Chuck Versus the 42
by: Sam Lincoln
Disclaimer: The characters of Chuck and Alias both belong to their respective rights holders and I make no claim of ownership on either
Summary: The Ring steals information, Chuck has a flash, and who is Sydney Bristow and how is she involved?
Spoilers: This story takes place after the events of Alias and during season 3 of Chuck, in between Chuck Versus the Honeymooners and Chuck Versus the Tooth
Act 5:
-Castle
Chuck dropped a large stack of papers on the conference table. "Another set of intercepts hot off the press from Langley." He picked up a printout from the top of the pile.
"This is so beneath me," Casey said as he shut one folder and reached for another.
"I'm sorry if looking for my wife doesn't agree with you Colonel," Vaughn said.
"That ain't what I mean," Casey said. "This, I'm not cut out for this stuff." He shook the folder he was holding. "Give me an informant to shake down, a prisoner to squeeze, a third world government to topple. I can do that, just sitting around on our butts reading." Casey shivered in disgust. "Hey Walker, how about I take Agent Vaughn here and we go knock some heads together and see what falls loose?"
"Casey we don't even know where to start looking. You can't go running around beating up random people just because."
"Why not? I think it would do Agent Vaughn some good."
"I'm fine, thank-you," Vaughn said.
"Guys, guys. I think I might have something here," Chuck said. He waved the piece of paper he had been reading in the air.
"What is it Chuck?" Sarah asked.
"This intercept, it says the Passenger is at the bank. Now we know the Passenger is Sydney, so the only question is where's the bank? And I think I know that too." Chuck stood up and typed in set of coordinates on the computer.
"Credit Dauphine?" Vaughn asked. "But that's…"
Chuck held up a hand to interrupt Vaughn. "SD-6, I know. The CIA blew it up, but who's to say the Ring didn't come along and spruce the place up after? It's the last place anyone would look for a secret organization after all.
"Great so we load up, go in there, and get Agent Bristow back," Casey said.
"It won't be that easy," Vaughn said. "SD-6 was an impenetrable fortress, there's no way we could get in there undetected."
"But you did it once before," Chuck said. "When you took down their base the first time."
"That was with a full-fledged assault team, and we had Sydney on the inside to assist," Vaughn said.
"You're forgetting something Agent Vaughn," Chuck said. "Back then you didn't have an Intersect." He walked over to the conference table and picked up the file folder on SD-6. He stared at the first page and let the Intersect take over. Blueprints and floor layouts flooded his mind and he dropped the folder. "Whoa, that was, okay. There's an emergency exit to the SD-6 facility through the bank vault in Credit Dauphine. All we have to do is get into the vault and we can rescue Sydney."
"That's not going to be something I'll ever get used to seeing," Vaughn said as he stared at Chuck in disbelief.
"You and me both," Casey said.
"So how do we get into the bank vault?" Sarah asked.
"Actually, I have an idea about that," Vaughn said.
Dressed in coveralls Chuck and Sarah walked into the lobby of Credit Dauphine. They were followed by Casey who was dressed as a construction worker and Vaughn who was wearing a business suit and carried a brief case
"Credit Dauphine is very selective about its clients," Vaughn said to the rest of the team. They stood around the conference table with the floor layout of Credit Dauphine stretched out between them. "We can't just walk in posing as new customers and get bank vault access. Which means our only alternative is to rob the bank."
"Oh boy, bank robbery, my favorite," Chuck said.
Chuck watched as a security guard made his way over to where he and Sarah were standing. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Casey and Vaughn creep around the edge of the room. The guard came to a stop in front of Chuck and Sarah and held a hand out to them.
"Stop right there," the guard said. "Can I have a look in your bags?"
"Oh you mean this bag?" Chuck asked as he held up the duffel he was carrying. The guard took the bag from Chuck and unzipped it to look inside. "I wouldn't drop that if I were you," Chuck said. "Explosives can be very touchy." The guard looked up from the blinking lights of detonators attached to blocks of C4 and saw that the CIA agents had pulled on balaclavas to hide their faces.
"The first thing we'll need to do is pacify the building's security," Vaughn said to the team. "Sydney and I once ran an operation where we coopted a bank's guards with explosives."
"Okay everybody listen up!" Chuck yelled as he brandished his tranquilizer gun. "This is a robbery. Nobody be a hero or we are all going to be smears on the sides of the walls." Casey and Vaughn drew their guns and aimed them at the bank tellers. Chuck pressed his tranq gun to the head of the guard for added emphasis.
"Which one of you is the manager?" Sarah asked. A balding man dressed in a charcoal gray suit held up his hand. "Get us into the vault.
The manager nodded and the four agents pushed their way behind the teller line. "The, the vault's this way," the manager said as he pointed over his shoulder.
Chuck grabbed the duffel bag of explosives out of the hands of the guard. "You stay here." He aimed his gun at the manager. "Vault now." Casey grabbed the manager, spun him around and shoved him in the direction of the vault.
Vaughn pointed his submachine gun at the crowd. "Anybody who wants to leave, now would be a good time." He raised the gun and fired a burst into the ceiling sending the bank customers scattering.
