A/N: Well, here this is, as promised, up sooner rather than later. I know I have been hinting about Charlottesville a lot in previous chapters, and we are finally here. I worry it won't live up to expectations. Also, not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I do have free time this weekend, so posting this is sort of my motivator to write since I have nothing left to post after this, and I don't want to leave you guys hanging. Props to TheJusta for his continuing beta work making sure my timelines and plot points don't get too confusing. Any mistakes are still mine. Me still not owning Chuck applies. Lastly, I continue to love the reviews, although I expected more people to be upset at Chuck leaving Sarah last chapter. I'm actually a little disappointed. Must be my skills are getting sloppy. Maybe this chapter will do the trick. So please, continue to review.
Chuck vs. The Grid
Chapter 7
July 19, 2010 The Bird Feeder Diner
Chuck was sitting in the 1999 Malibu he liberated from one of the Vegas parking lots. He knew he had beaten Roy and Lily to the diner, but he wanted them to go in first. He needed to know that they weren't being followed. He leaned back his seat in the car and closed his eyes. He couldn't believe how much this Intersect had cost him. He expected some casualties in his search for Orion, but never anything like this. He had already destroyed his ties to his family, put Roy and Lily on the run, and Kristin and Katie, well, he would never forgive himself. He had gotten sloppy. He had dared to think that just because he was hiding out that he wouldn't be found.
Chuck wished that he no longer was on a search for freedom, but rather on a quest for vengeance. He would find Orion and then kill him for creating the Intersect. He would then find Beckman and kill her just because she pissed him off so much. Then he would try to find Bryce to kill him for sending him the Intersect and effectively ruining his life for a second time. Once he had done that, he'd call Casey and let Casey finish him, destroying all things related to the Intersect. But that wasn't possible. He made a promise and he was damn sure going to keep it.
He opened his eyes and looked back out the window. He watched again for another hour before he saw Roy and Lily pull in. He saw them get out of the car and head into the diner. Chuck waited for a few minutes before walking in. As he exited his car, he felt like he was being watched. He looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Approaching the diner door, he still couldn't shake the feeling that there was somebody staring him down. He looked around again for a second time but still saw nothing suspicious.
He approached Lily and Roy's table as they were giving their orders to the waitress.
"Nothing for me," Chuck said as he took a seat.
Roy and Lily looked at Chuck. They could see how angry he was, angry at life, angry at his situation, not that they wouldn't be either. But he needed to focus if he wanted to get out of this alive. They needed to make sure he was on top of his game because if he wasn't, he was going to wind up dead or in jail. They needed to make him focus his attention on her, the one who he promised he would return.
"So," Roy said, finally breaking the silence, "how's Katie?"
Guilt filled Chuck's eyes and voice. "I think she's okay. It's been a few weeks since we last spoke. She's the only thing keeping me going. I have to get back to her, and Ellie. I told Beckman to leave them alone."
"Or what?" asked Lily.
"Or I'll kill everyone she sends after them," Chuck answered flatly, but they knew he was serious.
Lily and Roy both wanted to say something, but the sound of Chuck's sat phone ringing got their attention. He was sure that someone was watching him. 'DAMMIT!' He couldn't believe it would end here. Chuck quickly looked outside, waiting for helicopters and SWAT teams to surround the place. But there was nothing. He picked up the phone.
"Hello," he said gruffly.
"Hello," said a scrambled voice.
"Who is this?" Chuck asked curiously.
"Orion."
***
April 14, 2010 Charlottesville, Virginia
The sun peering through the curtains and onto the bed woke Chuck. Sleep was coming more easily now that he had a companion, but he still never got as much as he wanted. She also helped calm the nightmares. It surprised her at first, but he had warned her. She was comforting and understanding. He had said he wasn't looking to date anyone but she didn't take no for an answer. Chuck laughed to himself when he thought about their second encounter.
***
August 2, 2009 Charlottesville, Virginia
Chuck had just left the mall and was feeling happy. It had been nice talking to Kristin. For as messed up as the last six months had been for him, that ten minute conversation had a soothing effect on him. Thankfully for him, her daughter had showed up. He could sense that Kristin had taken a liking to him. He couldn't help himself. Ever since his training with Roy, he had a confident persona and charming personality. Everyone seemed to like him. He excused himself before she could ask for his number, thanked her and went on his way. He knew she was watching him leave, curious as to why he would leave so quickly, they had been getting along so well.
