A/N: Now the story really gets exciting. ;-)
I would like to thank all of the authors and editors that helped me construct this, in my opinion, wonderful piece of fan fiction. I know that I speak for all of them when I say that we would LOVE it if you would review. :)
Enjoy reading! I know I did.
Carina stopped outside Chuck's door with her hand hovering over the door knob. She could hear the unmistakable sounds of a heavy make-out session on the other side.
Oh, this should be fun, she thought, as her mouth twisted into an evil smile. She yanked the door open and barged in at full speed.
"What is going on here?" the highly amused redhead yelled in her best evil Beckman impersonation.
The bed's occupants were so deep into kissing that Agent Walker had vanished and the real girl that had been released, thanks to Chuck, got one hell of a shock, and jumped high in the air off of Chuck and landed on the floor. Chuck could only stare at the tall-skinny-super-model-agent with a wide open mouth.
A second later the real girl inside Sarah had been reluctantly locked away and Agent Walker was back and had jumped to her feet, holding a throwing knife ready for attack.
"What? Is that how you welcome an old friend?" Carina said with a now warmer smile.
"Says the person who welcomes her friends with a ninja duel," began Sarah sarcastically, before relaxing and putting the knife away. "Carina, what are you doing here?"
Chuck was still lying in bed with his mouth open wide enough for a small family of birds to nest in.
"General Beckman hasn't told you? I am brainy-boy's new handler!" Carina now had the evil smile back in full effect.
Chuck and Sarah seemed to both share a simultaneous heart attack.
"New...handler?" asked Chuck in disbelief.
"Beckman seems to think you need more protection, so we'll be working together on a temporary basis to see how the team functions," answered Carina.
"Wait, why weren't either Casey or I informed of this?" asked Sarah. She was struggling to fathom what was going on. The last time Beckman had brought in a new team member one of the existing members would have been replaced, if not for a fortunate sequence of events. It was a period of time both Chuck and Sarah had largely tried to repress, although Sarah still harbored a strong desire to obliterate Agent Forrest.
"She wanted me to surprise you; see how you well you two are doing your jobs as handlers. Not a good start, Walker. Nice technique though, Chucky."
Both Chuck and Sarah's hearts collectively fell at this comment from Carina, the comment about Chuck's make-out technique notwithstanding. Surely Sarah wouldn't be reassigned now? Not after all they'd been through?
"We're just protecting our cover," Sarah said, switching into professional spy mode, though even as she said it she knew how weak it sounded.
"You mean you two haven't slept together yet?" Carina asked in disbelief. "You guys are pathetic. I was sure you two had done it by now. Hell, I even had money on it with Casey. Thanks for costing me that by the way. What's wrong, Walker? Chuck isn't big enough for you?"
"Hey!" Chuck protested. "I am plenty b--"
"Chuck," Sarah said, the look on her face telling him to be quiet, "don't. Carina, we're just a cover. That's it."
"Well, that certainly ruins the fun, but nice work on shoring up your cover." Carina said, the disbelief in her tone evident. "And here I thought you two would fall for my little trick."
"Trick?" Sarah cocked her head.
"Do you really think that Beckman would send me to watch over you guys?" Carina laughed. "She knows as well as everyone else that if I were assigned onto the team I would have slept with all of you in a matter of days. I'm just here because I need your help."
"Let me guess," Chuck said. "You want us to steal a diamond?"
"No," Carina said, winking at Chuck, "but maybe later. I like the geek's thinking. The mission is...."
Carina trailed off. She could not believe she was asking a nerd for help. Sarah she could handle, but Chuck was obviously well below her league, even if he was an "analyst" who needed full time protection from two deep cover agents. It couldn't be helped though. It would probably be better to get on with it.
"Look," Carina continued, "I wouldn't ask for help unless I needed it. Sarah, you know that. So, the mission, I need to seduce Arthur McDowell. A hotshot CEO of a company that is a front for a major drug corporation."
"You need help with seduction?" Sarah asked with a smirk.
"What does the company do?" asked Chuck cut in.
"I'll get to the seduction thing in a minute, Sarah," Carina said through gritted teeth, annoyed that she needed to ask Sarah for help in what was essentially her specialty skill. She had always been competitive. "But, yes, I need help. This is a very special situation. To answer the second question, I am not sure. They wouldn't tell me. Something to do with Global Positioning Systems?"
Chuck flashed. Sarah was able to tell that he was, in fact, flashing. She had worked with him long enough. But Carina didn't and that led to her saying...
"Hey, Sarah, I think your boy toy has gas."
Chuck came out of the flash then. Instead of retorting to Carina's comment, he whispered in Sarah's ear, "I need to talk with you. Privately."
Sarah understood. She also knew that getting Carina out of the room was not going to happen. So she politely excused both herself and Chuck from the room. Of course, Carina argued, as Sarah knew she would, but eventually the two were able to leave.
Once out in the hallway, Chuck started talking.
"Sarah, this Arthur guy is super dangerous," Chuck said, obvious worry in his tone. "Whatever the mission is, it isn't going to be easy."
"Okay, nothing we haven't dealt with before," Sarah said, trying to calm him. "But, Chuck, what did you see?"
"I'm not sure," Chuck answered. "I couldn't make it out. All I know is that the guy is dangerous and we need to be careful."
"I don't like the sound of that," Sarah said, her face grim. "Usually your flashes give us an upper hand, or at least some more information about the target. Now we're walking blindly into what could very well be a trap, and I know for a fact you aren't going to stay in the car. I don't want to risk you getting hurt."
"There's one other thing I need to tell you," Chuck said.
"What?" asked Sarah.
"Carina's Fulcrum."