Don't own Chuck

Chuck ejected the magazine then handed the weapon back to Nee-san as he deactivated his tracker. Then he tried to explain to her why he couldn't take the watch off but she wouldn't listen to him and broke it on the deck. He tried to make a mental calculation how long he could hold out without the governor but all that depended on how often he flashed. Now if they got into a bind he wasn't sure he could get them out. Kenji handcuffed Jill and Chuck together then had them sit down.

"Listen let me look at my watch. Maybe I can fix it so the tracker doesn't work but the governor does."

"What do you take me for some idiot? It's just another trick to call that other one," said Nee-san. Chuck could see she was having a hard time naming Sarah but why?

"Listen the watch is more than a watch. It's called a governor and it governs my brain activities. If I don't have it on I can overload like a piece of electronic equipment."

"Is that because of that other thing?" asked Jill as she looked at him. "That's how they got over the surges, isn't it? I knew there had to be a way. Our subjects all eventually craped out. Oh sorry, Chuck that was a little insensitive."

"No problem," said Chuck but he wanted to say it was more insensitive going to bed with his best friend but hey that was water under the bridge. "The bottom line is if I don't have it I will eventually have an attack. Then I will be useless to you and to whatever plan you have for us."

"I have no plan for you Chuck. You see I took you just to take you. You're important to the other one and all I wanted was to take something from her."

"That other one's name is Sarah. If you want to talk about her use her name and you're right you are nothing like her especially to me."

"I think we have more in common than you want to admit at least before she met you and got soft. But I asked myself why should she have the good life? Why did she get everything and we got nothing? I watched my sisters die one by one. This is what we look like on the outside but inside we keep aging thanks to our creator. But you know all about that right Dr. Roberts."

"Jill what's she talking about? What do you know? Listen without my governor I will eventually have a seizure then you are on your own."

"There was a Dr. Kim Lee, you remember the North Korean. He headed a project for Fulcrum to provide them with the perfect soldier. His plan was to clone people with the unique brains. You understand what kind of brain," said Jill as Chuck nodded. "Well you came along and Fulcrum scientists passed on to the Ring. Fulcrum was just a subgroup of the Ring anyway and Lee's plan was given more funding. The first test subject was Daniel Shaw. You killed the original on that bridge in Paris. Lee brought him back modifying the fourth Chromosome to cause rapid grown and computer program to install memories."

"But Shaw's still alive and doesn't seem to be suffering from the Mayfly effect the other two Sarah's suffered from," said Chuck, although it was difficult for him to say her name talking about these women.

"No he didn't Lee used a virus that caused the body to produce an enzyme that basically turned the aging process off. At first it looked like it worked," said Jill then she turned to Nee-san. "But soon a serious collateral effect emerged mental instability. I don't know if it was due to the additional download or if it was because of the chromosome mutation. I just don't know."

"So there is a way to switch this thing off," said Nee-san as she smiled at Kenji and he smiled back. There was something else.

"Aren't you listening to me? Shaw became mentally imbalance. He's crazy. You don't want that to happen to you, do you?"

"You don't get it do you but I'd still be alive which would be better than the other option."

As Jill was talking Chuck looked out the window and saw an object just below them for only a few seconds but that was all he needed to flash but without the governor he doubled over in his seat cringing in pain. The flash was strong and he was momentarily blinded but he had to speak through the pain.

"Chuck what is it," yelled Jill as she tried to lay his seat back to let relax but instead he balled up striking his head again the tray table.

"No, no stop. Listen check with your pilot. Your radars are being jammed. There's at least one black MiG trailing us," Chuck got out between the spasms. "Who else have you pissed off?"

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Everyone was now down in Castle working away trying to find Chuck and his missing plane. Sarah was worried because they had reestablished contact with his tracking signal for a little while over the Pacific via satellite but then it died. If this other her had found it and destroyed it, she had destroyed also Chuck's governor as well. She knew that they should have done something different with it. She had even suggested using their wedding bands but Chuck refused. He didn't want to risk losing it or having it taken.

