He's done this song and dance before.
Sarah looks at him through the glass of one of Castle's holding sells, arms crossed.
"Bryce..."
"He's a double agent, Sarah. He's Ring."
"Where's your proof, Bryce?" Sarah asks. She's tired. It's been a long day. When one of your team members beats the hell out of your newest team member with a folding chair, in the middle of what is supposed to be their retail cover, the day feels like it lasts forever.
But Bryce is right, he know he is.
Daniel Shaw isn't working for the CIA. Maybe he was once, but he isn't anymore.
Sarah sighs. "Beckman is ready to come here herself and tear you a new one."
"Let her."
Chuck comes into view then, grinning sheepishly at Sarah.
"Hey, you mind if I have a minute with him?"
Sarah looks at him and sighs again. "Okay. But be careful. I don't know how unhinged he is."
"That's okay," Chuck says. "I can handle unhinged Bryce."
Sarah nods and gives Bryce a last look before walking.
Chuck watches her go, and Bryce thinks he's looking longingly (and it's so not a good time to do so), but when Chuck is sure she's out of sight, he opens up the cell door and steps in, squeezing in to sit next to Bryce; their shoulders and arms press against each other.
The door stays open, and Bryce frowns.
"You're not afraid I'll knock you out and walk outta here?"
"Nope," Chuck replies. "You still feel too guilty for getting me kicked out of college, pretending to steel my girlfriend and then putting a computer in my brain."
Bryce grimaces because Chuck is right.
"Shaw was sent here to evaluate our progress," Chuck says.
"I know that," Bryce snaps. "I know why the CIA sent him here."
Chuck looks at him. "He thinks I'm ready to be a real spy. To...to go out on my own on missions. He think I'm good enough."
Bryce closes his eyes. "Chuck...Buddy..."
"And maybe I am ready," Chuck says. "Maybe...maybe it's time for me to...to be...I could be like you. You're such a great spy, and-"
"Haven't we had this conversation?" Bryce asks, bewildered. "You don't wanna be like me. I have no heart. I have no family. All I have is being a spy, and that's not who you are."
"You've got family, Bryce," Chuck says. "I'm family."
Bryce closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall. "This doesn't change the fact that Shaw is a Ring operative."
"Why? Because he's taking an interest in Sarah?" Chuck asks quietly.
"Do you know what a red test is, Chuck?" Bryce asks.
Chuck flashes then, and Bryce waits for him to shake his head out and get his bearings back.
"It's..." Chuck swallows. "It's the last test before being allowed to be a real spy, it's...you have to kill a mark."
Bryce nods. "Yeah. Yeah, that's what a red test is. Shaw's wife was Sarah's red test."
Chuck's eyes widen. "W...what?"
"Shaw is a turncoat," Bryce says slowly, making sure Chuck understands him. "Who is working with the Ring and he wants Sarah dead."
Chuck blinks rapidly and he flashes again on the information. When he snaps back to reality, he's panicked.
"You know, you'd think this agency would be a little more discreet about stuff like this!"
"Here's the deal," Bryce says quietly. He takes a deep breath, clearing his head to come up with a plan. "I'm apologizing to Shaw. You convinced me I'm being nuts, and I didn't find anything. You didn't flash on any of Shaw's information. We go, for now, with whatever he's planning, and when the time is right, when we have the proof we need? We take him down."
Chuck nods.
Agent Bartowski and Agent Larkin have a plan.
"I told Morgan, by the way," Chuck says conversationally. "He saw you beat Shaw with a chair. I couldn't lie to him anymore."
Bryce drops his head into his head. "Great."
"He now thinks you're kind of cool. But I think he still hates you. I mean...y'know..."
"Yeah."
00000
They sit in Chuck's room two weeks later, Bryce having "gotten his head out of his ass" and Chuck having kept his mouth shut. Ellie and Devon are on shift at the hospital, Sarah is out with Shaw (which makes Chuck feel sick) and Morgan is doing inventory at the Buy More, so it's just them, playing video games and eating box after box of delicious Red Vines.
"We're gonna throw up Red Vines," Bryce comments as he smashes his fingers down on his controller.
"At least it'll be a pretty color," Chuck replies, leaning forward.
They both stop when General Beckman's face appears on screen. She stares out at them, unimpressed with the unnaturally red candy hanging from their mouths.
"Agent Larkin. Agent Bartowski. You have a new mission," she says.
"Awesome, when do we leave?" Chuck asks, getting up to pull out his mission bag from under his bed.
"Immediately," Beckman replies. "You'll be heading to Korea within the hour."
Bryce lights up like a Christmas tree. "Fresh Kim-chi?"
Beckman rolls her eyes. "You'll pack at Castle and move out-"
Chuck hops back over. "Well, we've gotta meet up with Sarah, right?"
"This is a two-man operation, and Agent Walker will be staying behind."
Chuck's eyes widen? "No!"
The General tilts her head. "Agent Bartowski?"
Chuck gives a whine and sends a desperate look to Bryce.
"General," Bryce says, getting to his feet, "what Chuck is trying to say is-"
"Shaw knows that Sarah killed his wife for her red test!" Chuck blurts out.
Bryce quite literally smacks himself in the face.
"Agent Bartowski, that is classified information!" General Beckman snaps. "How could you possibly-"
"I have a head full of classified information!" Chuck cries. "Casey is out of town, we can't leave Sarah with no back-up!"
"It isn't possible that Shaw has that information," Beckman says. "Agent Larkin, please get your trainee under control, or-"
"General, the Ring gave Shaw that information," Bryce says. "I followed him on a hunch one night after a mission. He's a Ring operative."
She glares at them both. "You have no proof. Without it, you both just look like a couple of jealous schoolboys. Agent Walker is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. You will be on that plane to Korea in an hour. That is an order."
They look at each other as the screen goes back to their video game, and know that this can only mean trouble.