When they reached the vault Casey shoved the manager back towards the lobby. "Okay you've done your part, now get out of here."
"But don't you need me as a hostage?" The manager asked.
"Why, you volunteering?" Casey asked. The manager shook his head and staggered back to the bank's lobby. "That's what I thought. Okay Bartowski now what?"
Chuck looked around the room. "Now we want to close the vault so nobody follows us." In the background they started to hear the wail of police sirens. "And to slow down the cops."
"How do we get into the base Chuck?" Vaughn asked.
"Okay okay, hold on. I remember this," Chuck said. He stared at the wall of safe deposit boxes and felt the Intersect take hold of his mind. When he opened his eyes Chuck confidently pushed on a series of boxes then took a step back.
"So what happens now?" Casey asked.
A confused look crossed Chuck's face. "But, that's what the Intersect said to do. Pushing those boxes would open the door."
"Well I don't see a door opening, do you? Maybe you screwed something up."
"No, no, no, no, no I did everything the way the Intersect said to."
"That's why we brought Plan B," Casey said as he snatched the duffel filled with explosives off of the ground. Before Casey could start planting charges, a panel in the floor slid back reveling a staircase leading down into darkness.
"Good work Chuck," Sarah said before she descended the stairs. Chuck flashed Casey a grin before following Sarah. Casey rolled his eyes and closed the duffel as he waited for Vaughn to make his way into SD-6 before walking into the abandoned base.
At the bottom of the stairs the team found themselves in a darkened office. Sarah walked over to the office door and slowly eased it open. She looked up and down the hallway, and when she saw no sign of any guards she motioned for the others to follow her.
"This place gives me the creeps," Chuck said as they walked past a blast-damaged section of wall.
"It wasn't much better before we blew this place up," Vaughn said.
"Vaughn you're the SD-6 expert, do you have any idea where they might be keeping Sydney?" Sarah asked.
"Probably the interrogation rooms, which are this way," Vaughn said. He turned and walked down a side hall.
As they walked, Chuck fell into step with Sarah leaving Casey and Vaughn to take point. "Can you imagine, all the people who worked here? They thought they were working for the CIA, the good guys, but they were all being used by the Alliance of Twelve; that's just horrifying."
"It was also an efficient way to recruit the best and brightest," Sarah said. "People who wouldn't normally work for terrorists would jump at the chance to serve their country. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have a plan to recruit you."
Chuck came to a stop. "Me?"
"Sure, the CIA was grooming you at Stanford after all, and if the CIA knew about you it's a safe bet SD-6 did as well. You owe Sydney and Vaughn a thank-you for destroying them before they could try."
"Quiet, both of you," Casey said. He pointed down the hallway where a light flickered and the shadow of a man was visible.
Sarah reached into her boot for a knife, but Chuck stopped her by resting a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you let me handle this one honey," he said and waved his tranq gun.
"Just don't trip over your own feet Chuck," Casey said.
Chuck nodded his understanding and crept down the hall. He came to a stop when the source of the shadow, a man dressed in black body armor, came into sight. Chuck closed his eyes and let the Intersect take over, filling his mind with information on marksmanship. A faint smile played across his face as he raised the gun and fired a dart at the guard. The dart caught the guard in the throat and he staggered backwards and fell to the ground. Chuck turned around and flashed the rest of the group a smirk that faded as shouts of alarm filtered down the hallway.
"Nice going moron," Casey said as he rushed past Chuck. "You just alerted the bad guys. Now find some cover before you get filled with holes."
"But Casey, I didn't do anything wrong, I only did what Sarah would've done. Sarah, tell Casey."
Sarah rested a hand on Chuck's shoulder. "It's okay Chuck, it happens, but do as Casey says and don't get shot, okay?"
"Right, don't get shot, I can do that," Chuck said. He looked up and saw a small group of five armed men enter the hallway. He grabbed Sarah by the arms and dragged down the hall as a hail of bullets flew past them. Chuck peered around the corner and saw that Casey and Vaughn had also managed to find cover. Vaughn was in the hallway across from them and Casey had ducked into an office. Chuck looked up as Sarah. "Don't worry, I got this."
"Chuck wait," Sarah started to say as Chuck rolled out into the hallway. He fired five shots in quick succession. Each shot found its mark and the guards dropped to the floor.
"That was the Intersect right?" Vaughn asked.
"The Intersect and many, many, many hours of Duck Hunt," Chuck said as he picked himself up off the ground and holstered his gun.
"I'm just surprised Bartowski didn't shoot himself in the foot," Casey said.
"Oh ha-ha very funny. I'll have you know I haven't done that in months," Chuck said.
"We need to keep moving," Sarah said.
"Seriously, we can't just take a moment to admire how cool that was?" Chuck asked. "Maybe take a picture to remember?" In response the rest of the team walked into the lit hallway. "Okay right, time is of the essence," he said to himself before following the others deeper into the former SD-6 base of operations.
They ran down the hallway gunning down guards as they got in their way. When they reached a heavy iron door Vaughn held up a hand for them to stop. "This is the place."