"This is my fault," said Ellie. "I should've told you guys what was going on from the very beginning. I knew this was wrong. If anything happens to Chuck I'll never forgive myself."

"Ellie this is not the time for that kind of thinking," said Sarah. "Please keep on looking through Jill's files and find something. This fourth chromosome what does it do? And why would they want to manipulate it?"

"Dr. Roberts mention it on the flight here that it was call the death gene or something like that," said Beckman as she waited on hold for NORAD.

"That has been a theory among geneticists. The theory is that the body continually grows new cells to replace old cells in a chain until this so-called death gene says enough and well you know what happens. This is also the gene that controls growth so if a person wanted to reproduce a mature Sarah then growth would have to be accelerated so they'd have to manipulate the growth gene."

"Which happens to be the death gene too so the cells continue to grow until when the growth gene does what? It becomes the death gene too? Doesn't this sound a little too much like Blade Runner?"

"Personally I preferred the book, 'Do androids dream of Electric Sheep'," said Morgan as he was scanning the Pacific for the mystery plane.

"You would," said Casey. "If they wanted to make a clone of you Morgan all they'd get is a hairball that walks."

"I know you say that because you love me," said Morgan as Casey grunted back with threats of physical harm.

"Guys shut up, Chuck needs us now is not the time to be joking around. Let's get serious playtime is over," barked Sarah as everyone went silent. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped."

"We know you want Chuck back and we'll do whatever it takes to bring him home," said Morgan as he put his arm around her. "Why don't you go in the back and lay down for a bit you've got to be tired?"

"No we need to find him. I need to find him. My God what am I going to do with Sam if…," said Sarah but she didn't want to finish her sentence.

"Listen Mom and I will take care of her," said Alex. "You take care of yourself because if you don't you won't be able to help anyone."

"I got it. NORAD came through," yelled Beckman as she ran over to satellite controls typing in coordinates. "There's the plane a DC-7."

"Yes that was one of the planes we were looking for that left Bob Hope International. Her flight plan has her hopping all over the pacific."

"She couldn't have made it that far if she'd made all those stops. She must've modified her flight plan in the air. I'll call Guam and have the Thirty-Sixth scramble a fighter escort."

"Hold off General," said Casey. "Looks like they've got their own escort I count two MiG 29s trailing them. No markings. Where did they come from? They're operating way outside their range?"

"Colonel they're not escorting," said the General as the satellite read that fire control radars went hot on board the MiGs. Sarah flashed.

"Out of the way we need to help them," said Sarah as she began typing code. "Chuck could do this faster and better than I can." She felt Morgan's hand on her shoulder she wished it was Chuck's but she had to put that out of her head right now and finish.

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Nee-san got called up to the cockpit leaving Kenji to guard their prisoners but Chuck wasn't going to be able to do much of anything as he was just getting over the flash. His spasm seemed to be over and Jill had him lay his seat all the way back. She doused a paper towel with water and placed it on his forehead.

"Here hold this in place and keep your eyes closed until this passes," Jill said as she took his pulse. It was accelerated and he was flushed. The intersect was like putting a Ferrari engine in a VW bug.

"I've got to get up," said Chuck as he fought to get back up but she held him down. "Jill what aren't you saying? There's more to this story than you told." She nodded her head then bent over him.

"I killed Lee in Zambia," she whispered to Chuck. "I had to I found out he wanted to dissect Skye that's when I burnt the lab and ran away with Skye. I couldn't… I won't let anyone hurt her."

"Nor will I," said Chuck as he took hold of her hand. "I promise."

"Am I interrupting something?" said Nee-san as she walked in on them. "I don't know if I'm supposed to feel jealous or not. Anyway seems the other me wants to keep you alive Chuck. She unjammed our radars and it seems we've got two MiG 29s on our tail."

"Give me my watch and I can help. I give you my word I won't try anything until we land if you know anything about me you should know I always keep my word," Chuck said as he looked at Jill.

"Here but if you try anything…"

"Something else you should know I don't take kindly to threats either so Nee-san if we're going to make this work I suggest you just shut up," said Chuck as he looked at the watch.

