Still don't own Chuck or Burn Notice
Thanks again for the reviews. Keep them coming.
Chuckfan132 suggested, for those of you who have not watched Burn Notice, that I include a brief summary of that show so those folks can know what's going on. My plan was to include enough information in the story, but just in case, Chuckfan132's suggestion has been taken to heart. Burn Notice began in June, 2007. The lead character is Michael Westen. He is a spy, but does not work for the CSA or the NSA. More of a freelancer. In the pilot, he is negotiating a deal and when he makes a call to transfer the cash, he is told "We got a burn notice on you. You're blacklisted." He explains (in voiceover) that when a spy is fired, he does not get a letter from HR; they don't want to kill him but they don't want him using his skills for the opposition. So they freeze his bank accounts and credit and drop him in a city where he has to stay or be subject to arrest. Michael Westen is an honorable man and his burn notice is the result of a mysterious cabal that wants to use him for a future job. The overarching arc of the series is him trying to find out who issued his burn notice and get it lifted. In the meantime, he is stuck in Miami (his hometown) and has to put up with his demanding mother. In between trying to find out about his burn notice, he helps people using his spy skills (kind of like The Equalizer, if any of you remember that show.) He is assisted by his ex-girlfriend, Fiona Glenanne, an ex-bank robber and gun-runner for the IRA (and the source of the series UST with Michael) and Michael's old friend Sam Axe, a former Navy Seal and spy who has retired to Miami and makes his "living" by seducing rich widows who give him cars, cash, etc. for his "favors." In the beginning of the series, Sam spied on Michael for the FBI because the government froze his pension. Michael also has a ne'er do well brother, Nate who also lives in Miami. A fun spy series. A little darker than Chuck in that Michael is not afraid to get bad guys killed to help the "little guy" or to do some rather shady things, but he seems compelled to help those in need when there is no one else to help them.
Now, on with our story.
CHUCK VERSUS THE BURN NOTICE
CHAPTER 3
His Name is Michael Westen – He Used to Be a Spy
Wednesday morning, Sarah was actually the first one up. She eased out of bed so as not to wake Chuck and went into the kitchen to start the coffee. She opened the refrigerator and considered starting breakfast, but the only breakfast she knew how to make was country sausage with syrup wrapped in pancake on a stick. She was contemplating trying to scramble some eggs when the other bedroom door opened and Ellie and Captain Awesome came strolling out. Devon, of course, was in his jogging shorts and a muscle shirt. Ellie was in a bathrobe.
"Mornin', Sarah," Devon said in his perpetually cheerful voice. "Sure you don't want to join me for a run?" Considering she hadn't had her coffee yet, Sarah briefly considered hurling one of the butter knives at him, but decided it would be too messy.
"No, thank you, Devon. I'm good."
"Then I'll see you ladies in about six point two miles," Devon said. "Just a warm-up run this morning."
"Have fun sweetie," Ellie said and gave the Captain a kiss.
"Good morning, Sarah. Thanks for making the coffee."
"Sure," Sarah said. "I was thinking about starting breakfast, but you've eaten my cooking at the Wienerlicious." Just saying the name of her old cover job gave Sarah a shudder.
"No problem. I'll show you how to make French toast with strawberries. It's one of Chuck's favorites."
Ellie was a patient teacher, and the French toast came out pretty well. Ellie seemed delighted to be teaching Sarah how to cook and, to her surprise, Sarah actually enjoyed learning how from Ellie.
The bedroom door opened and a yawning Chuck, his hair making those adorable animal shapes, came out. "Do I smell French toast?"
"Sarah made it," Ellie announced proudly.
When Chuck's expression changed from excited to dubious, Sarah threw the dish towel at him. "Ellie helped me, so quit making faces, mister," she said.
"I… I'm sure it's delicious," Chuck said.
"Of course it is," Ellie said. "It's made with love." Both Sarah and Chuck blushed at that comment.
"I'll, um, set the table," Chuck said quickly.
Just as the table was set and the food was being put on the table, the front door opened and Devon came in. "Whoa, French toast! Awesome."
"How does he do that?" Chuck asked.
"What?" Ellie asked.
"Come in just as breakfast is ready."
"Food radar, my man," Devon said. "I can smell Ellie's French toast three miles away.
"Actually, Sarah made it this morning," Ellie said proudly.
"Sarah did," Devon said slowly.
"Ellie helped," Devon said.
"Well then, let's eat. I'm starved," Devon said. Sarah gave him a dirty look which Devon wisely pretended not to see.
