Don't own Chuck
Chuck woke up it was five in the morning. It felt like he had just fallen asleep. He rolled over to find Sarah looking at him as she couldn't sleep either. They looked at each other and didn't have to speak to each other to know what the other was thinking. He reached over and caressed her face she took his hand and kiss it holding it close to her. Neither wanted to break the moment but each knew the inevitable was about to happen but it didn't mean they couldn't have just one more moment, one more kiss before the world came crashing through the front door.
"We can continue laying here which I particularly don't mind or I could get up make coffee. We could sit outside by the fountain and watch the sun come up together."
"I'd like that," said Sarah as she kissed his hand and let it got. "I'll come and help you not that it takes a lot to make coffee. I'm just not ready to let you go."
"I'm not ready either nor will I ever be," said Chuck as he rolled over and kissed her then got up. "Come on partner we've got a mission, coffee to brew."
They both got up and walked into the kitchen together. Sarah got the filters out and measured the coffee while Chuck got the water filling the machine. Afterwards Sarah pulled down their cups then poured. They were heading out the door when Casey came dragging in. Chuck held up his cup and pointed at John. Casey answered with a nod so Chuck handed his cup to Sarah then went back inside coming out with another one for John. When he came back he found both sitting by the fountain and the first rays breaking through the clouds.
"This is the second time this week and two nights in a row Big Guy. Are things becoming serious between you and Kat?"
"It's too early to know if it were any business of yours," grunted Casey in his cup. "Well did your strategy work?"
"Strategy? You mean did we find out anything? Sarah's supposed to have some sort of test today at Westside. I need for either Kat or Alex to be here this morning on time. I want to go with Sarah and Ellie I don't think we still know what's actually going on."
"Chuck thinks this is some sort of forty-nine B. I told him that was ridiculous that's for handers and assets. It wouldn't apply to us."
"Sarah you should go call Kat and make sure she's up or call Alex. It got late last night so she might have trouble getting up," said Casey. Sarah nodded then took everyone's coffee cups inside. "Chuck, Sarah's right it can't be a forty-nine B but I think you're also right in thinking there's something else going on. I did some checking around and heard the General had something flown in from Japan. It was all hush-hush organized with the Jōhōhonbu."
"Japanese Defense Intelligence now there's a group you don't hear a lot about."
"Yeah they're as closed mouth as they come but I found out through a Marine buddy at Atsugi that it looked like they loaded two body bags and get this the flight went to Hickam where is remained on deck for forty-eight hours then continued on to… You want to guess where?"
"NAS Glenview, we use that place so much they ought to reactivate it but then we'd have to explain all the black ops."
"Yeah but this all happened the other day when Beckman was there," said Casey. This got Chuck thinking but he was still missing something. There was a piece missing for the puzzle that was critical.
"I'm still not coming up with anything. It doesn't matter according to Ellie here in a little while I'll know so maybe Sarah's right I should just wait."
"Yeah like tell me how often that paid off for you. I tell you let me get a few hours rest and I'll make some more phone calls. If you find out before I call you then you can just text me to back off."
"Sounds like a plan. Oh speaking of plans I told Ellie I wanted to take everyone out tonight. I'm going to make reservations at the Sizzling Shrimp but I wanted to know what you think."
"Normally I wouldn't mind but we just ate there last night. Didn't Sarah tell you she…" Casey was about to say 'saw us' but Sarah and Ellie came walking out with Sam.
"There's my girls," said Chuck as he held out his arms and grabbed Sam up. "Were you able to talk to Kat and is she alive."
"Yes and she'll be here on time but I was thinking since we're all up and its early," said Sarah as she sat next to Chuck resting her head on his shoulder then looking up in his eyes smiling.
"Okay, I understand what you want. Who wants pancakes? Well those who want them I'm about to go into mass production inside."
"I've got some bran muffins I made I'll go get them and bring them over. We can have them both with another cup of coffee."
"Gee Casey we wouldn't want you to go to any trouble," said Sarah as she looked over at Chuck for some help. However, before he could say anything Ellie did.
