Don't own Chuck
Jill left the examination room with the vial of blood in her hand. Kim Lee now that was a name she hadn't heard in a long time and one she hoped she'd never hear again. But the lab tests she had seen on the cadavers had his handy work written all over it. She wondered if this was what had brought Lee to Luther Kowambe and her. She remembered him saying something about him having something cooking back home could this have been it. What a God forsaken hell hole Zambia was and now it seem to be calling her back. A past she thought she had buried was now coming back to haunt her and risk everyone's future.
"No I need to wait until I have the lab results back in her hand," she said to herself as she looked at the vial. Bad decisions seemed to be the only ones she knew how to make. That was one of the reasons she decided against telling Chuck the good news what if she were wrong. She couldn't take the chance she had made too many mistakes with Chuck in the past to risk one more.
"Are you going down," a voice asked her coming from next to her. She didn't know when but she had walked down the hallway and was now standing in front of the elevator.
"What? I'm sorry I just zoned out for a bit. I guess I'm tired," said Jill realizing she was standing in front of the elevator doors blocking them. She looked to her right where the voice came from and standing next to her was an orderly pushing an empty wheel chair with a sheet in it. As they waited another orderly came up on her other side.
"Are you going down," asked the man again.
"Yes, I'm going down to the lab," said Jill. She looked both over they seemed harmless enough, even though they didn't seem much the orderly type.
"Good I just got called from the front desk and I need to get down to the lobby to pick up someone," said the man with the wheelchair as the doors opened. The other orderly walked straight in past them almost pushing Jill out of the way.
"Excuse me," she said thinking the man was a little rude but people tended to become that way when they have to take care of demanding patients all the time so she just blew it off. She'd seen worse.
"Do you mind," asked the man pushing the wheelchair asking her to help him by hold the door making sure it didn't close.
"Sure, here let me help you," said Jill as she got in making taking the front of the wheelchair with one hand helping to pull it in. But as she was helping she was distracted and didn't notice the other man circling around behind her. By the time she realized something was wrong he was on top of her and it was too late. She felt something like a bee sting in the back of her neck then she had a sensation of being light headed. The last thing she remembered was the vial of blood slipping out of her hand and her legs buckling then nothing.
"Okay boss the doctor's been bagged," radioed one of Nee-san's men. "We got her in the chair and are loading her up in the van as we speak."
"Good take her to the plane and get her stowed away then prep the plane for a quick take off. We're not going to be able to hang around much longer. I'll bring in the second target have everything ready for me when I get there."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chuck was sitting in the office waiting for someone to come and get him. He hated waiting even though he knew what the outcome would be or what the outcome should be but there was still the possibility of human error. It wouldn't be the first time and he didn't even want to think about their track record that would just make him more anxious. He just hoped they got it right that was all he could do. Sitting there time passed slowly until finally the door opened and to his amazement it was Sarah who walked in.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were still down being examined? Is everything done? And your clothes? Why'd you change your clothes but maybe we can keep the nurse's outfit for later?"
"Oh don't be silly, some woman spelt juice all over them so they dug these out for me to wear for now. Hey we need to run. The General has put us in charge of this investigation and we need to get in the air right now. It's mission imperative."
"She's done what? I thought we had an agreement," said Chuck before he realizing they probably were the best suited for this mission. "Well I can see why she'd want us. I guess you got your wish," he said smiling.
"My wish? I mean yes my wish that's right," said Nee-san. She had to play it cool and lead Chuck along or he'd become suspicious but she first wondered if it was the get up she had on he was talking about, 'yuck' she thought.
"Don't try and play it off. Admit it you hope this will keep us away so 'you'… I mean 'we' won't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner for everyone."
"Right that wish," she said relieved. "Well it really wouldn't have been that bad. I could think of worse things."
"You don't have to play it off and I know you were only joking. I shouldn't have dumped it on you at the last minute. But you did seem like you had a change of heart?"