The tracker was gone and it wasn't going to tell time but the governor was buried deeper behind a protective titanium cover in the case something like this happened. He put it one and he felt better immediately. He took a deep breath then let it out.

"Good, much better now we're going to need a fifty caliber. You got anything like a Barrett or something similar?

"We've got a couple Dragunovs, why? You aren't thinking about shooting down the MiGs from inside the cabin? We'd lose air pressure."

"Not from the cabin but from the landing gear well. I need an earpiece and your pilot needs to follow my instructions to the letter if this is going to work. I'm going to need armor piercing incendiary 7N14 rounds."

"You got to be about the craziest gaijin I've met," said Kenji shaking his head. "I've got to see you pull this off."

"Good because you're coming with me. Maybe now would be a good time for you to say a prayer to your ancestors and hope for the best," said Chuck as he slapped Kenji on the back. He knew in Japanese society they didn't like to be touched so he did it intentionally. "No guts, no glory. Bonzai, ten thousand years."

"Like I said crazy gaijin."

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The General was on the phone as the rest of them watched what looked like an air battle about to play out over the skies of the Pacific. Nothing like this had been seen since B-24s flew sorties over Okinawa and mainland Japan. However, the battle seemed a little one sided and Sarah knew it. She just hoped she'd been able to reach them in time. If Chuck had his governor on and it was working maybe he could do something. That was what she hoped for at least.

"General, how long before we can scramble anything that can protect them?" asked Sarah but she knew nothing could get to them in time. "Does PACFLT have any assets we can tap?"

"There's nothing," said the General as she got off the phone. "I'm sorry they must've known that when they laid in their course."

"Wait what's going on," said Casey. "Something is happening the number two engine is smoking now number three. They're shutting them down and losing altitude."

"I've got a mayday from the pilot too," said Morgan as he listened intently in a headset.

"I don't understand the jets locked on fire control radars but they haven't fired," said Beckman as she shoved Casey from in front of the monitor. They're losing air speed quickly."

"If they drop below ninety-seven mph they'll stall then it really will be all over."

"That's it John don't you see that's what Chuck's doing," said Sarah as she jumped up looking at the monitor too.

"What he's trying to stall out?"

"No the MiGs they'll stall before he will. He got my message don't you see," said Sarah as she hugged him. "The engines when they started to smoke they didn't flame. No he's got something planned." Casey turned red and Morgan thought he was going to blow a gasket. "Sorry I got carried away."

"I'd say so but whatever he's go planned he better do something fast," said Casey as the two MiGs were forced to fly by so they strafed the DC-7 as they passed by. "What just happened? Talking about pulling a rabbit out of your hat he's got to explain to me how did that."

"First we need to bring him home," reminded the General.

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Chuck and Kenji ears popped as the plane dropped losing altitude suddenly. That was Chuck's plan to get below 8,000 feet so they could operate without going into hypoxia. Nee-san signaled but they could feel the plane level off. Once inside the access port Chuck assembled the Dragunov. He knew he had to work fast there would be no second chances.

"Hand me the clip," said Chuck but Kenji was reluctant to give it to him. "Listen if you can hang out of a plane flying at 8,000 feet at a hundred miles an hour and make two clean shots then be my guest but if not get out my way."

"Here but don't try anything or…" just then they felt the plane jerk as the jets strafed.

"Jesus what are you two doing down there," yelled Nee-san. "Hurry up another pass like that and we're done for."

"Lower the landing gear," said Chuck. They heard the hydraulic mechanism kick in as the hatch opened. Ice cold wind blew inside as Chuck eased himself down. The two MiGs were overly confident thinking the DC-7 couldn't defend themselves. Chuck flash as the planes banked to make another pass but that was when they were vulnerable. Chuck fired two rounds in rapids succession. Neither pilot knew what hit them. All they knew was that all of a sudden they lost power and both jets went down. As Chuck was climbing back inside he saw the pilots eject and their chutes opened up.

"I'll take that," said Kenji as he took the sniper rifle from Chuck. "You can close the hatch," radioed Kenji but got no response.