"Good, bran is good for you. Thanks John I'd like to try one. I try to stay with whole wheat when I can and stay away from refined flour."
"You're right Ellie," said John. "That refined crap will kill you not to talk about what it does to your intestines."
"So what are you saying your muffins are intestine friendly? Gives a whole new meaning to holy crap," said Chuck. Sarah elbowed him. "Sorry John I guess I'm a little jealous. If you want go ahead and get them. Our bowels thank you."
"I know it's all envy. I'll go get them and be right back," said John as he got up and disappeared. Chuck along with Sarah and Ellie went back inside.
"Now you know we're obligated to eat at least one," said Chuck as Sarah made a face.
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Nee-san and her team drove from the Marina up to Westside Medical in three Nissan Rogues with tinted windows. So as not to attract attention each vehicle arrived ten minutes after the previous one. The last one to arrive was driven by Kenji with Nee-san in it. The men had instructions to go in scout around and locate the targets then report back in. Kenji and Nee-san had just received intel that the something big was going on in the Neurological Department.
"What do you mean big?" radioed Kenji to his man as he looked over at Nee-san sitting in the passenger seat sipping on a cup of coffee.
"I mean there are all sorts of agents and that short American General. She's running around up here barking orders to her men and the staff."
"Do you have a visual on either target yet? If the General is there then at least one should be close by. See if you can get inside closer but don't blow your cover."
"The other target is still in route," said Nee-san. "Stick with trying to find the Doctor."
"Got her. I've got eyes on the target. She's down the hall near the examination rooms on my floor. Extraction right now could get messy but it is feasible waiting for instruction."
"Roger that, coordinate with the others to keep eyes on the target and stand by," said Nee-san. "I want you to wait for my orders then bag and tag."
"Nee-san, think about it," argued Kenji. "We can take her now and be gone. The longer we wait the harder it's going to be to get out and you need Doctor Roberts."
"Patience Kenji, we won't have to wait much longer and I know what you're thinking the longer we wait the more likely one of our men gets made. But it's a risk we have to take. You think this is a frivolous act but it's more about what I'm deserved and what I can take away than anything else. You've been with me this far let's see this through."
"Anything for you Nee-san," he said as he placed his hand on her leg. "Anything, anything for you, all you have to do is name it."
"Kenji you know we've talked about this. I can't not now at least but… wait I think they're here. Yes they're pulling up. Okay guys look alive in there we're about to go hot."
Kenji and Nee-San waited until they were sure that Ellie, Chuck and Sarah had gone inside before they got out. Kenji tossed her the keys then Nee-san put on a hat pulling it down over her face as they went inside.
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The three of them entered the hospital and proceeded straight for the elevator. Ellie was inundated with colleagues and friends asking about Devon and Clara but she broke free telling them she'd talk with all of them later. They got in the elevator then rode up to Neurology only to be met by General Beckman as soon as the doors opened up.
"General, I think we deserve some answers," said Chuck standing his ground in the elevator. "Or I push down and we're out of here."
"Don't be childish and come along. Everything will be explained in due course. Ellie take Sarah back to the examination room while I take Chuck and brief him."
"I don't understand why can't we both be briefed together? General until I know what's going on I don't want to let my wife out of my sight."
"I don't think you want to compromise the test either? If you come with me I'll let you know everything then we can go from there. Ellie will take Sarah back to the examination room where she'll have her change then draw some blood. It will be tested then there will be a small oral examination."
"Then it is the intersect," said Sarah looking at Ellie and Beckman but Ellie looked down at the ground.
"I didn't say it was but you bring up a good point," said the General then she paused. Chuck could tell she was thinking but he had no idea about what.
"Sweetie go with the General I'll be okay I'll be with Ellie. Go at least one of us will know what's going on and besides I'll be right here on the same floor."
"If that's what you want," said Chuck as he kissed her. "But your watch stays on and if there's a problem…"
"I'll active my tracker so you'll know to come. I promise."
"Ellie I'm leaving Sarah with you. Don't make me regret this."