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After breakfast, Devon was off to go parasailing, while Ellie and Sarah went to their appointment at the salon. Chuck said that he was going to go down to the tackle shop and pick up Big Mike's Reelco Spinner. "After all," Chuck said, "Ferengi Rule of Acquisition Number 33: It never hurts to suck up to the boss."
Sarah gave him a peck on the cheek as she left and whispered in his ear, "Make sure you take Casey with you or he'll handcuff you to the bed."
"I thought that was his and Carina's shtick," Chuck whispered back, causing Sarah to chuckle.
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Sarah enjoyed the day at the spa much more than she thought she would. While Sarah had often stayed in elegant hotels as part of her cover, and attended lavish parties, she had never had a day of pampering all of her own.
Ellie gushed about how they would have to do it again the day before the wedding. Sarah managed to deflect most of Ellie's personal questions, especially the not-so-subtle hints about Chuck and Sarah's future.
They got back to the room just before five. Chuck was the couch playing on his PSP and Devon was watching a ballgame on television. Devon jumped to his feet when the two walked in. "On your feet, soldier," he said, prodding Chuck. "Two luscious babes at twelve o'clock."
Ellie smiled broadly and went over to throw her arms around Devon's neck and give him a sloppy kiss. Chuck was standing open-mouthed, just staring at Sarah.
"You… you look great," he stammered. Sarah came over and gave him a kiss. To maintain their cover, she told herself.
"I was telling the Chuckster the bad news," Devon said when his kiss from Ellie finally ended. "I ran into Paul and Rachel Rubens, Mom and Dad's doctor friends who have the condo two floors down. They insisted on us joining them for dinner." He turned to Sarah. "Don't worry, I told them you and Chuck had other plans. No sense inflicting you with Paul and Rachel."
"Oh, honey," Ellie whined. "Do we have to?"
"I'm afraid so, hon," Devon replied. "Mom and Dad told them we were coming and made them promise to take us out, so we might as well get it over with. Sorry."
"Well," Ellie said. "At least you two can go have fun. You probably didn't want to spend all your time with us anyway. You two need some time alone this vacation."
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When Ellie and Devon trudged out to their dinner date with the Rubens, Chuck was sitting on one end of the couch with Sarah at the other end, her feet resting in Chuck's lap. Chuck was admiring Sarah's pedicure and threatening to tickle her feet. Sarah was giggling when Ellie and Devon came out of their bedroom.
"Oh, aren't they cute?" She said Devon. "What are you two going to do tonight?"
"I saw a great looking seafood place on the way to the tackle shop," Chuck said. He turned to Sarah, "I was just about to ask you if you wanted to try it."
"Um, sure," Sarah said.
"Well, have fun," Ellie said. Then giving Devon a glance she said, "I know we won't."
After they were gone, Sarah said, "You know, Chuck, we don't have to go anywhere. It's not like we have to maintain our cover if Ellie and Awesome aren't around."
"Come on, Sarah," Chuck whined. "We're on vacation. Let's go out and have a little fun." When she looked dubious, he quickly added. "We can even ask Casey to come along, if that would make you feel better."
"Oh yeah," Sarah said. "Because he's Mister Fun."
They both had a laugh at that.
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After changing, they called Casey to let them know that they were going out to a restaurant. He told them to give him five minutes to get set up at the restaurant and then they could go.
The restaurant had open air tables out front and some other tables inside. Unfortunately, all the open air tables were filled when they arrived, so they ended up at a table inside.
As they looked over the menu, Chuck asked, "Did you and Ellie have a good time today."
"Yes," Sarah answered. "Although she seems pretty anxious to know what my intentions are toward you."
Chuck looked up at her and smiled that grin that made her toes tingle. "And just what are your intentions toward me, Miss Walker?" he asked.
She smiled back and was just about to answer when Chuck's eyes went wide. "What is it?" she asked.
"Bad guy at your six," he said.
Sarah casually turned around to see Michael Westen coming out of the bathroom. There was a scraping sound as Casey, sitting in the back of the restaurant, pushed out his chair and got to his feet. Westen turned, saw Casey stand, and immediately darted out the front door.
"Stay here," Sarah commanded and took off after Westen.
"Stay," Casey commanded as he passed by the table."
Chuck turned to watch them run out. Just as Casey cleared the corner, a man and a woman ran past the front of the restaurant, following Casey. Chuck had a rare double flash.
