Five:
Her names triggered one of the most powerful 'flashes' he'd experienced yet.
It started out as most did, as a series of innocuous photographs. This time there was a panting golden retriever... a hovering hummingbird... a white gardenia... and then the information began to cascade into his brain.
A birth certificate for a Samantha Lisa Kent... she was a year older than he was. A few stained and faded photographs of a tall, slender man with ever changing looks and a blond hair and blue eyed little girl...
Jenny Burton and her transcripts and grades from several different high schools. Jack Burton's arrest records... There was the paperwork from her recruitment by Langston Graham of the CIA shortly after her senior year...
" Bartowski? " A soft voice was colored with concern.
Sarah Walker and her Harvard GPA... There were reports and commendations from her time on 'The Farm' and at Langley... paramilitary and espionage training scores... Her personal after mission reports and debriefings... medical reports on mission related injuries and a prescription for an oral antibiotics treatment for an anniversary gift from her husband...
Glowing commendations from CIA case officers... a hand signed letter from First Lady Laura Bush thanking one Agent Sarah Walker for exemplary Secret Service duty...
" Chuck? " Full of concern and compassion, the voice prodded at him to respond.
And there were the after mission reports and debriefings for a Mr. and Mrs. Anderson... the record of her brief marriage to fellow CIA agent, Bryce Larkin... there was a faked obituary along with an NSA report from the man who'd killed Larkin, Colonel John Casey...
The intel and information was pervasive and intrusive in it's scope; intimate yet clinical in it's detail. It was the dossier of an outstanding CIA agent. Chuck realized that factually speaking he knew Agent Sarah Walker aka Jenny Burton aka Samantha Lisa Kent better than he knew his own wife...
" Damn it Chuck! How the hell do you know about Sam? Not even Bryce knew my real name... "
" Wow! Sarah Walker! Did you really poison a bunch of French diplomats? " He blinked at just how quickly he found the business end of a 9mm Beretta 92FS parked inches from his nose. " Oh crap! "
The lovely face behind the gun was taut and grim, the blue eyes wary and hostile. And the voice was no longer soft or full of concern and compassion. " How the hell do you know that? "
" Hey! Are you crazy? No guns in the Buy More! " Chuck babbled. After all it was his first time having a real gun pointed at him. " What if a kid came in... "
" Chuck! "
" ...what if Jeff or Lester or Fernando walked in and saw you pointing a gun at my head? "
" Chuck! "
" What! "
" You're babbling... "
" Well I tend to do that when I'm freaking out plus there's the whole moist hands thing! I mean you've got a gun pointed at my... er... nose! " He tried surreptitiously to dry his hands on his pants leg. " So if you'd be so kind as put it away or at least point it in a safer direction I'd... "
" Sorry... " Sarah tucked the Beretta into the back of her jeans. " Do you have it? "
" Have it? If you mean the pictures and intel you and Agent Casey been looking for the past three years or so then yes, I have the Intersect... "
" You know about... "
Chuck tapped the side of his head. " Uh huh... "
Shaking her head, Sarah stumbled over to the mangy couch and sat down. " They weren't diplomats, Chuck. They were French assassins and I got to them before they got to me... "
He frowned at her. " Are you okay? "
Sarah shrugged back. " I really don't know. You tell me that you have the intel of the entire American intelligence community in your head. I didn't know that was even possible and you can access it? "
" Pretty cool huh? " Chuck grinned boyishly at the CIA agent. " It's like having a super power... "
" What? "
The media room door opened and a tall, skinny young man with a huge blond Afro poked his head in. " Are you okay in here Bartowski? "
Chuck nodded. " We're fine Skip, and you can thank Morgan for worrying about me... "
Skip grinned back. " Will do Boss... "
Chuck turned to find that Agent Walker had regained her feet and was pacing nervously through the room. " Now what? "
" I don't know Chuck. We're going to need to inform my bosses. I need to let Casey know that he can shut down the search... " She seemed to be thinking out loud. " Would you consider helping the CIA and NSA? "
" Sure... Like what? Be a superhero or something? A computer on two legs like Data? "
" Be serious Chuck, " Sarah drawled.
" I was being serious, " he protested. " This Intersect thing really is like having a superpower... "
" So I'd be what? The trusty side kick? "
Chuck gazed her her with a dumbfounded expression on his face and his eyes seemed to glaze over. After several long and rather uncomfortable moments of his staring speechlessly at her, Sarah crossed her arms defensively across her chest.
" What? It's cold in here... "
" Huh? " A bright red flush rode up through his neck and face until his ears glowed. " Oh crap! I'm sorry! I just... uh... pictured you in a super-heroine type catsuit and I'm so sorry if I came across like a perv... "
A relieved smile flickered across her face. " You really are a geek aren't you? "
" Ah nerd... we prefer nerd. Y' know the whole Nerd Herd thing... "
" My bad! You really are a nerd aren't you? "
"That's better... " Chuck glanced about. " And you are probably right about the temps in here. Jeff and Lester like to change the air conditioning settings in the store to um... encourage stuff... "
The door swung open again and a young female green shirt sidled in.
" Yeah Bunny? " Chuck asked.
" I ah... I ah... I'm... er... "
" We're good here, thanks, " Chuck said with exaggerated politeness. " And kindly inform Morgan that if I get interrupted one more time... "
" S-s-sure Chuck. " The young lady withdrew after giving Chuck a weak and nervous smile with a slump shouldered shrug.
Sarah looked out through the glass walls to see several pairs of eyes and a Larry Fine haircut peeping over a row of washers and dryers. Chuck turned to see what she was looking at and made huge shooing motions. The green shirts and Nerd Herders scattered.
" So then what? " Chuck asked.
" We set up a protective and security detail who can monitor you, probably out of an apartment or house near you. We'd have rules of engagement set up or created as all of this is going to be new for us too... " Sarah was pacing again.
" I... we will make this as easy and non invasive as possible by changing as few things in your life as I can. If you were single I'd probably have been set up as a cover girlfriend... "
" Yeah right! " Chuck snorted.
Sarah turned cool blue eyes on the Nerd. " What's wrong with that? "
" No one would look at us and ever believe that you could be my girlfriend... "
She gazed at him with genuine curiosity. " Why wouldn't they? "
" I'm married not dead and I can see that you are the most amazingly beautiful woman I've ever seen... So no one would believe... "
" I'm good at my job, Chuck, " Sarah retorted. " We are taught to blend in with our circumstances and I don't always look like this, and I haven't always looked like this. You should've seen me in high school... "
" But I do know you, " Chuck said with another boyish grin as he tapped his head. " I've seen Jenny Burton's senior class year book photo and she looks like some one I'd have grabbed a burger or a pizza with... "
Sarah gave him the full wattage Walker smile. " Extra pickles with the burger and no olives on the pizza... "
Chuck glanced at the wall of television monitors to see a tall, silver haired soldier striding along a hall surrounded by reporters. A split screen showed a group of protesters milling about in front of a local hotel. He 'flashed'... " Oh crap! "
" What is it? " Sarah had seen the strange flicker in his eyes.
" They are going to assassinate General Pugh... "
" Who? "
He pointed towards the screens. " General Pugh is in charge of the military operations in Indonesia. They've been very successful at hitting various Islamic extremist groups. There is a group who've smuggled a suicide bomber into the country. The CIA have been tracking the wanna be bomber and the NSA found the plans for the bomb and something about a Pacific Rim Security Conference... "
" Let's go Chuck... " She raced out of the media room.
Chuck was close on her heels. " Remind me to tell you about a couple emails... "
tbc