Around 4:30 that day, he made his way to The Bird. From the outside, it looked like any other bar. He noticed that there was an apartment directly above the bar. Maybe he could convince Roy's brother to let him stay there. He walked in the building and looked around. The bar had two rooms. The right side, which he was currently in, was smaller. It had a couple of pool tables and a few TV's on the wall. There was also a hallway down the back that led to a kitchen and a bathroom. On the left side, there were many more booths and tables. They also had dartboards and a jukebox set up. The area of the actual bar was quite large, as it ran around in almost a full circle, providing service to both sides of the bar.
Chuck approached the counter and took a seat next to what he suspected was a local.
"So," said the bartender, "what can I get for you, Chuck?" She was smiling.
Chuck looked up quickly and saw that it was Kristin. He couldn't help but let a little laugh escape his mouth. "Oh, how about a beer, whatever's on tap." It might be easier to talk to Roy's brother than he intended. She came back holding his beverage. He handed her a ten and told her to keep the change.
"Excuse me Kristin, you wouldn't happen to know where the owner of this fine establishment is, would you?" He was giving her his most charming smile.
She couldn't help but blush at his smile. "Well, you're looking at her."
Chuck's eyes showed a little surprise. "Oh, I was under the impression that a man owned this place. I knew his brother, Roy."
"Oh you know Roy?" she asked. Chuck nodded. "Well, Jason died a couple months back. He was a good man. Looked after me after my parents kicked me out because I got pregnant with Katie. He let me stay in the old apartment above this place, free of charge. He also let me work here as well. He became like my second father." She had a sad smile on her face. "Why did you want to meet him?"
"Oh," responded Chuck, a little nervously, "Well, Roy said if I ever needed a place to stay for a bit, that I could come, ask his brother and he would be more than willing to help."
"Well, he would have. And so am I." She smiled again.
"No, no, I don't mean to impose like this."
She laughed. "I'm not asking you to stay at my house. The place above the bar, you can stay there, free of charge."
"No, really, I should pay."
She shook her head. "Your money is no good here."
"Well, I need to do something for you. I wouldn't feel right."
"How about you work for me, unofficially. I need a new bartender."
"I don't know," Chuck said hesitantly. "I don't really know how to make drinks and stuff."
"It's not that hard. Plus, this is a college bar. Most of the time the kids want shots or beer, nothing fancy."
Chuck hesitated for a moment. He was a fast learner, plus he knew how to fix a computer, trick the government and make his own signal jammer. How hard could bartending be?
"You got yourself a deal." He stuck his hand out and she shook it. "When do I start?"
"How about today?"
***
April 14, 2010 Charlottesville, Virginia
Chuck was lying on his back, Kristin's head on his chest. She had him in a death grip and didn't appear to be letting go anytime soon. Chuck kissed the top of her head and tried to move, but she tightened her grip.
"No," she moaned sleepily, "don't leave. It's too early for your run."
Chuck smiled. "Sorry, but when I'm up, I'm up. Sleep in a little. I'll get things around for Katie so you don't have to." Chuck slid away and Kristin reluctantly let go of him. He quickly got dressed in his running attire, wind pants and a sweatshirt. He grabbed his sunglasses off the nightstand and made his way downstairs.
He went in the kitchen and grabbed some water. He found all of Katie's things strewn about the dining room table. She may have been smart but she was not neat. Chuck packed everything away from her and put the backpack on the kitchen counter, along with some lunch money. He allowed himself a smile. 'This really isn't so bad,' he thought.
***
Dec. 25, 2009 Charlottesville, Virginia
Chuck was sitting on Kristin's couch. He had his face buried in his hands. Holidays were the worst. However, Christmas was unbearable. It had been a whole year since he abandoned Ellie and Morgan. He wondered how she was holding up. He missed her so much and the holidays only made it worse. Chuck only accepted Kristin's invitation because he thought it would be better than spending Christmas alone. Turns out it was worse only because it reminded him of where he should have been and who he should be with.
"What's wrong?" said Kristin as she came in holding a couple of mugs of hot chocolate.
Chuck quickly looked up and smiled at her, but she saw through that. "It's nothing. Holidays are always a little rough on me."
"Come on, Chuck, tell me." She knew he had always skirted around about his past. She really liked him and wanted to know everything about him, but she didn't want to push him away. It had taken about two months to get him to take her out. She was never usually that aggressive with men, but being with him at the bar a lot made it easy for her to fall hard for him. Whether it was his jokes, his smile, or the confident manner in which he carried himself, she just loved it.
"I don't know," Chuck muttered, taking a mug as she sat next to him, taking his arm and placing it around her. "To be honest, this isn't where I saw myself this time last year."
She stiffened next to him, but he gave her a reassuring squeeze. "That's not what I meant. I love being here with you and Katie, I do. It's that, when I left home, I was looking for answers and I haven't found them."