"Yes exactly we can do a late Thanksgiving. But right now we have to get going this is time sensitive so come on let's go."
"Where is the General anyway? I hope she's happy that your tests came back negative. Where's Ellie anyway?"
"Oh she went down below to… to you know…"
"Oh she went to say hello to her old colleagues and friends. She did promise them she'd show them pictures of Clara and I guess the General had to run to catch her plane back to Langley. She didn't have the guts to face me."
"Right but Chuck we need to go right now. The General has a plane and team waiting for us to take us to Japan. That's where our investigation will start."
"Christ what are we thinking…" said Chuck. But Nee-san cut him off now she was getting tired of stalling.
"Thinking about what?" Nee-san was starting to get mad. Trying to get him to move was quickly becoming more difficult than she had anticipated.
"Have you had a chance to call Kat to watch Sam for us? Has the General forgotten we have a daughter to think of?"
"Right our daughter, we have to think of her. I mean yes I've called the babysitter and everything is arranged so come on!"
"The babysitter? I guess that's what Kat does for us but reducing it to 'the babysitter' is kind of cold. I still think she has feelings for Casey and he has for her too but neither are willing to admit it. But hey it's their lives right? But the good part is you tested fine and we can put this behind us."
"After we finish our mission so come on! I mean we can really put this behind us when we get our mission over. The General has arranged for everything but you have to hurry up. There is a window of opportunity here and we have to take it."
"I don't understand," said Chuck. "But I'm glad you're fine. I love you."
"I love you too," she said as Chuck took her hands and kissed her. But then he pulled away looking her in the eyes. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, no," he said as he held her hands. But there was something wrong, something off, just something he couldn't identify but it was there. He had felt it the moment she walked in and now her kiss. She kissed him but he didn't feel that same feeling. It just wasn't the same. He could identify what was wrong but there was something missing.
"Come on Chuck or the plane will leave without us," she said. This time she pulled him along. She dragged him down the hall to the elevator. As they got on two cleaning ladies stepped on with them one was angry.
"Jesus the doctors and nurses run around in masks and gloves when they handle test samples afraid of HIV but do we get anything?"
"Louise what are you complaining about," said the other cleaner.
"I got called about broken glass and a spill in the elevator and found a broken vial of blood. I guess it was supposed to end up in the lab but got dropped in the elevator."
"You should really report that to our supervisor. One it isn't fair and two it's plain unsafe that we get treated like this and think about it some poor patient is going to be waiting on labs that will never arrive."
"You're right I still have the evidence so I'll go find Henry and let him know. Will you come with me to help back me up?" The elevator opened up on the first floor and the women got off.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sarah got up off the examination table and got dressed. There was no reason for her to stay dressed in a hospital gown. Ellie stayed with her to keep her company and was being very apologetic. After Sarah got dressed she looked over again the report trying to glean information but some things just didn't make sense. As she was looking over the report General Beckman walked in.
"What are you doing with that report?" asked the General as she looked over at Ellie. "I told you Doctor this was classified reserved for your eyes only."
"Diane," said Ellie as she tried to explain. "We made a big mistake. Dr. Roberts was not informed that Sarah was flashing which ruled her out as being a clone." Ellie went on to explain what had happen and what they had deduced along with certain ramifications.
"I chose not to tell Dr. Roberts about the intersect because of her dealings with Fulcrum, Bryce Larkin and her work with the Kowambe brothers. But it's too late to do anything about it now so the test results should come back negative. Good, I'd hate to lose one of my best agents."
"General I have some concerns," said Sarah. "This report says the women were found in an archeological dig on the Tōkaidō passed one of the fifty three stations in an area that is now Fuji organized by the archeological department of the University of Tokyo by a Professor Wasabi."
"Yes that's right I remember reading that in the report so what's the concern?"
"Well it would have taken a couple of months to get all the permits needed to dig in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park so whoever buried the bodies in the dig site…"
"Had to know they'd be found. I see what you're getting at," said the General. "Ellie are we sure about the time of death?"
