A/N: Man, those reviews for the last chapter were more like it. Fiery, empassioned, and I loved it. Sorry it took so long to get this up. Definitely not sure when the next chapter is going to be up. Probably a week at the earliest, but I make no promises. Big thanks to TheJusta for the beta of this chapter. He also said he was highly entertained when he read it, so I hope you guys feel the same way. Any mistakes are still mine, as always. Got the Casey/Chuck showdown this chapter, so were pretty much back in the present after this one. Also, the reason I don't do any chapters on secondary characters like Ellie is that I want to keep this thing as lean as possible, so I primarily focus on Chuck. Standard disclaimer about me not owning Chuck at all still applies. So please, read, enjoy, and review.
Chuck vs. The Grid
Chapter 8
July 19, 2010 The Bird Feeder Diner
Chuck was gripping the phone tightly, not sure what to think. Had Orion found him? Did he know that Chuck was looking for him and he decided to reach out? If so, why, and how did he get Chuck's number? There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he settled on the one that seemed the most appropriate.
"How do I know you are Orion?" he asked skeptically.
He heard the scrambled voice laugh. "I understand your lack of trust, but if I was really the NSA, CIA, or Fulcrum, I wouldn't need to call you after finding your phone number. I could trace it, find you, surround the diner and then bring you in." Chuck gritted his teeth. That made sense. He still had to be sure.
"But I could take myself out before you got close enough to grab me. I need proof."
"Of course. Look at the laptop of the man behind you."
Chuck turned his head to see the man's computer. The screen went back, then a weird symbol appeared on it.
"What the hell?" the confused man muttered as he hit his computer. Chuck meanwhile flashed on the image, which just showed him things he already knew about the Intersect.
"You really are Orion?" It was more of question than a statement.
"Yes, I am," replied the scrambled voice. "I want to help you. I'll be at the diner shortly."
***
Flagstaff, Arizona
Casey was holding an icepack to his forehead. As if the blows to the head weren't enough, trying to comfort a sobbing Walker wasn't doing anything to relieve the pain.
"It was such a mistake. I just went there guns blazing. I didn't even think about Fulcrum. All I thought about was finding Chuck and making sure he didn't get himself killed. That poor woman is dead and now her daughter is all alone." Sarah was trying to keep it together, but was failing miserably.
"Look," Casey started, but he really didn't know what to say, so he just shrugged and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Chuck was the one who always made her feel better. She smiled at his attempt of comfort, even if it was terrible.
"So, what do we do next?" asked Sarah regaining some of her composure.
"I don't think 'we' can do anything. Each of us just has to try to find a way to end this, hopefully without Bartowski having to take a dirt nap."
Sarah frowned at his choice of words, but he was right. Her phone ringing got her attention.
"Walker, secure."
"Larkin, secure."
"Bryce? What the hell are you doing? I thought you were deep cover." Casey's ears perked at the mention of Bryce's name.
"I still am. It looks like our two assignments are about to merge together."
"What?" asked Sarah confusedly. "What do you mean?"
"I'm meeting Chuck in a couple of minutes."
"WHAT?" Sarah yelled.
Casey grimaced at the volume of Sarah's voice, both because he knew that it probably wasn't good news and his head was still throbbing.
"Yeah," continued Bryce, ignoring her outburst, "I've got a meeting set with him in a few minutes."
"Bryce, you can't do that. Chuck's not the same person anymore. If you come anywhere near him, he'll kill you."
"Nah, I don't think he will." He sounded arrogant.
"Look, Bryce, Chuck has changed. If he feels threatened, he'll take you out."
"No, he won't. I'm bringing him Orion."
***
April 15, 2010 Just Past Midnight Somewhere In The Appalachian Mountains
Chuck had been driving calmly for the past hour or so. Katie had mercifully fallen asleep. She seemed peaceful, but Chuck knew it was just a matter of time before she had her first of many nightmares. He had decided to use back roads through Virginia. He knew a roadblock had been set up and it was too risky to travel on the main roads. He saw a small rest area to the side of the road, so he decided to pull into it. He covered Katie up and left the car.
