Don't own Chuck

Marco was watching Mišović flailing around cursing and ranting but nothing was working. His super technological system had not only crashed but seemed to have gone belly up on him. He couldn't help but wonder what Chuck had done and how this fitted into his plan. For that was what this was Chuck's plan there could be no denying it. Marco could feel himself moving closer to being able to go home finally but what happened next there was no way he could have expected or predicted. There was a knock at the door then Juri and Sarah walk in. He had to hand it to Chuck he had stones.

"You did this and you. I'm going to ruin your house. I'm going to tear it down stone by stone. I'm going to…"

"Can you hold off the threats and catch your breath before you bust a gasket," said Chuck as he took off the disguise. "You don't even know which house I work for. The name is Carmichael, Charles Carmichael and you started this by coming after my wife and her father."

"I'm going to bring your country and the Russians down. I'm going to tell the FSB if they want to save their skin they'll have to nail yours to the wall."

"I hear your threat," said Chuck. "But you don't have anything to back it up now you're a toothless, clawless tiger. You might as well be a housecat. You see the problem was everyone was so concerned in how to take out all your vaults at once that they lost the big picture and I believe you did too. You see the solution was simple. I don't have to break into any of your vaults."

"What are you talking about? Who's toothless?"

"And there you go. You see the solution was right in front of everyone's nose. How many vaults are you in contact with right now?" asked Chuck as he paused making Mišović even madder. "You don't have to lie I know, none. I introduced a Trojan horse in your system a neurolytic pathogen if you like. You see your system was built like a hive with the queen computer if you like being this one, yours. Naturally you saw yourself as some sort of king."

"I'm going to enjoy killing you."

"There we go with the threats again. But do you see the solution? I isolated it, the queen, breaking up the hive. They no longer function as a collective. When you went down to the vault I took your retinal scan and password then I changed both. Your system no longer recognizes you. In other words you're lock out of your own system you've been dethroned."

"I still have the vault down below."

"Do you?" The building shook from an explosion on one side then there was another explosion on the other. It felt like the whole building sank into the ground about a floor. "I believe the foundations were just ruptured with silt, black water and somehow acid being released through a fault from the septic tank next to the vault. You know by the time you get a team in there everything will be gone. The only thing you'll find is black slush."

"I ought to have killed you when I had the chance," said Mišović as he growled.

"Yes you probably should've and by the way I took back my three million with a little extra. I'm willing to give you your money back if you forget about my wife and her father. I'll give you until this evening to decide," said Chuck as he tossed Mišović a burner phone. "Call me with your decision otherwise you need to find a new profession."

"Dejan if this means anything I'm sorry," said Sarah. "I truly am. Your mother was a fine woman and she didn't deserve… well she deserved better."

"Like I said Mišović forget about mine and I'll give you your money back." They turned to walk out when they heard a click, click sound behind them.

"Dejan, didn't your gun feel a little light. You know you should check your weapon to make sure it's loaded," said Marco. He walked out of the office with Chuck hearing Mišović go into a tirade behind them throwing things and cursing even louder.

"I don't suppose you'll tell us where all those vaults are, will you," said Marco as they walked out of the building then onto a waiting water taxi.

"I have no idea where they all are just that now they're sealed forever. I'm sure our agencies can work together tracing all the IP addresses to areas where the vaults are located but my recommendation is to let sleeping dogs lie. When you get home give Stefan our best wishes."

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Mišović picked up the phone and dialed a number. Already people were clearing out of the bank like rats abandoning a sinking ship. He waited on line looking out the window watching water taxis stop, pickup then leave with his former employees. Even his security people were abandoning their posts. There was nothing left to secure and no prospects of being paid so why run the risk. Finally a man came on the line Mišović put it on speaker so he could look down at the rats leaving.

"News is already out about your set back," said the man on the line. "I'm surprised you have the courage to call this number."

"I want the hit put back on and I want to add Charles Carmichael to be placed at the top. He's responsible for this I want him dead."