The woman was Fiona Glenanne, a former IRA bank robber and gun-runner and a known associate (i.e., former girlfriend) of one Michael Westen. The man, slightly older and a step slower than Fiona Glenanne, was Sam Axe, a former Navy Seal and Military Intelligence operative, also a known associate of Michael Westen. "Stay, Chuck," Chuck told himself. "Sarah and Casey both told you to stay. They can… Oh hell."
He jumped to his feet and ran out the restaurant and after Fiona and Sam.
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Michael Westen was fast, but Sarah was just as fast. He ran down the street, dodging pedestrians and darting around corners, trying to lose his pursuer. At one corner, one of his two pursuers cut down a side street – evidently in an attempt to cut him off.
Unfortunately, Michael turned down a blind alley – a dead end. Coming up against the stucco wall at the end of the alley, he stopped, put his hands on his head, and slowly turned around.
His eyes went wide when he saw the beautiful blonde with the gun pointed at his head. "Amanda?" he asked. "Amanda Carstairs?"
"Hello, Michael," she said, a little out of breath. "Why are you following us?"
"Following you?" he said incredulously. "Why would I be following you? I haven't seen you since Sarajevo." He paused, realization dawning on his face. "Wait a minute. You're the one who ruined my operation last night. You saw me and called in the DEA."
Sarah was about to answer when she heard a gun cock just behind her head. "Put the gun down, sweetie, and no one has to get hurt. Well, too badly anyway." Michael smiled over Sarah's shoulder at Fiona. "You two know each other?" she asked as Sarah slowly put her gun on the ground.
"Fi, behind you," Michael started to shout when John Casey came barreling around the corner, his gun held at Fiona's head.
"Drop it," Casey demanded. "Federal agent. Up against the wall. Both of you."
"Damn," Michael said, turning around to face the wall. Fiona dropper her weapon and was just raising her hands and Sarah lowering hers when another voice rang through the alley. The speaker was out of breath, but he gasped out, "No. Put your hands up."
It was Casey's turn to mutter "Damn" when yet another voice rag through the alley. "No," it said in the unmistakable commanding tone of Agent Charles Carmichael. "I think you better put your hands up."
In the confusion, Fiona whirled and slammed a fist into Sarah's jaw. Sarah, stunned for a moment, recovered quickly and whirled in a roundhouse kick that caught Fiona squarely on the side of the head. Fiona staggered back, then jabbed at Sarah with her left. Sarah blocked it, but Fiona followed with a quick right that caught Sarah in the stomach. Sarah swept Fiona's leg and she went down, but not before tangling Sarah's leg with her own, causing Sarah to fall as well. Sarah jabbed an elbow quickly into Fiona's stomach, followed by a jab to the head which Fiona dodged, then swung for Sarah's throat. Sarah blocked the thrust and was just about to bring the side of her hand up into Fiona's nose when a loud 'bang; caused them both to stop and look up.
Sam Axe had his gun raised over his head, smoke rising lazily out of the barrel. "You know," he drawled. "As much as I like some good girl on girl action, it's not the same without mud or jello."
Casey looked over at Sam and gave grunt number forty-two (I wish I'd have thought of that." He had his gun trained on Michael, but he kept glancing over at Sam. Chuck was standing next to Sam, his mouth agape.
Sam lowered his gun and nodded his head toward Casey. "Michael, I'd like you to meet John Casey, NSA, and old friend of mine. Casey, Michael Westen, another old friend. Oh, and the one on the ground is Fiona Glenanne. She's a friend of Michael's."
Sarah picked up her gun and trained it on Fiona. "Damn," Fiona said. "It was just gettin' interesting."
Sarah glared at Fiona, then walked over to Chuck and hissed quietly at him," I thought I told you to stay put."
Sam glanced down the alleyway where a small crowd was starting to gather. "Can I suggest we take this somewhere more private?"
"Take what?" Sarah asked. "We're taking you in."
"Walker, wait," Casey said unexpectedly.
"What?" she asked.
"Sam Axe is an old friend. He saved my life… twice. Let's hear what he has to say."
"You're kidding, right?" Sarah asked.
Casey's face took on a look of intense concentration and he managed to spit out one of the hardest words in his vocabulary. "Please?" he managed through gritted teeth.
"Guys, we're kind of attracting attention," Chuck warned.
"Fine," Sarah said. "But only if they," she jerked her head toward Michael and Fiona, "surrender their weapons."