Chuck took a few steps before finally collapsing. He was on his knees in front of car, tears flowing down his face. He wanted to scream, to yell, to do something that would end the hopelessness that was engulfing him. He was responsible for Kristin's death and Katie becoming an orphan. He punched the gravel road on which he was currently parked, hoping the physical pain would relieve the emotional guilt he was feeling. Never before had he known how much he could hurt. He was on all fours, his breathing labored. It was like his parents leaving, only worse, so much worse.
After ten minutes, Chuck was sitting against the front of the car weighing his options. He couldn't find Orion, that he was sure of. He could try to stay off the grid again, but they would never stop looking and they would eventually find him again. It seemed everywhere he went, he brought the curse of the Intersect with him. Even if he tried to stay away from people, eventually he would bring some poor, unsuspecting person into his path of destruction. He wouldn't allow that, not again. He also was adamant that he would never work for the government, not after all they had taken from him. As the only solution that made sense for him came into his mind, a sense of calm came over him. It would finally be over.
***
April 20, 2010 Burbank, California
Chuck was sitting in a car parked about a block away from the hospital where Awesome and Ellie worked. He was building up the courage to call the hospital. He needed to talk to Ellie, to have her take care of Katie. This would lead to questions, and he wasn't sure he wanted to answer them. He glanced in his rearview mirror for about the hundredth time, still seeing that plain looking black van a few cars behind him. He looked over at Katie, who had her eyes closed as she listened to her iPod.
Chuck had tried to engage her in conversation on the road, but she wasn't talking. She hadn't spoken since that night. She seemed mildly interested when he told her about how his parents abandoned him, but when he told her he knew what she was going through, she got angry and looked away. The trip had taken longer than Chuck originally planned, mostly due to the fact that it took him forever to find his way out of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia.
Chuck finally pulled out his sat phone and called the emergency room.
"Hello, ER, how may I help you?" replied an irritated woman's voice.
"Hello, may I speak to Dr. Eleanor Woodcombe?"
"Yes, please hold."
Chuck waited about 30 seconds before Ellie picked up.
"Dr. Woodcombe, how can I help you?"
"Ellie," Chuck heard her gasp over the phone. "Don't say my name outloud," Chuck added quickly.
"What can I do for you?" Ellie asked, her tone both excited and somewhat bitter.
"I'm in town. We need to meet. Come to the place I go when I need to think. Also, do not bring your cell phone and borrow a friend's car. I know it sounds weird, but do it."
"Okay, I believe that can be arranged." If she was confused, she didn't let on.
They both hung up. Chuck watched as Ellie left the hospital and went into the parking lot. She got into an H2, which Chuck knew she would never drive. She pulled out of the parking lot and drove away. Chuck noticed that no vehicles seemed to follow her, so he pulled out and left, deciding he needed to beat her to the beach.
Chuck and Katie were sitting on a blanket when Ellie walked up to them. They were the only people sitting out there, so Ellie figured Chuck had to be the man. The fact that there was a young girl only seemed to intrigue her more. Chuck heard her approach and stood to greet her. He was barely recognizable to her. Short hair, a beard that she had never seen on him, and tired eyes. The classic Chuck Bartowski grin is what gave him away.
She paused when she got to him, not sure how to greet a brother who ran out on you at Christmas. Chuck was afraid to say anything. Ellie finally slapped him hard across the face.
Chuck, while not totally surprised, still was somewhat taken aback. "Yeah, I prolly deserved that," he mumbled softly while rubbing his cheek. Ellie finally lost it and threw her arms around Chuck, squeezing the life out of him while sobbing into his shoulder. Chuck tried to comfort her the best he could, while Katie just sat on the blanket with her eyes closed listening to her iPod.
After finally getting Ellie to release him, she started needling him for information.
"Chuck, what the hell is going on? You disappear on Christmas, then show up a year and a half later out of the blue with a teenage girl?"
Chuck took a deep breath. He glanced down at Katie, who was still lying with her eyes closed, then motioned for Ellie to follow him to a picnic table not far away from where they were standing.
Upon taking their seats, Chuck spoke. "Look, I'm going to explain this as best as I can. I know it'll sound crazy, farfetched, like I'm lying, but it's the truth. Honest to God, it's the truth." Ellie's curiosity was piqued
"Here we go."
For about 30 minutes, Chuck talked about being a government asset, about how Sarah and Casey were government agents sent to protect him, about how he decided to run after realizing the government was never going to let him go, about meeting Roy, about trying to stay off the grid, and finally about Kristin. It felt good, like a confession. He was making peace with those he had hurt, admitting his sins.
