Part 3

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" exclaimed Chuck as Casey dragged him off stage by the ear.

"You think this is all a big game, don't you Chuck?" Casey growled furiously.

"Oh lighten up Casey," Sarah interjected, "Chuck played his role perfectly." She glanced up, scanning the crowd of performers. Realising it would not be wise to discuss their plans in all the backstage madness, she gestured to Casey and Chuck to follow her to an undisturbed area side-stage. "Now," she whispered, "so far we've only been able to locate one of the criminal agents we're after, and I'm going to be performing with her soon. Casey, you stay backstage. Chuck, you have no more than five minutes to wander around and see if you flash on anything. If you don't, I want you to go wait in the car."

"Why do I always have to wait in the car?" Chuck groaned. "Can't I at least go sit in the audience or something?"

"No!" Sarah and Casey said simultaneously.

Hearing her cue, Sarah made her way out to perform. She walked with such poise and elegance, just like a circus gymnast. She greeted the audience and her fellow performers with a broad smile. Chuck peaked his head out from behind the side-stage curtain, watching Sarah in awe. As much as he longed to stay and watch her performance, and make sure this Julia Banderones didn't attempt to harm her, he knew he had an important task to complete. Discreetly, he slipped backstage, trying to blend in with the busy crowd. Everyone seemed distracted, and no one appeared suspicious in any way. Yoo hoo! Fulcrum agents! Come out come out wherever you are….

oOo

"Ladies and gentlemen! Our remarkable, sensational, spectacular mistresses of acrobatics will now attempt to conquer the trapeze!" the ringmaster announced boldly. Sarah stood high above the ground on a small platform, right beside Julia Banderones.

"Have you ever done the trapeze before Miss Walker?" Julia whispered menacingly.

"How did you know my name?" Sarah replied confidently, trying to hide the fact that Julia had caught her off guard.

Julia reached into the side of her spangled leotard, revealing her gun. "There are a lot of things Fulcrum knows about the CIA, Miss Walker," she spoke with a hint of a laugh in her voice, and a sardonic smile spreading across her face.

Sarah reached into the side of her leotard also, revealing her gun and proving she was equally as armed. "Well, the CIA knows a fair bit about Fulcrum too."

oOo

Chuck thoroughly scanned the swarm of people. The buzzing sound of their voices flew through the air. Hlistened intently, seeing if he could pick up any suspicious conversations. Nothing.

"Well, Chuck, "he whispered aloud to himself, "I guess we head to the car." Chuck weaved his way past people, animals, equipment, cages and dressing rooms. He trudged his way through the dark car park. He could still hear the faint pounding sound of the music, bellowing voice of the ringmaster and thunderous applause from the audience coming from the circus tent. Apart from those distant noises, the only other sound was the gravel crunching beneath his feet.

As Chuck neared the car, he caught sight of two dark shadows looming near it. He squinted, struggling to make out whether or not the shadows were actual people, or just figures of his paranoid imagination. Secretly, he hoped it would be the latter. With caution, he proceeded a few more steps forward, carefully placing his feet on the ground in an attempt to minimise the sound of the crunching gravel.

"Someone's out there, Diego," a husky voice whispered.

"If he comes any closer, he'll wish he wasn't. Get a gun ready, Ricardo," another voice answered. The men lifted their heads high enough for Chuck to catch a glimpse of their faces. The second he saw them, he had a flash. These two men snooping around the car were the men they were after. His heart pounding in his chest, Chuck darted and hid behind someone else's car.

"Casey! Casey!" he whispered harshly into his intercom.

"What's the matter Chuck?" Casey replied with acerbity. "This better important or I swear I'm going punch your…"

"This is important. This is very very very important. I was heading to the car, just like you ordered me to, and I noticed two men standing next to our car. I got a decent look at the guys and had a flash. These are two guys we were looking for. Diego Mandros and Ricardo Sandre," Chuck explained, his mind, heart and voice racing.

"Okay Chuck, I'll be there in a minute. Sarah's almost finished her act. I'm pretty sure she can handle this Julia woman on her own. Now, Chuck, stay out of sight. Don't pull any stunts stupid or I'll hang you from the top of the circus tent by your balls, then light the tent on fire. Understand?"

"Yeah… I understand." Chuck answered, cringing at Casey's detailed proposition of torture. "I'll be here… waiting. Please hurry, Casey. My life may suck, but I kind of value it."

Author note: The fourth and final part to the story will be up soon. Hope you are enjoying the story. Thank you for the reviews.