"I can't give you a precious day or time but yes they haven't been dead for two months if that's what you're asking," said Ellie. "What does this mean?"
"It means we've been played someone wanted us to find those bodies," said Sarah. "General you need to put the hospital in lock down."
"I'm ahead of you," said the General as she grabbed her men from outside. "I want the hospital in lock down now. That means no one in or out that hasn't been screened and you go down to the lab. I want you to find Dr. Roberts and escort her back here on the double." The man was starting to leave when the General called him back. "Oh wait on your way down to the Lab stick your head in the office I left Agent Carmichael and tell him to join us."
"We need to get the hospital CCTV feeds ASAP from security," said Sarah as got up and headed for the door.
"Where do you think you're going? No you stay put and I'll have one of my men secure them. You need to stay here with us. We still don't know who or what the objectives are and besides…" Beckman was about to say her when the General's man interrupted her.
"General, the guys out front are asking who they're looking for?"
"Tell that they should be looking for someone who looks like Sarah, Agent S. Carmichael."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chuck and who he thought was Sarah got into a dark Nissan parked out front then drove away as the hospital went into lock down. Nee-san had gotten them out just in time but she was sure the security cameras had picked them up so she had to hurry up and get to the airport. Already she could tell that Chuck was having misgivings. He knew his wife and he could something wasn't right with her.
"We're here," said Nee-san as she rolled past security driving straight up to an old four engine turboprop DC-7 with props turning ready to take off.
"Jesus, will that thing fly? The General usually sends us in on military aircraft or we take our plane. What gives with this museum piece?"
"It's necessary to get us in undercover. Come on we need to get in the air right away," said Nee-san as Chuck's phone rang. "You need to get rid of that. We need to maintain radio silence. Here give it to me I'll put it with mine so they stay together like us."
"Gee thanks but are you feeling all right," asked Chuck as she basically pushed him on the plane. "This thing with those bodies they found and you that has to have unnerved you a little. I know it did me."
"No not really," said Nee-san. "I owe that to my training. It allows me to compartmentalize things like this."
"Really you've never really talked to me much about your training," said Chuck as he took up a seat across from her on the plane as it rolled down the flight line. Taking off it banked then flew over Malibu headed out over the open ocean. "Down there's our beach? You know I've spent the happiest days of my life on that beach as well as my worse."
"Really? Would you like something to drink?" said Nee-san as she got up and walked to where they had a few bottles and carafe of coffee.
"Really but you…" Chuck started to say 'you know why' but stopped he had a sudden thought. "Water I'll have water please. Just bring me the bottle I'll open it." Chuck studied Sarah as she walked to the front then came back. She passed him a small bottle and as he took him from her he took hold of her left hand. "I never get tired of telling you I love you."
"And I love you too," she said.
This was not his Sarah he was sure. He had touched her left hand to see if he could feel or see her scar she had gotten in 2004 in Calgary trying to catch a throwing star. He reached down and pressed his tracking device. So she wanted to play Sarah let's see how far she'd go.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sarah was pacing the floor wringing her hands wondering where Chuck had gone and why he'd gone out. It wasn't like him to disappear especially considering the circumstances. She had tried to call him but her call went straight to voice mail along with the ten other calls she made after that one.
"General," said one of her men in black. "We've been over the hospital and neither Agent Carmichael nor Dr. Roberts can be found anywhere. We'll keep on trying but I think we need to widen our search area."
"I agree," said Beckman. "Ladies I think we need to move down to security and check those feeds." And with that they moved down to the security office.
"Excuse me," said Sarah as she gently pushed the security officer out of his work station. The man began to complain but his supervisor who was standing next to him shook his head and motioned for him to go get a cup of coffee. Sarah sat down and began rewinding the video for the hallways and lobby starting when Jill left them moving forward.
"Stop," said Ellie. "That wheelchair is odd. We don't use that model here in the hospital. I know because we use them in Chicago and I never understood why they refused to use them here."