Ellie just looked at her brother as he finished his story. He looked so different. No longer was he upbeat and cheerful. He looked tired and defeated, like all his escapades were finally catching up with him. He even sounded tired as he finished his story, as if he was finally giving up.
"Chuck, I…I don't know what to say?" Ellie finally spoke.
"You can't say anything, not even to Awesome. Ellie, right now, you're being watched. Your phones are probably bugged. I'm sure they put stuff in your house too."
"What?" asked Ellie exasperatedly.
"They thought I would contact you at some point, which I have, but I know how to avoid them. Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to you guys."
"How will you do that?" Ellie questioned nervously. Hearing that your brother had killed people, a lot of people, made her wonder exactly to what lengths he would go to keep her and Katie safe.
"Just warn them that no harm will come to my family without consequences," Chuck replied calmly.
Ellie wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she brought up something else. "So, really, you and Sarah weren't anything? I could have sworn the way you guys looked at each other that it was real."
"Ah, that," Chuck said with a small smile. "It's complicated." He gave Ellie a stupid grin, which she returned, fully aware of the joke. "I don't really know what our situation was or is. I'm sure she considered us to be friends. Don't get me wrong though, I was in love with her. Under different circumstances, we may have had something." He sighed discontentedly, looking out at the water. "Look, Ellie, I can't stay. I need you to watch Katie."
Ellie glanced at Katie, who still hadn't moved. "Look, Chuck, you know I want to help, but this…"
Chuck interrupted, "Ellie, her mother is dead because of me. She has no other relatives. You're the only person I trust enough to take care of her. I know you've got a lot on your plate, being a doctor, raising a kid, but I don't know what else to do. I'm running out of options." He ran a hand through his hair. He looked rattled.
"Chuck, what are you planning on doing?"
"I'm going to try and finish what I started." He looked at his sister, who was eyeing him closely. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you at your wedding. I just…I just…" Chuck didn't know what to say. He blinked rapidly trying to form some coherent thoughts.
Ellie looked at her brother with pity. For so long, she was angry with him at leaving her. Upon hearing what he'd gone through while living with her, and out on the road, she couldn't do anything but sorry for him. He seemed so lost.
"Ellie, I need to get going. Will you look after her?" Ellie looked into his eyes and saw the fear, the desperation.
"Of course I will Chuck," Ellie said, finally relenting. "Will we ever see you again?"
Chuck smirked, "Hey, I've made it this far." He really hated lying to his sister.
They both stood and hugged each other. Ellie put him into the patented death grip once more. After finally being released, Chuck added, "Go get your car ready. I'll bring Katie and her things."
Chuck walked up to Katie and sat next to her on the blanket.
"Katie?" he said softly. She pulled one of her ear buds out. "Look, Katie, I'm going to have to go away." Katie's eyes opened wide, looking at Chuck. Chuck was staring out at the ocean, watching the sunset.
"Don't worry though, because Ellie's awesome." He smiled after he said, thinking of the Captain. "She's my sister and she'll take great care of you." Chuck looked at her, hoping she would say something, anything.
Katie glanced at Ellie, who was watching the pair closely, and looked back at Chuck. She nodded, got up, and walked to Ellie's car, getting in the passenger seat and closing the door before Chuck had a chance to say goodbye.
Chuck gathered her belongings and put them into Ellie's car. He walked over to Ellie and handed her a piece of paper.
"It's my number. Call in case of an emergency, and make sure you don't use a phone that is bugged. Just borrow one from someone or pick up a pre-paid phone." Ellie nodded and looked closely at Chuck. Something about his demeanor seemed wrong.
"Chuck, don't do anything stupid now, okay, like getting yourself killed. I need you, and that girl damn sure needs you." Ellie was stern, glaring at her brother.
"I can't make any promises about doing nothing stupid, that's just a bad habit of mine. As for Katie, I don't think she wants anything to do with me. Not that I blame her." Chuck was more talking to himself than Ellie. He looked back up at Ellie. "Just take care of her for me. I owe her that much."
Ellie nodded, and then gripped her brother in another crushing hug, trying to fight back tears. "I love you Chuck. Be safe."