Fiona smiled, a predatory smile. "Fine," she said, picking up her gun by the barrel and holding it toward Chuck. "But only if he holds them."
"He's got an honest face," she explained to Michael, who slowly drew his gun and handed it, butt first, to Chuck. Chuck handled the weapons as if they would go off at any moment, causing Fiona to grin. Sarah stopped and took the weapons long enough from Chuck to check the safeties, then handed them back.
"Be careful," she hissed.
"Well I didn't…" Chuck started to protest, but Sarah simply turned and walked away.
**************************************
Sam Axe led the way down the alley, flashing open his wallet as if it were a badge. "Police business," he said. "Nothing to see here, folks. Move it along."
The crowd disbursed and Sam turned to the little band behind him in the alley. "I know this little bar around the corner. Plenty of privacy." He turned to Casey and grinned. "And since Casey's no doubt on an expense account, he's buying."
Casey merely growled in response. Fiona hooked her arm in Michael's and followed Sam out of the alley. Casey and Sarah followed close behind, and Chuck sheepishly brought up the rear.
Sam led them three blocks down to a small bar. He stopped and motioned for the rest to enter. Casey stopped next to him and looked down at the older man. "Swear to me Sam. This is all on the up and up."
Sam held his hand over his heart. His voice lost its usual joking lilt. "On my honor, John."
They filed in and took a large table in the back. Michael, Fiona and Sam took one side of the table; Sarah, Casey and Chuck took the other. Michael looked calm; Fiona and Sarah looked pissed; Sam was smiling; Casey was frowning (but then when wasn't he); and Chuck looked scared to death.
"All right," Casey said. "Somebody start talking."
Sam took the lead. "John Casey, this is Michael Westen and Fiona Glenanne. And these are?" He looked expectantly at Sarah and Chuck.
"Amanda Carstairs," Michael said, looking directly at Sarah. "She and I did an op together in Sarajevo in 2005."
"It's Sarah Walker," Sarah said, holding Michael's gaze. There was a long pause while they seemed to be sizing each other up.
Finally Chuck broke the silence. "Carmichael," he said. "Charles Carmichael."
"Well," Casey growled, "Now that we're all nice and cozy how about you tell me what the hell is going on."
"Why are you following us?" Sarah asked Michael.
"Following you?" Michael asked. "You're the one's following me. Or wasn't it you who called the DEA to have my meeting busted up last night."
"What meeting?" Casey asked.
"I was meeting with… a potential business associate," Michael said.
"That's it. I've heard enough," Casey said, starting to stand. "I'm taking you all in."
"Wait," Michael said. He looked over at Sam, who nodded.
"Look. The truth," he said. "I was meeting with Enrique Obregon. He's a minor drug runner and dealer here in Miami." He gave a sigh as if reluctant to go on, but Sam gave him another nod.
"Six days ago, my brother Nate came to me with a problem. He was dating this girl, Emily Harrington. Emily has a sister, Rachel. Rachel's nineteen and Rachel met a guy at a club. He was charming, he flashed a lot of money, and he was very nice to Rachel. After they went out a few times, he asked Rachel if she had a passport. When she said yes, he asked her to do him a favor. He needed her to pick up a package for him out of the country."
"A mule," Casey said with disgust.
"Right," Michael said.
"What's a mule?" Chuck asked.
"A mule is someone who smuggles a small amount of drugs into the country," Sarah explained.
"Right," Michael said again. "The guy was Obregon. Rachel tried to say 'no,' but he threatened her and her family. So he made her swallow a balloon of heroin to smuggle it in." Chuck turned pale.
"After she did it once, Obregon told her she'd have to keep doing it or the police would find out and she'd be arrested. Then last week, Rachel disappeared. Emily and Nate staked out the airport and saw her come in on a flight, but they lost her after she left the airport."
"This Obregon is a real scumbag," Sam cut in. "My friends downtown tell me they think he might have eight to ten young girls that he uses as mules. He's got them locked up, but no one can figure out where. One of his mules is in jail, but she's too scared to testify against Obregon. Two more died when the balloon of heroin he made them swallow burst before they could pass it."
Chuck now started breathing hard to try to keep his lunch from coming back up.
"So what did they expect you to do?" Casey asked.
