thought but the people who were questioning him were the same ones who had developed the techniques he learned to help him resist. But that was when the VAJA was the SAVAK and the Shah was still in power. However, he knew nothing short of a prisoner exchange would secure his release and right now he was the only one who could give them intel on his cell. This made him too important a target to give up.

"Hey, when do I get to see my lawyer?" yelled Kasper from inside his cell. "I want to report this abuse to some one."

"Can it prisoner," he heard from a guard on the outside say. He'd been there a week without breaking and he could tell both his interrogators and himself were getting tired. "Looks like it's breakfast time," said a guard as he slipped a tray into his cell.

"Hey do you mind if I can get a newspaper? I had 10 large on the Knicks and I need to know if they won."

"You bet money on the Knick? Isn't that like a sin or something for you guys?" said the Guard as he passed Kasper his breakfast tray.

"What can I say? My parents moved to Brooklyn to escape the Shah. I was born and raised in Brooklyn my Dad owned a Persian restaurant then after the Shah was overthrown we went back."

"Wow looks like that was a bad decision for you buddy. Okay I'll see what I can do but I'm not promising anything."

"Oh and if you could they took my glasses when I came in. I really need them to read but I guess I could make do with just the paper. Who knows I might spill my guts and give you the credit for breaking me?"

"Things would go easier on you. I hear they have this real nasty SOB coming in to talk with you if you know what I mean. But if you sing they'd put you in better quarters you might even swing witsec and get a chance at a new life."

"Do you think so? I just might have to take you up on that but first I need to know if those Knicks pulled it off."

"I hear you; I've got my favorite team too. I'm a Pacers fan. Basketball back home is almost like a religion."

"Indiana Pacers, well I won't hold it against you," said Kasper as the both laughed. "But that was a good game."

"Yes it was and especially for us Pacer fans." They laughed again. "Well, I'm not supposed to even be talking to you… But I'll see what I can do anybody who follows the NBA can't be all bad." Little did the guard know what he was doing or that he had watched his last game. Kasper was about to try a shot from the other end of the court.

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Chuck and Sarah were headed down the I-5 making much better time than when the left the Buy More for Pasadena. They were on the Santa Ana Freeway coming up on Buena Park. Chuck was on the phone with Emma coordinating their lunch which turned out to be a major operation. Jack and Molly were still with the miniature goats and Emma with Sam were in the rabbit hutch neither girls really had any appetite.

"Emma, let's do this neither girl wants to leave so we grab some sandwiches on the way. I'm looking at Sarah and she's nodding her head. Maybe some cheeseburgers then we all eat on a bench afterwards the girls go back to the petting zoo. … I heard Sam. Yumyum bunny doesn't mean she wants to eat the rabbit but she wants to feed the rabbit. Tell her rabbits don't eat cheeseburgers. Give us about forty-five minutes," said Chuck as he hung up. "You heard they don't want to leave."

"Yeah we can stop on the way down and maybe get Sam a yoghurt and some fruit. I don't want to get her started eating fast food but I need to tell you about my flash. Dr. Ryder's going to set up camp in the Northern part of Zamibia, near Whsumbu National Park close to Lake Victoria.

Chuck squinted his eyes as if he saw something very bright and tasted something sour at the same time. "Are you going to tell me near Yubala?"

"Yes exactly so you flashed and you saw what I saw, rebel factions, a hot bed of guerilla fighting and raids from across the border. Chuck, we need to ask them if this location is absolutely necessary."

"We have another problem I flashed on that last crate they brought in. I'll just tell you because you're driving and I'd hate for us to get in an accident because you flashed. There's a controller device with the Smart chip inside."

"We just jumped through hoops to keep one from being taken out of the country and now this group is going to fly one out at government expense. Chuck I don't like this," said Sarah as she looked over at him.

"I don't either. Why don't they gift wrap it for our enemies? I'd like to call General Beckman but I'm afraid she'll laugh at us and say we're just trying to get out of our deal."