"Oh come on," said the General as she grabbed Chuck by the arm and led him down to Ellie's old office. He looked back one last time as Ellie took Sarah inside. "Jesus, how do you get anything done? Here read this," said the General as she dropped a folder in front of him. Chuck picked it up and flipped through it. It was the autopsy report. He flashed.
He had visions of Frankenstein like experiments and cadavers. There were Nazi's scientists followed by Chinese then Korean ones along with the faces Martin and Luther Kowambe followed by Jill's
"What does this have to do with Sarah? This is some sort of Frankenstein experiment gone terribly wrong. The fourth chromosome is the growth gene that's what killed your X and Y. They might have died of natural causes but they were brought on because of rapid growth triggered by this defect."
"Very good Chuck," said Jill as she walked in. "In a bit you're going to have to tell me when you started invading my field of research. This is a custom design defect. There was a North Korean researcher who was trying to make a human replicant, clone for lack of a better word. He wanted to reproduce human organs but didn't want to wait for the organs to mature so he manipulated the fourth chromosome to have them grown faster."
"But by doing that they would die faster too," said Chuck as he dropped the autopsy report on the table in front of him.
"Exactly but the last I knew he was working for Fulcrum trying to find a way to make that defect a switch. You turn it on to grow the organ then when it was ready you switch it off."
"Is that even possible? After the egg is fertilized and cells begin to divide the bus has left the station or that's what I know," said Chuck looking up at the General. "But I'm still waiting to know what this has to do with Sarah?" The General pulled photos out of another folder.
"Chuck I'm sorry I have to show you these and I warn you this will be shocking for you but you need to know," she said as she handed them to him.
"What kind of speech is that," said Chuck as he took the photos and stared at them. She was right He flipped through them one by one looking at all the details. At first words wouldn't come out they felt thick in his mouth. He felt his mouth move but nothing came out until finally he fought through it. "No, no, no …. What kind of trick is this? My God."
"They're no trick," said Jill as she came near to him but he brushed her off. He didn't want to have anything to do with her. "Chuck, they aren't Sarah they're Sarah clones."
"Remember when Sarah was abducted by Quinn in Japan off the bullet train," said Beckman. "We now think he might have done some experimentation."
"What? You think my Sarah could be a… a what a clone?" He said words that he could not, would not believe. "No that's not possible I know my wife. I know my Sarah and this is just a sick trick of Quinn's from the grave. I swear I wish I could go to hell and kill him again. I do and I would."
"Listen you're probably right. Sarah is your Sarah, Ellie is drawing blood so we can do a chromosome test. If it comes back normal then she's the original and there's nothing to worry about. But Chuck if she isn't then her time is about up."
"You say that like she's a can of peas on the shelf and her best used by date is almost up. You worked with Kowambe you know his research. What do you know about a North Korean named Lee?"
"How do you know Lee?" said Jill taken aback by Chuck's question. She was sure she had never mentioned his name but he knew it. But how much did Chuck know about her past in Fulcrum?
"I'm taking my wife and we're going," said Chuck as he got up and headed for the door.
"Chuck think, where are you going to go," said the General. "I understand you may not believe me but I do. Let us do what we have to do. Dr. Roberts is your best option right now."
"That woman in the examination room is my wife. I know my wife. I don't need any test to prove that and what oral test were you going to administer the Voigt-Kampff?" The General looked perplexed then looked over a Jill who shook her head to ignore it.
"Chuck, be serious. Okay let's say you're right then there's nothing to worry about. Let me walk the blood work through the lab and we'll be done. You go home, I go home and we forget about the whole thing."
"Not quite that easy," said the General. "I'll still have some questions but they can wait for another day. We're still investigating."
"Whatever, but Chuck can we do that? Please, you know I brought Skye back with me and she still talks about you. I left her with my parents you remember them? Well Skye would like to meet you."
"We have a daughter, Sam. She's waiting at home for her mother. Go do whatever you have to do but my wife will be coming home with me tonight and Lord have mercy on whoever tries to stop me." Jill nodded her head and tried to put her hand on his shoulder but be brushed it away so she turned and left.