"Since I got to Miami, I've developed a reputation for… helping people. I promised Nate and Emily that I would find Rachel and the other girls and set them free, and make sure that Obregon didn't bother them anymore." His face became hard and he looked over at Sarah. "I had almost convinced him that I was a drug runner and I could move ten to twenty times the product he was moving with his mules with little to no risk to him, so I could get on the inside. We were having a meeting last night to finalize an arrangement when your DEA friends busted through the door. Obregon made it out the back. I was taken in, but they had nothing to hold me on and had to let me go."
"And so you lovely people have blown a perfectly good op and endangered the lives of those poor girls," Fiona added for good measure.
"Why didn't Nate and Emily go to the police?" Sarah asked.
"Come on Amanda… I mean Sarah. You know how the DEA works. They'd bring Obregon in for questioning and while he was locked up his associates would kill the girls to erase the evidence."
"And you think you can get the girls out?" Sarah asked.
"I thought so," Michael said, "until the whole operation was botched by that raid. Now there's no way Obregon is going to trust me. We're going to have to find a new angle."
"What if we helped?" Chuck asked.
Sarah and Casey both turned toward him and said simultaneously, "What?"
Sarah grabbed Chuck's arm and pulled him away from the table, followed closely by Casey. "What the hell are you doing, Chuck?" she hissed.
"Sarah," Chuck said. "It's my fault. If I hadn't flashed on Westen and Obregon, then Beckman wouldn't have called the DEA and Michael there could have gotten those girls out. We have to help him."
"No, we don't," Sarah said. "You are too valuable an asset to risk on something like this. Beckman would never approve. Besides, Michael Westen has been burned. Casey and I could get in serious trouble just for talking to him, let alone helping him."
Sarah turned to Casey for confirmation, but Casey was looking at Sam Axe.
"Give me a minute," he said. He stepped over to the side and motioned Sam over to him.
"Sam," Casey said. "Give it to me straight. Is this Westen character on the up and up?"
"On my honor as a Seal, Casey. Since he's gotten here, he's helped a lot of people."
"What about his burn notice? I glanced at the file. It ain't pretty."
Sam turned his back to Michael so Michael couldn't see what Sam was telling Casey. "Mikey's no rogue," Sam said. "The burn notice was a setup. He'd kill me if he knew I was telling you this, but some really bad people engineered the burn notice so they could get Mikey to do some nasty stuff. They've tried to get him to dance to their tune, but he's trying to figure out who they are and what they want so he can get the burn notice lifted. He's had some success, but he's got a ways to go."
"And the girls?" Casey asked.
"Look, buddy," Sam said. "You know I wouldn't lie to you about that. Not about something like that. Not with your… with our history. Look. You don't have to help. But at least turn away and let me, and Fiona and Michael help these girls."
To Sarah's surprise, instead of coming back to her and Chuck, Casey stepped over to the table and sat down. "Count me in," he said.
Sarah grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from the table. "What the hell are you doing, Casey? He's a rogue! He's probably been recruited by Fulcrum by now. I don't care what you think about this Sam Axe, he made not be the same guy who saved your life. Aren't the one that told me that twenty years in the business had taught you that people let you down in the end?"
"Look," Casey said. "No one's asking you to go along. But I have to do this."
"Dammit, Casey," Sarah said. "You still don't get it. You're my partner. If you're in… I have to be in, too."
Casey looked down at Sarah. He'd never admit it, but she was the best partner he's ever had. "Beckman will have our heads," he said.
"One more thing to add to the list," Sarah replied. "What about Chuck?"
"If he promises to stay in the car, the nerd just might be useful," he said. "Tell him I said that and I take a piece out of your hide."
"As if," Sarah smiled.
"Which?" Casey asked. "Chuck staying in the car or me taking a piece out of your hide?"
"Both," Sarah replied.
Sarah and Casey walked back over to the table. Chuck followed them. All three sat down. "We're all in," Sarah said. She looked over at Chuck. He was beaming.
"On one condition," Sarah said. "I have to bring in a friend from the DEA to assist."
Casey looked over at her and started shaking his head. "No. Not her."
"It's the only way I don't go to Beckman and blow the whistle, Casey. I want someone with DEA experience on this operation or it's no go."
"Not her," Casey moaned weakly.
"What's the matter, Casey," Sarah teased. "Did you leave the clover boxers at home?"
Chuck got a deer in the headlights look on his face as well. "You're not," he said.
"Yes," Sarah said. "We bring in Carina or its 'no go.' As long as she gets credit for the bust, she'll go along."
"Who's Carina?" Michael asked.
"Just shoot me now," Casey moaned.
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Come on. With a drug dealer in the story you knew I had to bring in Carina, didn't you?