"She wouldn't say that," said Sarah as she looked back over at Chuck. "You really think she would? No I'll prove you wrong get her on the phone and I'll talk to her. Put her on speaker and let me do the talking."

"General Beckman's office this is her secretary speaking. How may I assist you?"

"Connie, I don't know if you remember me but I'm…" General Beckman's secretary cut her off in mid-sentence.

"You're Chuck's wife. Yes what can the General do for you? I'm afraid she's out of the office right now. She got called away to the situation room on an urgent matter."

"Well I was going to say Agent Carmichael, but I need to talk to her about the mission she's assigned to the other Agent Carmichael and me. I need to know if…" again Connie cut her off.

"She said if you should call trying to get out of the mission to remind you that there was a deal in place and that she expects you both to abide by it."

"You can tell her we're not trying to get out of it but we want to make sure she's aware that the group we're with is planning on shipping out classified equipment that's on the special restrictions list."

"One second and let me check something," said Connie as she put them on hold with Vivaldi's Four Seasons playing in the background.

"I swear that woman hates me. She hated me when she worked for Langston Graham and still hates me today," said Sarah as she looked over at Chuck. He was smiling. "You think I'm joking, just wait and see."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit? The woman doesn't even know who you are, or me for that matter."

"Oh really, she knew I was your wife. What does that tell you? But you'll see. If I were you I'd break out the car charger. You'll need it." Sarah was right they had finished all four seasons and were starting over a year and a half later she came back on the line.

"Oh you're still on hold. I'm so sorry," said Connie. This time Chuck definitely heard a note of sarcasm in her voice. "Listen I checked and they have all the permissions they need to go."

"What about the DoD? Don't they have to get permission from them to transport classified equipment overseas? Isn't there someone who's supposed to make sure that equipment remains safe?"

"Honey, I'd say that's what you're there for so….," said Connie then the line dropped and the phone died.

"Did she just hang up on me? I swear that woman has it in for me. See what I mean. I don't want to say I told you so but I told you so."

"Yes you did. I'm sorry but my battery died," said Chuck as he connected it to the car charger but it was going to take a while to recharge.

"Great job Chuck, now she probably thinks I hung up on her and that just gives her even more reason to hate me," said Sarah as she looked over at Chuck.

"I'm sorry. You're right I should've hooked up the charger while we were on hold. I take ownership for this it's my bad."

"Don't worry about it she'll get over it and if she doesn't it's her problem not mine. I don't know what I did to get on her list."

"Maybe she feels threatened because you're beautiful, smart and attractive. And did I mention that you were smart too? Plus you're my wife."

"That was the one thing she remembered. Let's find someplace to stop and grab something to take with us we're almost there."

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Casey and Alex pulled into the black ops site located in the basement of a downtown high-rise. Pulling into a side street parking garage. Casey continued giving Alex advice as he drove down the ramp. He was trying to pass on to her years of experience in the little time they had as he drove down to the lowest level. He was concerned what this would do to her. It's one thing to pull the trigger on someone who could shoot back. It was another to break a finger or worse on a guy handcuffed to a table across from you.

"Well we're here. Are you ready for this," asked Casey as he got out of the Crown Vic. "There's no turning back once you walk through those doors."

"I think so," said Alex but that wasn't what Casey wanted to hear. "No I got this, I know why I'm here and I know what I've got to get done."

"Good that's exactly what you need to focus on. Remember if the tables were turned this guy wouldn't bat an eye. If anything he'd do worse and probably has. Keep that in mind too."

"Roger that," said Alex as Casey smiled to hear her say that. They went through biometric scans then stepped on the elevator heading down and they had just begun to descend when alarms went off. "What's going on?"

"There's a prisoner escape," said Casey as the elevator stopped at one of the upper floor and opened up. "This is where we get off. The elevators are all blocked until the emergency is over." Casey and Alex walked down desolate corridors as they made their way to the stairwell.