"Chuck I'm going down and get a cup of coffee," said the General. "Would you like to come down with me? I don't know maybe we could talk."
"I appreciate you trying General to be human but no I think I'd like to be by myself for a bit and think. Thanks, besides right now I don't think anything would sit well."
"I understand," said Beckman as she got up and left. "Come with me," she said to her men outside the door. "Let's leave him alone. He won't be going anywhere." She took her men with her down to the cafeteria. Maybe some alone time was what Chuck needed.
"Christ, this can't be happening to me, it just can't. No I don't need any test to tell me I know my wife," he said to himself as he sat there in his chair staring at the wall. Tears started rolling down his cheeks uncontrollably. "No, this is the same way I knew something was wrong with her when she came back. I knew I just knew and I know now." That knowledge helped him through his darkest hours that lasted from when she walked away from him on the beach to when he got her back. "There's no way, no way that I can be fooled on this. Maybe on other things but not this, no, no, no." Then something hit him. "How could she flash," he muttered to himself. "Yes, how could she? … She couldn't. Crap Jill doesn't know she's got the intersect so… There's your answer I am right. Thank you Dad wherever you are," said Chuck, as he began laughing and crying at the same time. If anyone had seen him they'd thought he'd gone mad.
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Jill walked down to the examination room to get the samples. Chuck had absolute faith in Sarah something she thought he had in her but then again it was she who betrayed him. Jill had let her career, if that's what you could call it, come between them. Now here she was. But what did Chuck know about Lee? Suddenly she was standing in front of the examination room door. This wasn't going to be easy but there was no way to avoid it. If only Beckman had let her prepare them but she didn't feel it was necessary she just hoped the General was right. Taking a deep breath she knocked then went in.
"What the hell are you doing here," said Sarah which was kind of the greeting Jill expected. Sarah looked over at Ellie. "Did you know she was here?"
"No, I was told just an expert by Beckman and that it was a woman, that was it. I should've asked to see her credentials."
"Maybe her name and photo you think?" said Sarah as she looked at Jill. "You said expert? But expert in what?" Sarah flashed. She had visions of her Jill's Fulcrum files and her known associates among them were the Kowambe brothers and a mysterious Dr. Lee.
"Sarah what is it?" said Jill as she looked over at Ellie. "Ellie what just happened? My God you're an intersect but how? When?"
"I got a corrupted version before I was taken in Japan," said Sarah not wanting to mention Quinn's name. "That's how I traced Chuck there."
"Chuck knows… No, he's one too… That's how he knew about…"
"About Dr. Lee?"
"Yes, that's how he knew you weren't a clone because a clone wouldn't have the intersect because it would have to have been downloaded. Ellie draw the blood I'll walk it down we still have to confirm the fourth chromosome is the cause and rule out any sort of genetic defect that the host might have passed on."
"What are you talking about fourth chromosome, defect, clone, host?" Sarah felt confused and angry, and if someone didn't start talking soon someone was going to get hurt. And she had a good idea who to start with.
"It's nothing you're fine. You don't know how relieved I feel. This is going to sting," said Ellie as she stuck Sarah and drew a tube of blood.
"Give me that I'll run it down to the lab myself and before you tell me I've scout out the place so yes I know where it's at."
"El I think you need to tell me what's going on now. You thought what? I was some sort of clone that's ridiculous."
"Not so much as you might think," said Ellie. "Here it doesn't matter if I show you this now," said Ellie as she handed Sarah her copy of the autopsy report that Beckman had given her complete with photos.
"Oh my God this is just creepy," said Sarah as she looked at two of her along with the Medical Examiner's report.
"I personally redid all the examinations and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I knew they weren't you but the head and the heart are two different things."
"I can appreciate your difficulty…" said Sarah as she closed the folder and taking a deep breath. "It's hard for me to look at this. But how long did they live for or did they? How long have they've been dead?"
"I can't answer all your questions. Muscle tone was good and there were callouses on the bottom of the feet which meant they were walking upright so alive definitely yes and as for how long they've been dead, my estimate no more than a couple of weeks."
"Ellie did anyone ever ask who buried them?"