"So, are you still looking?" Kristin asked, looking up at him.
"No, I found a good reason to stop," he replied, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She gave him a smile and snuggled closer.
"You want to tell me about your home?" she asked casually, hoping he was in the mood to talk.
"Not really. Too painful. Plus, I doubt I'll ever go back."
"But don't you have family there?"
Chuck shrugged. "They're better off without me." Then it hit him. So was Kristin. And Katie. What had he allowed himself to do? He'd gotten into a relationship. What the hell was he thinking? He needed to get out of there. He hastily made to get up, causing Kristin to cry out in surprise when moved her off of him.
"Look, Kristin, I think you're great. I do. And I simply adore Katie. If I had a daughter, I would want her to be just like her. But I shouldn't be here. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm just going to end up hurting you and Katie. I know I will. I did back home with my family and I know I will here."
Chuck got up to leave but Kristin grabbed onto him. "Chuck, no, don't. I'm sorry for asking about your past. I know you don't like to talk about it, but I was curious. Please, don't leave."
"Look, Kristin, please. I have to leave. This is what's best. Trust me."
He felt her grip slacken on him, so he made his way out of the house. He had been here too long. He needed to move again. He was sure they were closing in. He drove quickly back to the apartment above The Bird. Thankfully, he kept most of his things packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice. He had his suitcase packed and his backpack ready when she burst through his door. He started reaching for his gun but realized that it was Kristin. He slowly moved his hand back to his side.
"So, that's it?" she asked angrily. Her eyes were red, but she was no longer crying. "You're just going to run away, like before?"
"It's what's best for everybody." he said defensively.
"How is it better for everybody? It won't be better for me and Katie. And how can running away be better for you?"
"Look, it's not that simple. You wouldn't understand."
"Try me?" she said skeptically.
Chuck was getting flustered. "What do you want from me?"
"I just want to be with you. You are the first decent guy I've ever been with. You're caring. You're sweet. You do practically anything and everything for Katie."
"Well, she reminds me of…" Chuck stopped. At 14, Katie was like a mini Ellie. Smart, easy to excite, and always wanting to talk to Chuck, not to mention the brown hair and eyes.
"Look, Chuck, I understand you have some demons in your past you don't want to discuss. I get it. Not everyone loves to go digging through their past."
'Ain't that the truth,' Chuck thought and Sarah's smiling face ran across his mind.
"Just tell me Chuck. Do you care about me at all?"
"Of course I do. You know I do," Chuck responded indignantly.
"Then why are you leaving. I care about you, and you care about me. It seems like we should be together, not apart."
Chuck just stood there in thought. Would it be so bad to have a relationship? Surely if Casey and Sarah hadn't found him by now, they wouldn't. He had no paper linking him to anything. The man who had given him his identity was behind bars. They didn't know what he was driving. All they had was Sarah's description of him but that wasn't really enough to find him. He had effectively cut himself off from everything, yet still had managed to find a woman who would love him in the process. He dropped his things.
"You're right," he said softly.
Kristin let out a squeal of delight, ran at him and jumped onto him, effectively knocking him back onto his bed. She started kissing him furiously as she attempted to take his shirt off.
"What are you doing?" Chuck managed to get out between kisses. Kristin sat up, still straddling him.
"Giving you your Christmas present." She smiled at him and took her top off.
A half hour later, they were lying on their backs, exhausted. Chuck said something to finally break the silence.
"You know, I think I was more on the giving end of that."
"Oh really?" Kristin responded playfully.
"Just sayin'."
Kristin leaned over and gave him a kiss. Then she started leaving a trail of kisses from his neck down. Chuck was definitely on the receiving end the next time.
***
April 14, 2010 Charlottesville, Virginia
Chuck had just returned from his run when he heard excited whispers being exchanged in the kitchen. He slowly crept closer to hear what they were talking about, but a squeaky floorboard gave him away. They shushed each other and Kristin called out, "Chuck, is that you?"
"You know it," Chuck said entering the kitchen. He was drenched in sweat. He ran a few miles every day and had a little workout routine to keep himself in shape. "How about a hug, Katie?" he asked, extending his arms.
"Eww, gross." Chuck laughed at her comment.
"Katie, come on, let's get going. You have to get to school. Oh, Chuck, did you pay that traffic ticket?"
"Yeah, I took care of it," Chuck replied. "Have fun at school Katie." She gave him a withering look. He went to grab some fruit as they turned to leave.