She loosened her grip and backed a step away. "I love you too, sis." Chuck gave her a small grin. She got into the car and drove away. Chuck took out his sunglasses, put them on, and took a deep breath. With that, he walked back to his car, got in and drove back to the hospital where Ellie worked.
Sure enough, when he arrived he found that surveillance van still sitting in the same spot. He got a tranq gun and walked up to the van. He could make out two distinct voices that were inside. He knocked on the side of the van. A man pulled the sliding door open, and before anyone knew what happened, Chuck was inside the van and the man who opened the door was unconscious, on the floor of the van with a tranq dart stuck in his neck. The other member of the team was slowly reaching for her gun, trying to look innocent.
"Please, don't do that," Chuck said lazily. She moved her hand back to her side, causing Chuck to smile. "I want you to connect me to Beckman."
"Why would I do that?" she huffed at Chuck.
"I would assume because you're not stupid. I could easily kill you and your friend here, but I'm tired of the bloodshed. I just want to speak to Beckman."
She looked at him closely, finally deciding to patch him through. A surprised Beckman appeared on the screen. "Agent Connors, what is the meaning of this?"
Chuck shot Connors in the back with the tranq gun and slowly lowered her to the ground. He then took her seat. He removed his glasses and was staring at a now very surprised General Beckman.
"Mr. Bartowksi," she greeted with as much contempt as possible.
"Good to see you, too, General," Chuck replied, each word dripping with sarcasm.
They continued to glare at each other before Chuck finally broke the silence.
"Well, may as well get this started."
"Get what started? I have nothing to discuss with you."
"Yes, you do. I know that my sister's private life is still being invaded by you people. I want her, her family, and the girl she just took in left alone. They are off limits."
"Mr. Bartowski, you are in no place to negotiate terms. You're lucky I haven't had your sister detained on suspicions of aiding a fugitive."
"That's what you're calling the man who has continued to destroy Fulcrum cells all over America while you take credit?" He smirked while she scowled. "They are off limits. You tell that idiot over at the CIA the same thing."
Her eyes narrowed even more. "Are you threatening me?"
"No, merely stating that no harm shall come to my family without repercussions."
"Anything else?" she snarled.
"Nope, I think that about wraps this up. You should tell these two," he motioned to the unconscious agents, "that sitting in a delivery van for over five hours without moving is pretty noticeable. Especially when it was government plates."
He severed the connection and left the van. He got into his car and drove away heading north. He figured the wilderness would be the best place. It would be isolated, no one would find him. They may never realize what had happened to him.
***
Chuck walked into a small pizzeria in a small town just outside the woods. It wasn't much for a last meal, but he was sure it would taste pretty damn good. He ordered a small pepperoni pizza and took a seat near the big screen television that was placed at the front of the dining room. He was surprised to find out that there were a decent amount of people there, mostly high school age. But being one of the only restaurants in a small town, it was probably one of the few places they could gather and hang out.
Chuck noticed a few of the age appropriate, 'along with some age inappropriate,' he thought, were staring at him. He allowed himself a small smile. He had never fully understood why women seemed to notice him. He considered himself a decent looking guy, but the number of women who seemed to throw themselves at him nowadays was mind boggling. Noticing a few of the high school girls whispering and throwing glances his way, Chuck just shook his head at not understanding his appeal.
Finally, his food arrived, and he ate it slowly. He wanted to properly enjoy it. Even though he was extremely hungry, he wanted to savor every last bite. He looked at the TV, which was currently playing a basketball game. He was never one for sports, but he didn't mind taking in a game every now and then. Mindless fluff, he considered it, but it seemed appropriate that he should watch something that gave him a temporary escape from his predicament, when he was planning on giving himself a permanent one.
For over 45 minutes, he sat quietly in his seat, watching the game and eating his food. As he predicted, it tasted great. He was thankful no one approached him. He wasn't in the mood for conversation, and having lies as his last words would have felt wrong. He finished sipping the last of his cola, left a sizable tip for the girl who brought his food and silently left. He got into the rental car he had picked up and drove for the woods.
He had been driving along a dirt path that looked like it hadn't been used in years, having left paved roads behind to make locating his vehicle harder once this was over, before finally spotting a cabin that looked abandoned. Leaving the car, he went to have a look around the cabin. As he guessed, it appeared as though no one had lived in the thing in a long while. There was dust coating the entire surface of the interior.