"Why haven't we seen any one?" asked Alex trying to understand what was going on. "I thought for sure everyone would be out looking for the escapees."

"No, in a lockdown everyone is supposed to stay in their office with the doors closed until the search team clears the floor. Too many people running around just helps the perp escape. There's movement down below," said Casey. But they quickly figured out that whoever they were they weren't friendly when they started firing back out of the stairwell into the corridor then started running up towards them.

Casey held up his finger to his lips to tell her to be quiet then he drew his Sig nine and Colt back up piece. Alex pulled a Cougar Beretta then they laid back waiting for the hostiles to climb up to them. They were too busy with the people below to notice they were now trapped between a rock and a hard place.

"End of the road," yelled Casey as he jumped out. Alex was right behind him but Kasper wasn't in the mood to surrender this time. He had freed some of his men and was determined to push by them. But Alex and Casey made short work of them dropping them in a hail of bullets. Casey finished Kasper off with a head shot. Later he denied knowing who he was but he knew. However, like this he made sure Alex wouldn't have to interrogate him.

"Colonel, what am I going to do with you? You were supposed to be there only as an observer. This was supposed to be an interrogation not a jaunt down to the O.K. corral."

"General, it's not my fault if they got out and I still don't know how they managed that. But they shot we returned fire and they died. All and all I like the way that story ended." The truth was Kasper and his men never got a shot off but that was a mere technical detail that Casey though best left unsaid.

"Yes Colonel I read that in your report. As to how they broke out my understanding is that Kasper somehow drugged a guard with a syringe hidden in his glasses. Don't ask me how he got them that's internal review's responsibility to find out. And you had to take Kasper out with a head shot."

"Like I said he didn't give me a choice."

"Right, he didn't give you a choice. I guess whatever intel he had, he took with him to his grave. I keep having this gut feeling we haven't seen the last of this yet. Well that's that I guess. Beckman out."

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Just across the border in Mexico at a Cartel Safe house Mr. Robinson was dealing with their new landlord. The two were haggling over the cost of doing business in Mexico. The Cartel wanted a million dollars US while Mr. Robinson was only willing to offer a half a million. Both sides were arguing and tempers were running high. Neither wanted to back down and lose face.

"Come on Carlos, all you're offering us is this dive to work out of. This place is crap and you know it. There isn't even any running water not to mention there's no electricity. I've got to bring in generators to keep our equipment up and running."

"Then take you operation back over the border and see how long that lasts before some gringo comes along and hauls you off to Gitmo. I hear they have some scenic cells with and ocean view."

"And you'd probably be the one to make the call to report us," said Mr. Robinson looking Carlos in the eyes. This sent the Mexican off the deep end.

"Are you accusing me of being a snitch? Are you? The last man who did that they found in the middle of the road with a Colombian necktie. No one calls Carlos a snitch and lives."

Just as things seemed to be degenerating, Mr. Robinson's phone rang. When he checked the caller ID and saw it was the professor. He held up his finger telling Carlos to hold a moment as he started to answer.

"Who do you think you are telling me to wait while you talk on the phone? We're talking here," said Carlos. "I've never been so…" Mr. Robinson pulled out a Desert Eagle from his shoulder holster and in one fluid motion put the barrel in Carlos' mouth before he could react.

"I said one moment. Don't be rude." Carlos quickly waved for his men to stand down. "Thank you. Now Professor you were saying. … They're going to be at this restaurant tonight and you want to do what? … No I don't want you to take any initiative. … You're right an accident could solve a lot of problems. .. I have the perfect person in mind. I'll see to it. … Remember I need that flight information. Go now I'll handle everything," said Mr. Robinson as he hung up. "I'm going to remove my barrel now but before you do something stupid, how would you like to earn that other half a million?" Mr. Robinson put away his pistol after wiping it off on a handkerchief.

"Well I'm listening," said Carlo. "After all we are business men and I'm in the business of making money. So what do you want us to do?"