As soon as they left, Chuck's thoughts returned to the ticket he got. It made him nervous. He had gotten it about a week ago. His ID held up to the officer's inspection, but having a car with Oregon plates and registered to a different guy was a little difficult to explain. The officer had looked at him curiously, but since neither the car nor he had any warrants or anything, the cop had just given him a ticket. The cop's glare made Chuck nervous. Chuck was sure he suspected something. 'But what can he do?' Chuck asked himself.
Chuck was in the shower when he heard the bathroom door opened. His senses heightened, but when he saw it was Kristin he relaxed. He was starting to hate always feeling on the edge. Suddenly, the shower door opened and she entered.
"I was about done, you know."
"Hey, you got your morning workout in. Now it's time for mine." She leaned in and kissed him.
***
April 6, 2010 Somewhere in Columbia
Sarah had just returned to her hotel. She was sweating profusely. The intense heat, coupled with poor air circulation, made her room unbelievably hot. She decided to take a cold shower to cool off. Seducing drug kingpins in the slums of Columbia tended to make her feel dirty, especially since her time with Chuck.
As always, whenever she was alone, which usually was in the shower, her thoughts turned to Chuck. She had obliged his wish. She had the director reassign her. He objected at first, but since his top agent had been abducted by this ghost of a man they were searching for, he relented. Maybe having people Chuck wasn't expecting to be looking for him would prove more effective. Also, it didn't hurt that his best agent was going back into the field, where she was most effective.
Sarah had been all over the place since she asked for her reassignment. Rome, Paris, Moscow. The missions provided distractions, but whenever she had a free thought, it was focused on Chuck. She had an analyst that she had befriended keeping her somewhat updated on what was happening. Rita had friends in the NSA, so she would know if Chuck had been found. She was also the lead analyst of his search in the CIA.
It had been almost ten months. Chuck had dropped off the face of the earth. She figured he was still in the states. Trying to leave the country would be too risky. She was calling in favors to all her contacts stateside for any knowledge concerning him. So far, she had heard nothing.
All of her operations so far had been solo ops. She just couldn't handle a partner right now. Casey was the best she had, and any male partner would want to sleep with her. She didn't need to deal with that. She was her best when she operated alone. Alone. She wondered whether Chuck was alone. Of course he wasn't. He was Chuck. The guy even turned John Casey into a friend, whether Casey admitted it or not. She wondered if he had a girlfriend. Would Chuck allow himself to love another? She was trying to love him a little less each day. It was hard at first, but now her thoughts only turned to Chuck when she had nothing else to think about, instead of constantly focusing on him throughout the day.
Sarah was toweling her hair off when her phone rang.
"Walker, secure."
"Agent Walker, it's me, Rita."
Sarah's heart fell. Chuck had been captured, or worse, was dead. "What's, ah, what's happened?" Her voice was unnaturally high.
"I think I may have found out where he's been hiding." Sarah let out a sigh of relief.
"What? How?"
"Well, I'm not sure," said Rita nervously, "but some cop in Charlottesville, Virginia has been running all sorts of background checks on this guy he pulled over. It piqued my interest, so I dug a little deeper. The guy's name is Chuck Finley. He is from California, LA to be specific. The car he had didn't belong to him. It was registered to a Roy Hill, who lives in Eugene, Oregon. We know Chuck was in that area when he first left with a wad of cash. Maybe this is his new identity? The weird thing is, this Finley doesn't seem to exist on paper past 2008. He has some bank statements, college credits, high school diploma. But after that, nothing. It's like he died, but no death certificate."
"What about the license picture?"
"It's not the greatest, but the guy does have a beard and brown hair, and his stats are similar to Chuck's. Could this be him? We find him because of a parking ticket and an overzealous cop?"
"I don't know, but I have to find out. I'll be in Langley in a few hours. I want you to assemble a team of all the best analysts and agents the CIA has recruited since Christmas, 2008."
"Why so young?"
"I have my reasons. Just do it."
After a phone call to Director Bennett, along with a few choice words for him, Sarah was on a flight back to Langley inside the hour.
***
Langley, Virginia 22 Hours Later
Sarah Walker walked into the conference room that Rita had booked for her. She looked around and saw six people, including Rita, sitting around the table. She could tell the agents from the analysts. The agents were looking calm, confident, while the analysts seemed somewhat nervous. Obviously, Rita had told them nothing about what they would be doing.
"Hello, I am Agent Walker. Yes," she began as the agents looked at each other and some of the analysts became even more terrified, "that Agent Walker. I'm not sure what you may have heard about me, but it's probably all true."
"The reason you are here is because this man," Chuck's picture appeared on screen, "has recently popped back onto the radar. He is a high level asset that has eluded capture for the better part of a year and a half."