Chuck was able to pry open a couple of loose floorboards near the kitchen. He moved all of his gear into the opening it provided, leaving out only a 9mm, a silencer and whatever was on him. He placed the floorboards back in place, covering up his things. He needed it to look like he still had his things. He decided to have a look around the rest of the house, in part because if anyone managed to locate this place, he needed the whole cabin to look disturbed, not just where he had hidden his things.
He found very old cans of food in a pantry, as well as a few newspaper articles on the kitchen counter about wildfires. He surmised that the owner of the cabin had vacated due to the threat of the fires and assumed the cabin had been destroyed. 'Even better,' thought Chuck, 'it doesn't look like anyone will be coming this way anytime soon.'
After a half hour of sifting through the cabin, Chuck grabbed his gun, threw on his coat and started walking out into the woods. He would find a nice, hidden area of land to commit his final act of violence. After an hour's wandering through the woods, he found his final resting place. It was well off the beaten path, heavily guarded by trees and appeared to be vacant of any wildlife. Chuck pulled out his 9mm and slowly attached the silencer. He quickly went over everything again in his head.
'Katie safe, check.'
'Ellie and family safe, check.'
'Beckman pissed at me, check.'
'No one knowing my current whereabouts, check.'
Chuck smiled as he went over it all. It was just what he wanted. All those he cared about were safe as long as the government feared his attack. Even though he would be gone, the government not knowing would provide his family protection. He would never be found and finally the path of the destruction would end.
With shaking hands, Chuck clicked off the safety as he lowered himself to his knees. He took a few calming breaths but his heart still felt like it was going to throw itself from his chest. He put the tip of the gun to his temple and closed his eyes, allowing his mind to shift to her. She was the last thing he ever wanted to think about. Her eyes, her smile, her lips. As her image caused him to relax, he slowly started to squeeze the trigger.
RING! RING!
His sat phone going off startled him, causing him to fumble the gun. He heard the bullet whiz by the side of his face and out into the darkness. Heaving huge breaths, Chuck cursed loudly. The muzzle flash had burned the side of his face. He reached into his coat pocket to pull out the offending item.
"Hello," Chuck responded automatically.
"Chuck?" replied a timid voice. Chuck heard a sniffle.
"Katie, is that you? What's wrong? Where's Ellie?" Chuck went into panic mode.
"Chuck, I want you to come home. I don't like it here. I want to be with you."
Chuck sighed. "Katie, you can't. It's not safe for you with me."
"I don't care. You're supposed to take care of me. You were going to be my dad."
"What?" Chuck said softly. 'What was she talking about?'
"I never told you, but that…that night, when it…it happened, Mom was going to tell you she was pregnant. We were going to be a real family. I was finally going to have a real dad." Katie started crying.
Chuck tried to fight the tears, but it was losing effort. He was going to be a father, he was going to have a family but the goddamn Intersect had robbed him of that. 'Sarah robbed you of that,' he told himself honestly. Of course, she didn't know that, and neither did he at the time, but it was the truth.
"Chuck? Are you there?" Katie grew worried after he didn't respond.
"Yeah," Chuck stated after regaining some control, "yeah, I'm here."
"Chuck, I still want you to be my dad. You're all I have left. Don't leave me. I love you."
Chuck's heart broke at that statement. Even after the pain she endured because of him, she loved him. Chuck took another deep breath. She was depending on him, she needed him. He wouldn't abandon her. He wouldn't become his father, forsaking those that needed him. He was better than that.
"I love you too, Katie. I do. But I have something that I have to do before I can come back. Do you understand?"
"Yes," replied Katie. Chuck was sure her tone was more upbeat. "Please come home soon."
"I'll try Katie. I will. Let Aunt Ellie take care of you. Love you, and see you soon."
"I love you too…Dad." Chuck smiled as she finished. He was surprised he could feel happy, but he was. Katie was his savior.
Chuck got up and started making his way back to the cabin. It was time to reassess his situation, figure out a new plan of attack and maybe hone his skills again. There was only one place he was going to do that. Chuck dialed the number.
"Roy? It's Chuck. I'll be at your place tomorrow afternoon."
