Chapter 22: Connecting the DOTS

Chuck and Casey entered the courtyard and Chuck made a mad dash to Casey's apartment. Casey's eyes widened and he chased him. He nearly tackled Chuck into the fountain and dragged him by the collar to his own doorstep.

"Are you crazy! What the heck are you doing, Bartowski?" He seethed. "We can't go in there!"

Chuck shrugged him off. "I wanted to prove that … oh … oh … I get it! You might see yourself and it will cause a cosmic reaction that blows up the universe." Chuck paced, scratched his curls, and rambled theories.

"That's only if you hold to the faulty theory from the movie Timecop, that the same matter cannot occupy the same space. because there'd be real problems and your past and future self would melt into each other and I would not want to see that! Besides, you're not exactly the same matter as Casey in the apartment now. Days went by, blood was spilled, did you gain weight? Because those clothes don't fit. They're totally not your style and …"

Chuck turned and saw his blinds sway. Casey had already climbed into his room. Chuck went in after him. Casey sat hunched over the edge of his bed, his wound still dripped blood through his fingers. He weakly raised a hand.

"Chuck, stop talking and get me gauze, peroxide, alcohol, and four painkillers! We can't waste time!"

Chuck ran to the door. "On it! It's all in the bathroom … wait … wait …" Laughter drifted from the kitchen and Chuck grabbed his mouth.

"Oh damn! I forgot Ellie and Devon are home. They won't leave until about eleven!"

Casey spied the alarm clock; it was just near ten o'clock.

"Chuck, I'm gonna bleed to death! Do something! Get them out."

Casey stumbled to Chuck's closet. He rummaged through it for Chuck's tool kit.

"Hey! Watch the wardrobe! You're bleeding all over my duds."

"Duds are right!" Casey found what he was looking for, and pulled out needle-nosed pliers.

"That'll have to do, I gotta get this bullet out!"

"You might want to sterilize it."

Casey growled and Chuck ran out of the room. He opened the door again and waved at Casey to make a break for the bathroom. Once Casey was safely inside, Chuck skipped to the kitchen with a big smile and whipped out his wallet.

"How are my favorite … newly … uh … engaged … my two favorite people!"

Ellie kissed his cheek than shrank back and wrinkled her nose. "Hi, Chuck! I didn't see you this morning? Oh wow! You stink! You're covered in soot! Is that gasoline?"

Chuck felt his damp clothes. "Uhh, yeah! I uhh, ya know, that stupid Nerd Herd was giving me major problems, I went to pour in my own gas and whaddya know, I slipped and dropped the whole gallon on myself!"

Ellie observed him suspiciously. "Okay, then please, shower, change your clothes, and don't go near anyone smoking or ovens for the rest of the day."

"Hahaha! I wouldn't anyway ya know, second-hand smoke, my lungs … ughh. Hey! Hey! I was thinking, I know how hard you two work at the hospital. You never have time together. I want you to take this and go have breakfast on me!"

Devon took the twenty from his hand and shrugged at Ellie. "Thanks, dude! Why not, babe? We got time."

Ellie held her hip and felt Chuck's forehead. "Chuck, are you okay? You're burning up! Let me get the thermometer." Ellie started to the bathroom.

Chuck looked alarmed and did the first thing that came to mind. He broke into song.

"My baby don't mess around cuz she loves me so and this I know for sure … HeyyyyYaaaaa! Heyyyyaaaaa!" He bellowed, covering over Casey's shouts of pain from the bathroom. He dropped to the floor with crazy break dancing. "Here we go! Uhhh! Uhhh! Shake it … shake it! … ooh ooh…shake it … shake it! Shake it like a Polaroid picture! Get on the floor … you know what to do … you know what to do!"

He laughed aloud, overhearing the sink finally shut. He twirled Ellie and pulled on Devon's arm, shoving them to the front door.

"Yaaa yahh, yeah! Don't you love OutKast? I'm thinking of making this my wedding song! The gas fumes must be going to my head … but I'm wonderful! Now go with my blessing! Get out!"

Chuck opened the door and Ellie shook her head. "Okay, okay! Chuck, don't forget to pick up steaks for dinner tonight!" She demanded as he shut the door in her face. "Get a bunch and you can invite your friends!"

Ellie threw up her hands. "Devon, don't you think he was acting completely strange."

Devon put his arm around Ellie and led her to their car. "Babe, I stopped asking that one a long time ago."