"You need all of us to bring in an asset?" one young agent asked.
"Name?" Sarah asked, irritated.
"Agent Wayne, ma'am." He sounded nervous.
"Well, Agent Wayne. Have you heard the tales about some agent who has been traveling across the country taking out enemy cells that have numbered as many as nine, by himself?"
"I've heard rumors. But isn't that guy working for the NSA?"
Sarah gritted her teeth. Of course Beckman would take credit. "Well, you are looking at him," she said pointing at Chuck's picture.
"That's the guy," Agent Wayne said exasperatedly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I don't expect you to take him down. I will handle his capture. However, he can't know that I'm coming for him. That's where you all come in. He has a photographic memory, so we can't send experienced agents in to watch him. He knows them. He's also to be considered near genius when it comes to electronics. Now, he may seem charming and nice, but remember he has 39 confirmed kills. Do not approach him by yourself. If you feel you have been made, leave. Everything must be done discretely."
Sarah picked up the folder that Rita had given her just before she entered. This was her first time reading it. "Intel shows that he has currently been spotted in the Charlottesville area. However, his name has come up nowhere on any housing agreements or work records. We don't know if he is still there. However, we know what car he has. Find the car and we find him."
***
April 14, 2010 Charlottesville, Virginia
Chuck was standing behind the bar filling pitchers of beer for the hordes of college students pouring in. He hated working Friday nights. Drink specials, along with it being the weekend, meant the place was always packed. Plus, when you're always looking at everyone closely to see if you flash on them, it can become quite a hassle.
He delivered some drinks to the frat boys and took the order of a few young coeds. They already appeared hammered, but they each wanted two shots of Jack. Chuck smiled as he took their money and gave them their drinks. He always noticed that the girls gave him looks that lasted just a bit too long. He shook his head at the thought. 'Wish it could have been this easy when I was in school,' he thought, a small smile forming on his face.
He had to go over to Kristin's after work. She said she had a surprise for him. He tried not to think about it, but he wondered what it could have been. He was closing after all, and wouldn't be out of work until after 3:00 am. Yet, she insisted he came over. He started to worry. What could be so important that he had to come over? Was she going to ask him to move in, to get engaged? He told her he couldn't make commitments like that, but that didn't deter her from always hinting about it.
Chuck made his way down to a young man who was sitting at the end of the bar. He had been sipping on a beer for the better part of a half hour and hadn't ordered anything else. He was in a simple white button up, and upon seeing his face, Chuck didn't flash. He saw the young man had rolled his sleeves up and then he saw it. The watch. It was CIA issue. Chuck didn't have to flash. He had worn that damn thing for over a year. Chuck decided to approach him.
"So, what can I get for you?" Chuck asked over the music.
The man looked up and his eyes went wide when he saw Chuck. He saw his head tilt a little to the left. He was obviously getting instructions from someone. "Oh, nothing. I'm good right now." His voiced quivered when he spoke. Chuck nodded and walked away to deal with other customers. 'Dammit,' thought Chuck. 'I was starting to really enjoy this place.' He had been cornered. There was probably a team waiting outside for him. Chuck started mulling his options as he filled another pitcher with beer.
Chuck watched the young man covertly for about a half hour. Finally, the young man decided to go to the bathroom. Chuck quickly left from behind the bar, much to the dismay of some of the young women hoping to get the chance to speak with him. He pulled out the tranq gun from the back of his pants and approached the bathroom. He silently opened the door. He saw the young man standing at a urinal, relieving himself and whispering into his watch. Chuck quickly made his way behind him, covering his mouth with his free hand and sticking the gun in his back.
"Do not move a muscle," Chuck whispered menacingly into his ear. The kid was so frightened that all he did was nod. Chuck, still holding his hand over the kid's mouth, put the tranq gun away. He used his free hand to find the ear piece. He took it out and put it in.
"Linus, what is happening? Answer me?" chirped the voice of Sarah Walker in Chuck's ear. Chuck grimaced. 'Goddamn it, why can't she just let me go?'
"Tell her a drunk came in the bathroom and passed out," hissed Chuck. Linus obeyed Chuck's command.
"Okay, good. We'll send your replacement in a half hour. Just keep doing what you've been doing," Sarah said encouragingly.
"Give me the watch," Chuck said softly, "and anything else spy related." All Chuck got was the watch.
"Let's go," Chuck whispered again. As they made their way out of the bathroom, Chuck tossed the watch on a tray of food that was heading out to the bar.
Up in Chuck's room, Linus became even more nervous. Chuck pulled a chair away from a table and gave it to Linus to sit on. Linus did and Chuck took a seat opposite of him so they were facing each other. Chuck set his spy bag down beside him.