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Morgan just got off the phone with Alex who informed him that they'd be meeting at the beach for their picnic. He could tell something was up by the way she spoke. She was talking at ninety miles a minute and pausing only to take a breath. He agreed also he wanted to find out what was going on. The only thing he got out of her was that they didn't go to the range. After he hung up he went to his door and yelled for Big Mike.

"Hey Big Mike I need for you to cover the store for me. Alex just called and well we've got this picnic planned on the beach."

"Sure I got you covered but since were talking," said Big Mike. Morgan began to roll his eye this wasn't going to be good. "You know Valentine 's Day is coming up soon and I could use some advice."

"I don't want to hear about anything you're planning to buy for…" Morgan hated to say the word because of the images it would churn up in his head. "Anything you're planning to buy my mother from Victoria's Secret…" But Big Mike cut him off.

"Victoria's Secret? You, no I'd never ask you. Let's face it Morgan you've got more the L.L. Bean look. I bet you wander around the house in a union suit complete with back door."

"I don't… How'd you… my mother," said Morgan trying to come up with a complete sentence. "I have you know I used to be a naturalist. I made the painful sacrifice of wearing pajama's when Sarah moved in with Chuck and me."

"And that's how the tiger got tamed. No I don't want to talk to you about Victoria's Secrets. Skip and Fernando helped me out there. I showed them some selfies we made together and then…"

"Wait a minute did I hear you right? You went and talked to the two dumb and dumber about what kind of negligée to buy for my mother? You even showed them pictures?"

"Naturally, I couldn't show you that wouldn't be right. I mean come on Morgan there's a limit to everything. You sure you don't have an Edgar complex." Well at least Big Mike did have a modicum of decency thought Morgan.

"But wait a minute, a Edgar complex? Oh you mean Oedipus complex. No I don't have an Edgar, I mean Oedipus complex. But you talked to two idiots with illustrations."

"Yes as bizarre as it may sound but they actually had some good advice. Did you know that sometimes you can find similar models at Frederick's at lower prices? Skip buys Fernando's mother clothes there all the time.

"I don't even want to go there," said Morgan as he shook his head.

"I've got a catalog right here," said Big Mike as he pulled it out of his back pocket. I marked the hot items I want to order for you momma. When you have time can you look at it and tell me what you think."

"What did I tell you…" said Morgan as Big Mike cut him off.

"You said you didn't want to see Victoria's Secret and I agree these little numbers are cheaper. Do you think it's because they cover less?' asked Big Mike as he opened the catalog and put it in Morgan's face."

"Why did you do that? How do I get this out of my brain now? Big Mike I'm going to lunch now. I need to stop off and see my analyst first."

"Here take this and let me know," said Big Mike as he rolled the catalog up and put it in his pocket as he went out the door. On Morgan's way out the door he walked past Skip and Fernando. He just shook his head and continued walking. To think Big Mike talked to them was too much.

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They stopped grabbed sandwiches and spent the rest of the day in the park with the girls. Sam had to show Chuck and Sarah the rabbits. One of the workers let Chuck hold one so Sam could pet it and give it something to eat which she loved. While Chuck was holding the rabbit Sarah went with Molly to see the goats where she was obliged to watch Molly feed one that had become her best friend. Finally it got late and they had to leave to make it back to Pasadena on time.

"I wished we could've stayed longer," said Sarah. "I was having a lot of fun with the kids. You know it's times like these I think, is this the life for us?"

"Are you thinking about getting out again? You know that has never worked out for us. Some people are doctors, some lawyers and then there are people like us who are spies."

"I know but sometimes I think it would be nice to be normal and not have the fate of the free world hanging over our heads. I don't know to be like everyone else," she said as she looked down at the ground.

"Sarah, I don't know if you realize this but you've never really been a normal girl and I love you because you're not." She looked back over at him and smiled then kissed him.

"Hold me Chuck, just hold me."