~Oo~

Chuck leaned on the door relieved. He glanced at the phone and at the bathroom.

"This better not be an elaborate hoax!" He called Casey's house.

Casey didn't pick up his house phone and Chuck left a message. "Hi Casey, this is Chuck, I uh … I umm … I just wanted to say … have a happy vacation! Call me back … please … please!"

Casey marched from the bathroom. He'd regained some strength.

"Who did you just call?"

Chuck put his hands up. "I called you! Casey, you're expecting me to believe something that's totally crazy! And you didn't answer the phone!"

"Oh I see, and having all the secrets of the United States Government downloaded into your brain isn't crazy? Believe me, Chuck, I came from the future!"

The phone rang and Chuck attempted to pick up. Casey grabbed his arm.

"No! Let it go off. That's Morgan, he's gonna babble about being desperate for your leadership skills, the assistant manager's position, working for Tang's a nightmare, and Lester exhausting him. And he's gonna remind you about those damn steaks! God, I could go for one right now! I need protein and iron!"

Casey dropped his arm and rushed to the bedroom. He rifled through Chuck's dresser and grabbed a clean tee-shirt. He glanced at the console as an afterthought and tore off a piece of notepaper. He grabbed a red pen and scribbled, 'SAVE THEM,' and left it taped to the top of the monitor. He ran back to the bathroom to finish bandaging the wound.

"Chuck! Hey, it's me. Where are you man? We're getting desperate! Can you please beg Big Mike to give you the Assistant Manager job? PUHLEEZE! We need you and your leadership skills, buddy. Working for Tang was a nightmare, working for Lester was a joke … and exhausting … bailing him out and all that … hellooooooo? Chuckie? Pick up! Oh yeah! That reminds me bro, Ellie wants you to pick up steaks for dinner … hey, am I invited? I tried your cell but it must be dead … okay … guess you're really not home, I'll see ya when you come in … if you come in!"

Chuck sank onto the couch and held his head. Casey's guess was right. He strode to the bathroom; Casey had a rough time getting the bandage to stick so he took over.

"What did I tell you, Chuck? Do you believe me yet?" Casey gritted his teeth as the bandage pressed against the bullet hole. "This isn't working. Get a needle and thick thread, you're gonna sew this shut!"

"But I'm not a doctor."

"I'll guide you! We don't have time!"

Chuck worked as fast as he could, his sewing was haphazard, but it offered Casey some relief. Chuck put extra gauze over it to keep blood from seeping out. He finished up and washed his hands, tossing the pliers in the sink. Casey rushed to the living room.

"I'm sorry about the mess, but time's still wasting."

"Don't worry about it, But I gotta make sure it's gone before Ellie gets home. She'll freak."

"I need to think! Where would Costa put that bomb in the store?" He paced the floor agitated.

"I know, Casey, what about the Nerd Herd? You said it was a major explosion, the Herd is in the center, that would do the most damage wouldn't it?"

"Good thinking, Chuck, let's go! We'll take Lane's pickup."

"Alright! Then we can … "

The phone rang again and Casey halted Chuck from answering.

"You want real proof? Just listen!"

Chuck's eyes widened like saucers as the caller left his message.

"Listen, you nerd, there'd better be a good reason why you're calling me while I'm sleeping in … hello? Chuck? Are you there? Forget it, you're probably at work already."

Chuck's heart pounded. Now he absolutely believed Casey told the truth.

"Casey, that was you, but you're here! I think … I think I need …"

Casey pulled him to the door. "What you need is to come with me to the Buy More! I can't leave you here; Lane and Costa will be looking for you! The only place you're safe is with me! This version of me. Come on!"

~Oo~

John Casey opened his front door to retrieve his mail; he looked past the courtyard and noticed a dirty pickup truck speed away from the front gate. He watched curiously as it raced up the street and made a sharp turn at the corner. He whipped his head toward Chuck's house and then remembered Chuck wasn't home.

"Whatever. Bill, bill, Bartowski's, I won a million bucks? Crap, I gotta subscribe to twenty magazines to get it, Heh! Mail from down the block … DOTS?"

Casey shuffled back inside and examined the plain white envelope. It had no stamp and the contents were handwritten in small, flowery script.

"Hum. No anthrax, no powder, stains, no odor. Ooh, that's sexy perfume … hoorah." He tore open the envelope and found a four-page letter inside.

"What the heck is the Department of Terrorism Surveillance? Oh right, DOTS."

Casey poured his coffee and sat down to read it.