"So, how did a CIA analyst such as yourself start working for the great Sarah Walker?" Chuck asked calmly, almost cheerfully.
"How…I…what?" Chuck let out a small laugh.
"Clearly, you are no agent. You're not even carrying a gun. And the watch was CIA issue. I had to wear one for a whole damn year. Plus, I heard Sarah's voice. I don't recognize you though." He paused, and then he snapped his fingers. "Of course, Sarah would get a bunch of agents and analysts that were too young. She really is quite clever, using my only advantage against me." He smiled. "How long have you been watching me?"
Linus said nothing. Chuck sighed.
"Look, Linus, I don't want to have to hurt you, but I will if I feel she's closing in. I'm sure you've heard how dangerous I am, how many people I've killed. I've only killed when I've been pushed. I just want to be left alone. I've been hurting no one. Why can't you people leave me alone?" Chuck was starting to get angry.
"How long have you been watching me?"
Linus still said nothing. Chuck was getting impatient. "Look, you are pushing me right now. Do you really want to have to suffer for this? I just want to know how long you have been watching me." Chuck started a pull a knife out his of his bag.
"A week, alright. Just a week. I think they were planning on grabbing you tomorrow morning on your run."
'Shit, a whole week. They've seen me at work, with Kristin and Katie.'
Chuck played with the knife in his hands, contemplating his next move. "Are they still watching the house? I mean right now, are they?"
"No, we've just been watching you, following you everywhere, trying to get your patterns down to figure out when was the best time to grab you."
Chuck was silent in thought. He looked at his own watch. His time was running out. He needed a plan. He dug through his spy bag when he found it. He pulled out what appeared to be a homemade bomb.
"What's that for?" asked Linus nervously. Chuck moved over and started strapping the bomb to Linus.
"This is my distraction. I'm going to strap this to you. Then you are going to get in my car and drive as far north for as long and fast as you can, which probably will be about five minutes. That should be enough time for me to get away. If you try to remove the device, it will detonate. If I get caught, I will detonate it with the remote. I can activate it from anywhere inside of 10 miles of it." Linus' eyes went wide with fear as Chuck finished strapping him. "That will be your incentive to drive for as long as possible," Chuck finished giving him a pat on the shoulder.
"Oh, if you could give me Agent Walker's cell number, that would be nice," Chuck added as an afterthought. He wasn't sure if it had changed, although he assumed it had. Linus wrote down the number as Chuck gathered up his gear. He and Linus went back down into the bar. They made their way to the back door.
"Okay, you know which car is mine I presume?" asked Chuck. Linus nodded. "Alright then, I want you to get in and drive north, just anywhere north." He paused. "Okay, go now, run!"
Linus took off running and got into the Charger. He got in and roasted the tires as he took off out of the parking lot. Chuck had a small smile on his face as he watched a van and another car take off from just around the block following the car. 'Can't believe that guy actually thought I strapped a bomb to his chest,' Chuck thought. He hoisted his things and started looking around for a car he wanted. Once he found one that tickled his fancy, he used the lock picker to get in and start it.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, the phone Kristin had bought for him rang. He debated whether or not he should pick it up, finally deciding he would at least let Kristin know he was leaving. "Hey, Kristin."
"No, not Kristin," said a gravelly voice.
Chuck's insides turned to lead. "Who is this?"
"A person who is interested in you, or I should say is interested in why the CIA is hunting you so extensively."
"Why don't you come find me to see for yourself?"
"Why don't you come home? Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll have to kill the mother and daughter." Chuck heard their screams in the background.
Chuck knew they were dead whether he gave himself up or ran. Their only chance was for him to come and rescue them. "You will be alone in the house with them when I arrive?"
The man on the phone paused. "I think that can be arranged."
***
'This doesn't make sense,' thought Sarah as she was speeding down a side street to keep up with Chuck's Charger. After being so careful all week, how had he now spotted them? And why would he just speed away when he knew they were probably watching the building? 'Unless this is a diversion.' Sarah made a split second decision.
"Call it off. This isn't him. It's a diversion."
"Ma'am, are you sure? This may be our best shot to get him?"
"I'm sure," said Sarah firmly.
Her cell phone rang. "Walker, secure."
"Agent Walker, it's Rita. I've picked up some things on the surveillance of the home. It looks like the mother and daughter are being held hostage."
Sarah's head slumped. Not only had they failed to acquire Chuck, they got that woman and her daughter involved. Part of her was initially destroyed when she found out Chuck had moved into a new relationship. But could she blame him? After all they had been through, this woman was able to offer him what she couldn't, a sense of normalcy. Watching them on the surveillance that morning had hurt a lot worse than she thought it would, but these people were important to Chuck, so she had to save them.
