Chapter 3
Outside of Salton, CA
At a no-named gas station off the beaten path, Chuck and Sarah were refueling and grabbing any other necessities that they didn't already have. They had been on the road for about three hours, before the fuel light had gone off on their new ride. It was nearly dark, Sarah believed that it was best they turn in early as they government would likely be looking for them to travel at night to avoid pursuit. Sarah was smarter than that, however, as she knew all the tricks in the CIA handbook. They had done only two things on Sarah's list, which she wanted them to do. First, get out of LA and second, find a new car. Although this new car was almost as hot as her original had been.
Any one person that saw them was a potential threat to their safety, the owners of the Charger had most likely reported it stolen and given the police her and Chuck's descriptions. Sarah spotted a security camera nosily watching the single pump. Now the gas station attendant most likely had them on camera, so it wouldn't be too long before someone would be back on their trail. "Chuck stay in the car, I'm going to pay and grab a few more essentials."
Upon entry, Sarah noticed the attendant wasn't paying attention to them his had his eyes glued to the TV, an Oakland A's game was on and the man was making sure he didn't miss a second of it. She grabbed a liter of water and two bottle of hair color, one blonde, one brunette. She would wonder why a gas station would carry such things another time, for now, she counted her blessings. As she went to pay, she made sure that she gathered up all her feminine charms to lull the attendant into a trusting mood. "How's it going," Sarah said in her best flirty voice.
The attendant had turned his attention from the A's baseball game and turned toward Sarah, his jaw visibly dropping. "Been…good," he stammered. "Got fuel too?" He continued, trying to find his composure.
"Course, do you get many thieves out here in the boonies?" Sarah asked, looking past the clerk and to the monitor broadcasting the pump she had just left.
"Nah, the boss wanted them installed just in case, but we don't get nothing but honest forks around here. There only on when he's here to give him peace of mind. Is it going to be cash or charge?"
Sarah handed him a hundred dollar bill, "Keep the change, and don't work too hard." She hoped that her flirting and extra pocket change would help the man forget that he ever saw them.
She got back into the Charger and handed the bag to Chuck. "We need to find a motel in about an hour or so, keep your eyes peeled."
"Sure thing," Chuck said with a heavy breath.
They found a semi-secluded motel, another 50 miles down from where they left the clerk. It was about as strategically pleasing as they were going to find on such short notice. With a forest to the east and the Salton Sea to their west, they only had two directions that their pursuers were most likely to come from. They hid the vehicle best they could, toward the back, by the tree line. Sarah made her way to the office, having Chuck stay outside to be the lookout, yelling if he spotting anything resembling danger.
"Will do. I'll make sure to let out my most girlish shriek, so you know when to come running."
Sarah gave him a smile, "Good boy." He was finally coming back to his senses.
"I'm going to ignore that dog reference."
Inside she found a creepy receptionist. Like the attendant he was fixed to the boob tube, only he was watching something far less family friendly. Beside him were the room costs. A single room was $40 and a double was $60. She rang the bell to get his attention. He pulled it out of her reach, once it had gone off. He turned ever so slightly toward her. "Need a room?" his eyes still tightly secured to the TV.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble?" She said, once again in her best flirty voice.
His eyes met hers, "You all alone, sweetie?"
She gave the bubbly response of "Uh, yeah." She thought that she almost got a free room, until the man noticed Chuck outside the door.
"That your boyfriend?" His eyes watching Chuck.
"Ew…no, that's my brother. Can I have a double?"
"I'm book on my doubles, but I can give you a deal on a single, since you're a sweet thing. How does twenty bucks sound?"
"Great, thank you so much."
He handed her a key, "It's the just on the other side of the office, we will be sharing a wall."
Sarah mustered as much excitement as she could, which only came in the form of a smile as she headed for the exit.
Chuck was amazed what an attractive blonde could do with just her looks. Although once they entered the motel room, he thought differently. The smell alone was almost enough to make Chuck run for the hills. The place was a sty. Sarah however entered without a word; after all, it was shelter.
"They only had a single. So Chuck, take the bed, I will need to stay up and watch for visitors in the night."
"And then you will be tired all day, not much of a plan now is it." Chuck replied.
Sarah sighed, and opened her mouth to rebut. Closing almost as quickly, he had a valid point, She thought to herself. There was no way she was going to stay focused on protecting him with no sleep.
Chuck eyed the bed and gave a shudder. He didn't want to think about what happened in it since it had been washed, if it had ever been.