"Good let's try something Chuck showed me. First we scan the person under the sheet then we find an image of Jill from a previous feed and now we over lay the two. It's a perfect match. That's how they got Jill out. Now we follow the wheelchair out the front and we have a Black Nissan SUV. They covered their tags."
"No problem I'll have a team comb the freeway cameras and pull in a bird to see about tracking them down."
"Oh crap," said Sarah but she wanted to say worse when she saw Chuck walk out with someone who looked exactly like her dressed like nurse. "Oh no Chuck, please no."
"Chuck went with her because he thought she was you," said Ellie stating the obvious.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Look General if the targets were Jill and Chuck then I think we need to examine Jill's past closer for a connection and find out what this other me could want with the both of them."
"I agree," said the General. "Let me make some phone calls." But just then Sarah's phone began to ring.
"General it's the Colonel," said Sarah as she put him on speaker. "John crap has hit the fan here. I need for you…" But Casey cut her off before she could tell him what she needed.
"Does it have to do with Chuck? He just activated his tracking device I picked it up here for a few minutes before it when out of range."
"Yes Chuck's missing along with Jill," said Sarah trying to think how she was going to explain to him who had them. "Where did you pick him at?"
"I had him at 28,000 feet just off Malibu heading out into the Pacific. Sarah, he's on a plane. Who took him and what's going on?"
"Gather all the flight plans of anything flying in that direction then grab Morgan and have him help you to sift through them. We need a destination and we need it yesterday."
"You still haven't told me what's going on and who took him? Did this have to do with Ellie and her secret mission?"
"Colonel, speculation won't help bring Chuck home. I recommend you get busy with providing the support you were asked to give. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am Casey out," said John as he hung. Sarah should've warned him Beckman was in the room but right now she had other thoughts on her mind and they all revolved around Chuck. But one thing became apparent Chuck had seen through this other her and that somehow he knew she was a fake. She didn't know if that was good or bad for his position but at least this just confirmed what she already knew. Chuck was the only one who really knew who she was and no carbon copy could trick him.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chuck took his water then agitated the bottle turning it upside down the right side up. He did all this under the watchful eyes of Nee-san. Then he started looking around the aircraft. The crew certainly seemed to be full of Orientals and behind them was a curtained off section of the plane. He thought about getting up but the fasten seat belt sign came on.
"What are you doing with your water," said Nee-san tired of watching him play with it like it was a snow globe.
"You know what I'm doing. You taught me this or don't you remember?" said Chuck and seeing her blank look he explained. "You told me I should treat every bottle as if it had been poisoned. By agitating the bottle I can tell if someone has injected a syringe into it. What's aft past that curtain?"
"Just supplies and ground troops, they like their anonymity so they don't like to mingle," said Nee-san wondering if Chuck wasn't on to her as she was wondering Kenji came up and whispered something into her ear.
"Should I be jealous," asked Chuck as Kenji disappeared behind the curtain. "It seems he's not so anonymous. What's his name and how do you know him?
"Are you jealous?" said Nee-san smiling as she placed her hand on her pistol but keeping it behind her.
"No because I trust my wife."
"And she trusts you," said Nee-san as she drew her pistol. Chuck flashed and took if from her holding it on her instead.
"You're good and you almost fooled me but I knew something was off the moment we met. I assume you're a Mayfly."
"That was impressive," said Nee-san. "But you should know I don't like being called that."
"But that's the truth. Listen just turn this plane around then no one will get hurt. I just want to go home. This can all be worked out I promise."
"Not right now Chuck and you can call me Nee-san…" Chuck flashed.
"Little sister so the other two were older than you. Makes kind of sense that they would call you that. How much older were they?"
"You're trying to figure out how much longer I have to live? Well it will be longer than Jill has if you don't give me back the gun." Chuck looked back to see Kenji walking out from behind the curtain holding a knife to Jill's throat.
"My Sarah wouldn't do this."
"As you pointed out I'm not your Sarah. Now hand over the gun along with your tracking device."