"I hear what you're saying but you don't have any way of paying for the contract. But I know a friend of a friend who has a mechanic. I can put the two of you in touch but you'll have to go see him."

"I'll meet him in hell if that's what it takes. I'll sell all my holdings to pay for it I just want it taken care of and now."

"Well if that's what you want you need to go to the Giudecca at midnight. Come alone or he won't show himself.

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Chuck and Sarah escorted Marco to the Russian consulate. They could see the light come back on in his eyes as they got close. They couldn't understand what he must be feeling to finally be able to go home. Maybe Mary could but seeing Marco's reaction and elation it made Chuck feel that much closer to his mother knowing what she had sacrificed and gone through.

"Marco, tell Stefan to treat you right or I'll come knocking on his door. I've been to Lubyanka square before you know and I'm not afraid to go back. Besides I like the shopping on the other side."

"You know you two are about the strangest American spies I've met and in a good way," Marco said as he laughed. "I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot but I'm going home thanks to you."

"We worked well together my friend and I," said Chuck as Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. "We won't forget you. Who knows we might meet each other again."

"I'd like that maybe I'll get a chance to interrogate you next time," said Marco as Chuck gave him a look. "Just joking. I'd like that but after this mission I'm looking forward to a long period of rest at home."

"And well deserved." They parted at the front gate. Chuck and Sarah waited for Marco to enter then watched all the commotion his walking in caused before they turned around. They caught the waiting water taxi to the mainland to meet up with the rest of the team before heading back to Montenegro.

"Was that remark about sleeping dogs aimed at me?" asked Sarah as she offered Chuck her hand. They went topside as the boat navigated the lagoon. She loved the feel of the wind in her hair and the smell of the salt air. Chuck just loved being with her.

"I don't know maybe both. Maybe just an acceptance that we all have a past and that's just what it is a past then we move forward. I never asked you how your talk with your father went."

"We're a work in progress but I took some of your advice. I told him I won't let him go. You didn't let me go so I won't either. I feel sorry for Mišović because I don't think his mother's death was completely our fault. That is if you can believe Jack but on this I think I can."

"What did he say?"

"According to Jack he returned the money to the Mišović's grandfather then we left Chicago. I believe Jack because I remember leaving in a hurry and we didn't have that much money. I recall because Jack had to scrap together the fair to get back to granny's and when we got there he asked her for a loan. She told him no and that he wasn't welcomed around anymore."

"That was how the story with the piggy bank started wasn't it? Come here," said Chuck as he wrapped his arm around her. "You're cold let's go back down below."

"No I want to watch the sunset first on the lagoon," said Sarah as she kissed him.

"Then you need to put this on," said Chuck as he wrapped his jacket around her. "There's a surprise in the inside pocket for you."

"What is it," she asked as she put her hand inside and pulled out Bunny. "How'd you get him out? I thought he was gone forever."

"Marco palmed him when they were down in the vault. He told me it was either him or a shovel and the shovel wouldn't fit under his jacket."

"A shovel? What'd he mean?"

"I don't know he's Russian remember. I was just happy he could get Bunny out for you. But going back to what you were saying. Why did Mišović's grandfather let you guys walk away? It would've been easier just to kill you then and there. It just doesn't make sense or maybe it does."

"Chuck you've got that look again that says you've figured it out," said Sarah as the sun was going down. "What have you understood?

"We need to get back to the Merchant's bank now," said Chuck. "Driver we need to change course right away and on the double."

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Mišović was leaving his bank for the last time looking back on a business his father had built from the ground up now lost and thanks to one man. But after his appointment in the Giudecca he'd get his revenge then what happened to him afterwards didn't matter. His satisfaction would be knowing he set the wheels in motion. He walked the pavement stones outside going over to where? His boat was gone along with his captain, which meant he was on foot

"Dejan come here," yelled a voice from a water taxi. "I need to talk to you."

"Jesus, what the hell do you want? Rub my nose in it." It was Carmichael with his wife waving for him to come over. "You've got some nerve," he said, "after everything you've done to me to show up here like this. I wish I had a gun."