"Team, rendezvous to the house. The girlfriend and daughter are being held captive. We need to rescue them." She heard chirps of agreement over the coms.
***
Chuck was walking towards the house from a few blocks away. He was carrying a couple of knives attached to each wrist, a 9mm in both the front and back of his waistband. The rest of his belongings were in the stolen Taurus parked a few blocks behind him. He needed to get focused, but the thought of what might happen to Kristin and Katie if he failed kept going through his head. He was a couple of houses away when he spotted a man holding a semiautomatic weapon in the bushes trying to hide. Chuck quickly pulled out his knife and silently approached him from behind. Once he was close enough, he put his hand on the man's forehead, pulled back and ran the blade across his throat. Chuck watched as the man clutched at his throat to stem the bleeding but he was dead in a matter of seconds.
As Chuck cleaned off the knife using the man's clothing, Chuck knew that once he entered the house the enemy agents would swarm in. His only shot was to kill the man holding Kristin and Katie. Then he would have to put up some sort of defense while they escaped. It was flimsy at best, but it might be enough to get them out of the house.
Chuck finally made his way up the walkway and to the front door. He took a deep breath and pushed it opened. He quickly shut it and locked it. The entire house was pitch black except for the moonlight that was pouring in the windows.
"Ah, so nice of you to join us," said the gravelly voice. A man stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Chuck felt the sensations of a flash hit him quickly once he got a good look at the man's face. The man was Jackson Ellis, a Fulcrum operative who exclusively ran missions intercepting important data from the NSA and CIA. Chuck eyed the man closely. Ellis was an extremely important person for Fulcrum and could do wonders in providing them information. Chuck shook his head a little to get rid of those thoughts. 'Your mission is to save Kristin and Katie, not leave this man alive for Sarah and Casey.'
"Where are they?" Chuck asked coldly, his brown eyes staring into Ellis' gray ones.
"Resting comfortably upstairs," replied Ellis, sounding bored. "Now, if you come with us, we can leave this family in peace." Ellis smiled at him, bringing his hands together in a loud clap. 'There's the signal,' thought Chuck, 'better act fast.'
"You really expect me to believe that?" asked a skeptical Chuck, reaching for his knife.
"No, I didn't, but it would have made things so…" Ellis was unable to finish his statement as Chuck's three inch knife was lodged into his forehead. Ellis fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Chuck quickly wrenched the blade from the man's skull and ran up the stairs to get to Kristin's bedroom. He heard the Fulcrum agents breaking into the house via the windows and the back door. He pulled out both guns, took up a defensive post on the landing and waited to fire. The bullets started flying, but not at Chuck. He ran to the nearest window he could find and saw that the CIA team he had sent away was at the house, in a firefight with the Fulcrum agents. Someone must have spotted him as bullets broke through the window, showering him with glass.
***
Sarah's car screeched to a halt just outside of the driveway at Kristin's house. She could see three or four men attempting to stealthily gain entry into the house. Rita had informed her that Chuck had arrived and killed the one enemy agent who was in the house. She exited her car, grabbed her pistol and started firing at the men. One man dropped in front of the house as the bullets entered his back. Upon receiving enemy fire, the Fulcrum agents crashed their way into the house, not caring about being silent.
All the agents took up defensive positions and returned fire out the broken windows at Sarah's car. She immediately called for more backup as the rest of her team arrived, suppressing some of the enemy fire she was taking.
Sarah spotted movement on the roof of the garage and fired. She missed her target as he crashed through a window on the side of the house. She started scanning all the windows on the second floor. She spotted a face staring down at her and fired at the window causing it to shatter.
***
Chuck brushed away the broken glass carefully, but his attention was brought to the end of the hallway, which was Kristin's bedroom, by the sound of heavy footsteps. He silently rushed to the door, figuring out a plan of attack. He heard both of the girls screaming, although their voices were slightly muffled. As he was about to breach the room, the sound of bullet dislodging from the barrel and the thump of a something hitting the floor caused him to freeze momentarily. 'NO!' he internally yelled. He quickly kicked in the door and shot the only person in the room who was standing.
Chuck quickly made his way to the Fulcrum agent he shot and kicked away his gun. The man was still breathing, although it was ragged and unsteady. He then turned and saw what he feared most. Kristin's body was on the floor, dead from a gunshot to the head. He then turned again and saw Katie tied to a chair, facing her mother. She had seen the whole thing. Chuck quickly looked down, trying to fight the guilt and tears that were rushing to escape. Screeching tires and automatic gunfire outside sharpened his senses.