Casey and Sarah each stood on one side of the door while Vaughn pushed it open. Inside they found Sydney strapped to a chair in front of a large video monitor. A pair of technicians stood up and backed against the wall when they saw the array of guns aimed at them. "If you're smart you won't move," Casey said.
"Sydney, Sydney are you all right?" Vaughn asked as he rushed over to his wife's side.
"They were going to implant an Intersect in her," Chuck said as he examined the equipment in the room.
Sarah walked over to where Chuck was standing. "They can do that?"
"They probably got the technology from the remnants of Fulcrum," Chuck said.
"But I thought you were the only person who could handle the Intersect?"
"My dad must have fixed that problem when designing the Intersect 2.0," Chuck said. "Guys we cannot let them keep this technology."
"Good thing I have the solution for that," Casey said. He dropped the duffel to the ground and started to place C4 charges around the room. "You two better start running," he said to the technicians.
"How are you feeling Syd?" Vaughn asked as he helped Sydney out of the chair. "They didn't zap you already did they?"
Sydney shook her head. "No they didn't. Sark was getting ready to though."
"They we got here just in time, good," Chuck said. "Now can we leave before more Ring agents show up?"
"Wait, where's Sark?" Vaughn asked.
"He probably ran at the sound of gunfire," Sydney said. "I'm sure he's long gone by now."
"Damn, I wanted to finish that bastard once and for all," Vaughn said.
"You'll get your chance," Sarah said. "But for now we need to get Sydney to safety."
Vaughn nodded. "Of course, can you walk Syd?"
Sydney gave Vaughn a withering glare. "Of course I can." She pushed herself away from Vaughn and stood under her own power.
"So Sydney, do you happen to know any other ways out of SD-6?" Chuck asked. "We can't use the bank because we are currently, well, robbing it."
Sydney looked between Chuck and Vaughn in disbelief. "You're robbing Credit Dauphine?"
"It was the quickest way to get to you Syd. We can critique the plan later. Now though…"
"Now you are going to lower your weapons and raise your hands over your heads," Sark said. The team turned around and saw Sark, along with a squad of guards standing in the doorway. "I have to say Vaughn I am impressed. Faking a bank robbery is very clever. It's just too bad your didn't bring a few more men." He turned and started to walk out the door. "The Ring wanted Sydney to be its Intersect agent, but they'll understand if I tell them that didn't work out." He paused and faced the group. An evil smile played across his face. "Besides, there's always Plan B, even if it will take a few years before she is ready."
"You son of a bitch, you stay the hell away from my daughter!" Sydney said. She took a step towards Sark, but Vaughn held her back.
"Tough talk Sydney, considering I have more guns."
"But we have something you don't," Casey said as he held up the C4 detonator. "Let us go or we all go boom."
"You're bluffing," Sark said with a slight stammer.
"Do you really want to test me? I'm not about to let the Ring keep the Intersect. I alway figured I would die protecting this great country I love so why not now?"
Sark and the guards took a step back from Casey. That created an opening for Chuck and the others to rush the guard. Sydney dropped Sark with a right hook to his jaw. Sarah and Vaughn disarmed two of the guards and opened fire on the other Ring operatives.
The commotion roused Sark and he looked around before scurrying out of the room. Sydney made a move to stop him, but one of the Ring agents tackled her and by the time she fought him off Sark was nowhere to be seen.
"Sydney," Chuck yelled. "We have to get out of here!"
Sydney gave up her search for Sark and nodded at Chuck. "This way, there's an emergency exit to street level."
The group followed Sydney as she lead them out of the abandoned base. She came to a stop at an apparent dead end. Sydney pushed on a hidden panel and a door built into the wall slid open revealing a ladder.
"This wasn't in the Intersect," Chuck said.
"You really think a man like Arvin Sloane would commit every secret to a set of blueprints?" Sydney asked. "This was the escape hatch for the SD-6 leadership. My dad told me about it once just in case."
"That really is quite fascinating," Casey said. "But could we please get the hell out of here?" He brushed past Sydney and started to climb the ladder.
"He gets testy if he doesn't have his nap," Chuck said to Sydney.
"I heard that Bartowski!" Casey said from above.
When Casey reached the top of the ladder he pushed aside a manhole cover and clambered out onto an alleyway across the street from Credit Dauphine. He reached down and helped the others out of the escape route as they reached the top of the ladder. When Sydney clambered out of the manhole he handed her the C4 detonator.
"What's this for?" Sydney asked.
"I figured you'd want to be the person to blow that place to hell and gone," Casey said.
"That's very thoughtful of you Colonel Casey," Sydney said before depressing the trigger on the remote. They could feel in the distance a series of thumps and a wisp of smoke trickled out of the manhole. "And good riddance," Sydney said.
Chuck looked around at the bevy of police cars lining the streets. "We should probably get back to Castle before any of the police realize the bank robbers are now outside the bank." The other members of the team nodded and they quickly melted into the crowd.
Author's Note: I wanted this to be like a mission sequence in Alias, but that's really hard to do as text. Just one act left. I'll get it posted at some point before the end of month. Thanks to all you kind people who've read this little piece.
-sam