"Listen we need to talk and in calm. Come down below and hear me out then you can go. I just need ten minutes and I know you'll want to hear what we have to say. What do you have to lose?"

"Considering you took everything, nothing," said Mišović, "ten minutes and not a minute more. I have an appointment to get to."

"That could be cutting it close but okay. You see Sarah and I were talking about what happened. Love tell him."

"Well I asked my father what happened and he said he gave the money back to your old man," said Sarah. "I know we didn't have any money when we left."

"He didn't give it back to the family because I would've known about it and I don't know if it would've made a difference with my father any way."

"But what if Jack did give the money back but we just didn't understand what he meant by old man. If you remember Ševo calls me sin od stric, the son of my uncle. What if Jack gave the money back to someone who said he was your grandfather like…"

"The uncle of my brother who suddenly became the next in line to run the zadruga after my father was exiled. He bought us first class tickets and paid for our first year's living the SOB with my mother's money." With the revelation Mišović flopped down in his seat.

"Here I think you need this," said Chuck as he passed him a drink. "Like I said before you forget about my wife and her father and I'll give you your money back."

"I don't want it. It's ruined me maybe you can put it to better use. Keep it; you can keep your pound of flesh… No I don't want any."

"Dejan, I know you're supposed to meet a man in the Giudecca this evening but the outcome isn't what you think it will be. Here take this and hand the man this money," said Chuck as he handed some U.S. currency to Dejan and he counted it an old banker's habit.

"Seventy-five dollars what's he supposed to do with this?"

"Don't worry about it; he'll know it's from me that's all that matters. Goodbye Dejan and you should really invest in some anger management classes. Good assistants are hard to come by.

"Goodbye," said Sarah as she kissed him on the cheeks. "I am truly sorry about everything."

"I was jealous of you. That was the truth, you made my mother happy and you two shared so much. My father taught me men don't show emotions, to be a man was to be tough that was our way and our nature. I just wished I'd told my mother I loved her once. I would give anything to feel her caress one last time. I used to pretend to be asleep so I could feel her tuck me in then give me a goodnight kiss… Well I need to go," said Dejan as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"What are you going to do now? I mean after your meeting."

"I don't know I just know it won't be what I was doing this tomorrow morning. Goodbye Chuck, may I call you Chuck. This has certainly been one crazy ride."

The water taxi pulled away, heading back out now in the dark towards the mainland and to meet up with the rest of the team. Dejan quickly vanished in the darkness, swallowed up and gone.

"What do you think is going to happen to him," asked Sarah as she played with Bunny's ears. She had forgotten how soft he was and cuddly like Chuck.

"Truth, he won't see the sunrise and he knows it. Without his secrets to protect him he's a dead man walking both agencies will have a kill order out on him by now."

"You're right. You know I've been thinking I'd like to give Bunny to Sam. What do you think?" asked Sarah seeing a certain perplexed look on Chuck's face. "I can understand if you say no considering everything maybe it's not such a good idea."

"No I didn't say it was a bad idea but well… how to I say this without being offensive."

"Chuck just spit it out. You don't have to candy coat it for me. Tell me it was a stupid idea and forget it," she said as she tossed the dog aside.

"No, don't do that," said Chuck as he retrieved poor Bunny. "Poor thing," said Chuck as he started to caress it. She watched him acting like a kid. "Love, how is Sam supposed to play with a dog named Bunny and a… well Mr. Rabbit who's a bunny. But she'll love it the same way she loves any and everything you do for her. When she's old she can pass Bunny and Mr. Rabbit down to her children and tell them unclassified stories about her crazy family."

"So tell me granddad how many grandchildren will we have? And what will our roles be as grandparents? I'm not going to shoot Sam like your mother did you? But I would probably hurt her husband if he didn't treat her right."

"By the time she comes home and says her boyfriend proposed I believe we'll have him fully vetted."

"And if he doesn't meet the muster there'll be a shovel in the garage. I love you grandpa."

"I love you to granny," said Chuck as they kissed.