He moved over to Katie, whose eyes were wide and still on her mother. He untied her quickly, but all she did was stare at her mom. "Katie?" Chuck said softly. Katie didn't respond. "Katie!" Chuck said forcefully grabbing her by the shoulders. Katie looked up, finally acknowledging him. "Katie, I need you to go into the bathroom, shut your eyes and plug your ears. Go, now!"
Katie quickly went into her mother's bathroom and Chuck shut the door. She didn't need to see this. Chuck unsheathed another knife and walked over to the soon to be dead Fulcrum agent.
***
The CIA backup arrived, carrying two teams of five in tactical gear. All were carrying assault rifles. They were trying to get the house surrounded, but there was no easy way to get to the back of the house without encountering neighbors and possibly children. A brute force attack was decided upon. The enemy, while having a better position, was outmatched. They simply started laying siege to the house, never allowing the Fulcrum team to return fire. A brave Fulcrum man tried to cut down the advancing team, but was torn to bits by bullets from four different agents.
***
Chuck had allowed himself a few moments of emotion, of rage. Chuck opened the bathroom door three minutes after he shut Katie inside. She was sitting in the bathtub, eyes closed and fingers in her ears. Chuck quickly removed the blood from his hands and face in the sink then went to her.
"Katie, it's me, Chuck." She opened her eyes and looked at him. Chuck bent down and scooped her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Katie, I need to keep your eyes closed. Can you do that for me?" He felt her shift so that her face was buried into his shoulder. "Good girl."
Chuck left the bathroom and walked to the bedroom door. Hearing nothing, he quietly opened the door and stepped to the room immediately to his right. It was Katie's bedroom. He let Katie down.
"Listen, Katie. The tree is right next to your window. I need you to climb onto the branches and climb down. I'll be right out."
Katie just stared at him with a wide eyed expression, like a deer in headlights.
"Katie," Chuck said exasperatedly, "we have to leave. I'll explain everything to you when we get out of here."
Katie acquiesced. She didn't know why she did. Maybe it was the fact that she was coming to see Chuck as a father figure, someone who would take care of her mom when she left. But everything was shattered now. It was gone, and she had no idea why. Chuck said he would explain, but what did he know.
As Katie made her way out to the tree, Chuck grabbed a bag and started putting random clothes of Katie's into it. Once it was full, he took a seat on the window ledge. He saw that Katie was making her way down the tree. He jumped off the ledge and hit the ground, making himself roll as he did so. It didn't quite work as planned. His right ankle was throbbing. He helped her get off the tree. As they cleared the fence into their neighbor's backyard, Sarah came around the corner of the house.
***
Having finally forced the Fulcrum agents to surrender, Sarah and her team made their way to the back of the house. They were sure a few Fulcrum agents would try to escape out the back. Sarah was sure she saw movement in the darkness, but she wasn't going to risk firing blindly. Instead she went back inside to access the damage and free the family. With any luck, Chuck had gotten there first, saved them, realized it was safer for everybody for him to come in peacefully and was waiting for Sarah to take him in.
***
Chuck and Katie walked silently to his car. He threw her bag into the back with his things, got in, and started the car. They were driving for a few minutes when Chuck pulled out a cell phone and made a call he hadn't made in almost ten months.
***
Sarah was in Kristin's bedroom, trying to stifle the emotions that were coming to the surface. The woman Chuck had been with was dead on the floor, and there was an unrecognizable lump that must have been her killer. She had never seen such damage done to a person. Chuck's rage must have been unimaginable, which meant that he really loved this woman, which made everything worse. As her cell phone rang, she took a calming breath.
"Walker, secure."
"Ah, nice to see Agent Walker back on the hunt," replied an angry voice.
Sarah recognized the voice, although not the tone. She wasn't sure Chuck ever had spoken so angrily to her. "Chuck, what happened? Where's the girl?"
"She's safe. Don't bother looking, I'm taking her where she will be out of harm's way."
"Chuck, I'm so…"
"Save it," interrupted Chuck. "I was off the grid. I'd gone away. I was living a peaceful life, but you goddamn people won't leave me alone. You had to keep looking and looking and now Kristin is dead. You brought them to me, Sarah, you know that. Your search brought them right to me."
"Chuck, please…" but again, she was interrupted.
"No, I'm done with all of this. I thought if I just stayed out of trouble, you people would leave me alone." He paused. "I'm getting this thing out, no matter what the cost."
"Chuck? Chuck?" All she heard was a roar of the car engine and a loud crack as Chuck's phone hit the pavement.