"Let's go we need to see what's wrong," said Chuck as Kenji grabbed him by the shoulder to pull him back. "Listen I don't want to be here I won't lie, but I gave my word so come on and follow me or lead me or whatever we just need to go."

"Move," said Kenji as he shoved Chuck.

"You know I think you were absent at school the day they covered the lesson on good manners. I think I just saved you and your girlfriend."

"She's my boss," said Kenji as they climbed out of the hold. Not exactly a denial more a stating of fact thought Chuck and he definitely struck a nerve. When they got out lights were flickering in the cabin and emergency bells were sounding from the flight cabin.

"I don't suppose you can fly a plane too," asked Nee-san. Chuck looked over at Jill and she gave him a thumbs up.

"Let me see what I can do," said Chuck as he and Nee-san went into the cockpit. One of the MiGs had strafed the cockpit killing the co-pilot and wounding the pilot. Chuck pulled the dead man out of the seat and then sat down and flashed. He took the yoke and gave the plane more power to steady them out then he turned off the warning alarms stabilizing the situation.

"Nee-san you need to get Kenji up here, he needs to take your pilot back to a medic. That wound needs to be looked at or he'll bleed out soon. We've lost cabin pressure so we're going to have to maintain at 8,000 feet. Good news they missed the fuel tanks so unless we spring a leak we should be fine. All I need from you is a destination heading if you want me to fly this thing."

"Just keep us flying straight maintaining the previous course and don't get cocky. Just because you pulled this off doesn't mean I owe you anything. You did this also to save yourself."

"You are a little miss sunshine aren't you? You know you and Kenji would make the perfect couple."

"Shut up and fly."

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The General was about to scramble a couple of F-16s from Guam when the plane entered Japanese air space. Before she could contact the George Washington or have some assets fly down from Atsugi she got a call from the Secretary of State. The Japanese government had been made aware of the DC-7s incursion into their air space and according to the status of forces agreement they claimed the right to bring the plane down.

"What do they mean bring the plane down?" said Sarah as Casey held her back. "Do they know we have one of our own on board?"

"I don't like this anymore than you do but the Japanese are saying that the people on board are part of an organized crime syndicate. They assured the State Department they would do everything in their power to make sure nothing happens to Chuck."

"Can we trust them," said Morgan. "I mean that's the bottom line but if they had planned to fly to Japan don't you think they'd figured out that they'd get caught. I mean if this person is like you Sarah what would you do? You need to start thinking like her."

"You know for once the bearded wonder isn't wrong," said Casey. "If you two are cut from the same mold so to speak you should be able to think like her."

"Come guys, this is Sarah we're talking about she's not the same. She's not a cold heartless assassin like this woman." Everyone looked at her Ellie.

"Look alive I've got ground control communicating with two JSDF F-15s that have been ordered to intercept."

"Two what?" asked Ellie. Morgan was thinking the same thing but he didn't want Casey to have the pleasure of calling him an idiot again.

"The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, they a part of the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II," explained Beckman.

"What are they doing? General you've got to…" before anyone could do or say anything one of the F-15s radiated fired control radars then shot the DC-7 down. The whole plane went up in a huge fireball spreading fiery debris over the ocean.

"No, no, no, this can't be," said Sarah. "General no… you… I'm sorry I've got to get out of here I can't stay here I can't."

"Sarah wait," said Ellie as she ran after her but Sarah wasn't waiting. "Sarah, where are you going? Stop! Hold up! Sarah, think about what you're doing."

"I can't Ellie I've got to keep moving or I won't be able to breath." She made it out in the parking lot where she collapsed falling on her knees crying. Ellie stood next to her and as they looked up they saw a falling star. Sarah got up and dried her tears.

"Sarah is there something you want me to do. When need to organize something for your, our friends and family then you can come and stay with us if you like."

"No we aren't going to do anything like that. I need for you to watch Sam for me take her with you to Chicago."

"What are you going to do? Where are you going?" asked Ellie. The look on Sarah's face frightened her it was cold and detached.

"I'm going to Japan and make someone pay."