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Casey was marching up and down the shoreline waiting for them looking down at his watch. They were already a half an hour late. The General had arranged for a charter helo to run them all back to Montenegro and Casey was feeling lucky. He was already going through different scenarios in his head where he broke the bank and became the proud owner of a fleet of Crown Vics. Finally they heard the sound of a boat pulling up. Chuck came topside first fixing his tie then he helped Sarah off who had to adjust her clothes.

"Yuck I should've known," said Casey as he went over to yell at them. "Will you two stop… well you know what you need to stop doing and hurry up we need to get in the air."

"We missed you too Big Guy. I wanted to thank Margo's guys where are they?" asked Chuck not seeing anyone around.

"Too late they had do go they got recalled back to the station to make a report. The General got called by the State Department. The Secretary of State was visited by the Russian ambassador who was called by…"

"We get the idea John," said Sarah interrupting the string of who called whom. "We've got a good idea why and what the result was. But where's Morgan and Alex at?"

"I left them in the chopper so he wouldn't leave us. Come on lady luck is waiting for me," said John. Chuck looked over at Sarah but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"John, you do remember Somalia?" asked Chuck. "Do you think that's such a good idea? I don't want to be negative but…"

"Then don't jinx me and shut up," said Casey as he opened the chopper's side door to find Morgan and Alex making out in the back. "Yuck what is it with this place? It there some sort of gas from the lagoon that turns couples into bunnies or something. Morgan, eyes front and hands by your side soldier or we test gravity over the Adriatic."

They all piled in getting themselves situated. Then just before they took off Chuck checked Sarah's harness kissing her afterwards.

"Bartowski, that goes for you too now sit down.

"John first of all we're married so what I do with my wife is really none of your concern and secondly how long has it been since you've been with Kate or Gertrude, evidently too long."

"You aren't cheating on Mom are you," said Alex sounding like one of those little dogs growling at a big dog making itself sound fierce.

"I don't know what Chuck's talking about except that it's a long way down. And besides I couldn't see her even if I wanted to, she's been gone out of town for a while. She's on some gig protecting an …" Casey paused.

"Go on she's been protecting a what?"

"Okay the guy is an energy consultant." Everyone in the helicopter broke out laughing except Casey. "Go ahead have a good laugh see if I care."

The chopper flew across the Adriatic and landed near the Marina in Kotor where Margo with a team of her men was waiting.

"Everyone except Chuck and Sarah in the chase vehicle," barked Margo. Casey was about to ask Chuck what he did in her Wheaties but Chuck shook his head. "I want you two in my car." When they got in they found Mike was driving.

"Margo what's the matter," asked Sarah but she already had a good idea what it was especially when they caught the look on Mike's face. "Listen we can explain."

"I hope you can," she said as she tossed Chuck an early morning edition of the Veneto Gazette. Circled in red was the cover story.

'Noted Banker and Financier found dead late last night floating in a canal inside the Giudecca. Police have ruled it a suicide, as the current economic crisis takes another victim….' That was all Chuck wanted to read. He folded the paper then tossed it back.

"So what do you want to know and do you really want to know?"

"My God Chuck is my son… Is your sister, Sarah… Are they murders? Chuck this is too much. I'm sorry but this is way beyond the line. Hell it's so far beyond that you can't even see the line anymore."

"Margo you're spiraling," said Sarah. "Do you think we'd let them get involved? No they aren't because we intercepted the hitman and turned off the contract."

"That's right he even texted them telling them he wasn't able to fulfill the agreement and terminated it. You think we'd want them to have to live with something like this. They didn't even know the name of the man they wanted terminated with prejudice." Both Sarah and Margo gave him a look. "I'm sorry I didn't like the other word choices. Listen all they need to know is everything is over and the bad man changed his mind which is true."

"The General wants a full report and she says you owe her two buckets of oysters, a bottle of Dom Pérignon and a moonrise."

"I've agreed to the oysters but the bottle was a Prosecco and I don't control the moon."

"Just give it to her," said Sarah as she reached over and took his hands then leaned in kissing him resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'd give you the moon."