Sarah pulled the cover off the bed. She seemed to be thinking the same thing Chuck had been. "Looks like you and are going to be sleeping in here tonight." Sarah said, eying the bed.
Chuck turned a bit pink, at the comment. He knew what Sarah meant, but he still couldn't shake the idea of Sarah and himself sleeping in the same bed. "I...I think I'll sleep out in the car."
"Chuck, don't be ridiculous, this is perfectly safe. Besides I can't protect you in the car." Sarah replied in a soft spoken voice.
"I guess," Chuck said nervously.
"We need to decide whether or not we want to head into Mexico yet, or just say in the US. They are must likely going to be checking for us at the border, so we will most likely have to hoof it. This, of course, means that we could potentially be shot at again."
"Decisions, decisions. I'll do whatever you think is best. This really isn't my forte, as you already know. I don't really feel like getting shot again though."
"I am going to take a shower, you stay put. We don't have to make a decision until the morning."
"You can't protect me from there either, you know." Chuck joked.
Sarah rolled her eyes and entered the bathroom, carrying a box of supplies in her hand.
Washington D.C.
It was finally time, the new intersect was ready to be uploaded. General Beckman still looked a bit annoyed, the old intersect had still not been captured. She had a long list of candidates she wished to pick for the new intersect. The top of the list being Agent Larkin, he would have to wait, however. He was of use elsewhere at the moment. But she needed some she trusted with the task of destroying the old intersect before it fell into enemy hands. She wouldn't let that nerd use its abilities against her.
The second agent on her list was a man by the name of Daniel Shaw. He was a good agent with a sad past. She had ordered another agent to assassinate his wife, assuming she was part of the group known only as The Ring. It was a mistake, one that she would admit to, that is to anyone who wasn't Shaw. He had no knowledge of this indiscretion, and it made him a stronger agent because of it. In the back of her mind however, she hoped he would never know the truth, knowing that it would turn one of her best agents into a rouge operative, as many have been doing in the last few hours.
Daniel Shaw was one of the good guys. He had caused enough to others since his start with the CIA. He would make it his mission to takeout everyone who was involved with his late wife's death. After the phone call with Beckman, he knew that he could finally make some headway with this new tech, called the Intersect. But to anyone else he would say that is was time to give back to his government, which had given him so much already.
He was placed into the intersect room, a small room with several white panels, that covered all sides. The only thing of note inside the room was a computer, which looked like it had been around since the early 80's. He stood before it and waited for it to connect.
The machine before him hummed to life, a download bar began to run on the screen. Images began to flicker around him, as the download bar reached 100%. A flood of images and data surrounded him on the once white panels. Those same images enveloped agent Shaw's mind, making him dizzy, and his legs rubber. He maintained his composure as the sequence of images ended. He was ready, he was the Intersect.
Just outside of Bombay Beach
When Sarah Walker emerged from the bathroom, after what seemed like forever. Chuck had to give her a second glance, her hair was now short and brown instead of long and blonde.
"Sarah, what did you do?"
"I cut my hair, and then dyed it, obviously."
"But..."
"Chuck, we need to change our appearance, and this is me changing mine. I have one for you as well," she pulled out a box with a blonde woman on the box.
"I don't want to look like Awesome."
Sarah chuckled, "Don't worry Chuck, I promise you will not look like him. You don't have his muscles."
"Ouch, Thanks. Can we wait until morning to do that?"
"I suppose. Barring any unwelcomed company."
Chuck climbed into bed and realized that he didn't know what to do with his hands, he finally decided to place them under his rump, they would be numb, but at least he could trust them that way. Sarah had climbed into bed with him, unwise to the dirty thoughts that traveled through his head. They were alone together, they were on the run, and what could it hurt. She's protecting me, what if something happens and she is too emotionally involved with me to deal with it. She may want to, and I know I do, so what would be the harm. Chuck edged a bit closer to Sarah.
"Goodnight, Chuck."
"Sorry, just getting situated," he lied.
"We do need to get an early start on tomorrow, just in case Casey or some other government stooge is still on our trail."
"Goodnight then." Chuck turned off his light on his side of the bed.
Sarah Walker's heart sank. She was able to finally be with the man that she had fallen for, and she pushed him away, because of her spy training. She didn't really believe that anyone was close enough to be trailing them this closely. Maybe Casey, if he hadn't shot himself.
Sarah closed her eyes and dreamed of a wonderful day, a day where she and Chuck could be free to live together, free to love each other. It, unfortunately, was only a dream.