***
July 18, 2010 Flagstaff, Arizona 8:00 pm
Chuck was walking down a side street at a brisk pace. Thankfully he was close to Flagstaff when he got the call. Roy's contact had said that Orion could be found here. Roy's contact had been giving him false information all along, whether he knew it or not. Chuck doubted he did, otherwise he would have been captured by now. Chuck was sure it was another wild goose chase but decided he needed to investigate if it were true. If it was Orion, that would be great. If it was just another Fulcrum cell, well, Chuck wouldn't mind taking them out. It would help release some of the anger that had built up since Kristin's passing.
He spotted his target. It was a medium sized house in a little cul-de-sac. He looked around for a place to conduct surveillance on his target. He spotted a ten story office building about two blocks north from the house. It would give him a perfect vantage point of the front of the house, so he would be able to see who was coming and going. The problem was the building offered no viable escape routes if things got dicey. It was the only decent sized building in that area. He could become trapped if someone got his location.
Chuck glanced around. He noticed a string of office buildings off to the south of the house. They were about six blocks away, but he was sure he would be able to still monitor the house from there. He had his sniper scope with him, but not the rifle. It was a bit too bulky to carry. He used the scope to look at the buildings. He saw one had a sign out with the Rosoft Inc. on it. It was the tallest and would give him the best view. Also, there were buildings on either side of it, so leaping to either one was a viable option if it came to that.
Chuck made up his mind that the best place to go was the building to the south. While not the best place for surveillance, it would provide the best escape route. He made a promise to Katie that he would return and he intended to keep it. He began to walk towards his intended target, mentally preparing himself for whatever might lie ahead.
***
10:17 pm
Casey was sitting in the passenger seat of the Suburban. He was checking his gun, making sure it was ready. He looked up at the building they were about to enter, Rosoft Inc. Casey was pretty sure that Chuck would be in the high rise building to the north. That would be the best place to watch the house. It was why Casey chose that location. He had been planning this for awhile.
Casey had heard about the disaster in Charlottesville, though the details were sketchy. Apparently the CIA had found out where Bartowski had been hiding, but they led Fulcrum to him also. After it was over, the Fulcrum cell had been defeated, a civilian was dead, and Chuck was back on the run.
Casey used a few of the favors he had acquired as an agent to figure out how they had found Chuck. It apparently was because of a parking ticket and an overzealous cop. Casey had sifted through all the information he could get his hands on. The car was likely gone, but his new ID might still pop up, so he attached a red flag to it. He started going over the information on the ticket. It was the information about the car that piqued his interest. The registration said it belonged to a Roy Jones in Eugene, Oregon. Why did that sound familiar?
Casey thought about it for a long time before the realization hit him. The trucker Chuck got a ride from. His name was Roy and he lived in Eugene. This was the guy who had been helping Chuck. How could they not have seen it? He had been there since the beginning. Casey ran an extensive background check on the man, and what he found surprised him. The guy was ex-CIA, so he no doubt had friends in the CIA, maybe even the NSA. This was why Chuck was always showing up and taking out Fulcrum cells that were supposedly areas where Orion had been hiding.
Once Casey had figured it out, he started his planning. The idea was to lure Chuck out into the open for another shot at Orion. Casey had been planning the best place to take Chuck down. By saying that Orion was hiding in the cul-de-sac, he believed he was cornering Chuck into that lone high rise to the north. Once they identified him, they would move in.
Casey decided to use Rosoft Inc. as a place to set up surveillance on the building. He wasn't sure when Chuck would arrive, but he needed to be far enough away that Chuck wouldn't flash on anything or anyone. They had placed bugs all over the building. Casey knew Chuck likely had measures to counteract the bugs, but all he needed was just a voice sample, a frame of video, enough to give him a positive ID. There was no way Chuck would be able to take it all out.
The Suburban pulled up into the Rosoft Inc. parking lot. A second one followed. The two teams got out of each vehicle, each carrying large amounts of equipment for surveillance. It was a lot for just identifying someone, but Chuck was that important. Casey smiled at the thought that he was finally going to capture Chuck. He had been every bit as good as Casey had hoped, but the strain of government searches were likely taking their toll, allowing Casey this chance at victory. It felt wrong without Walker here. He'd tell her when it was over and Chuck was in a secure NSA facility. He owed her that much.
***
10:33 pm
Chuck was sitting in an abandoned office looking out of a north facing window. He had been watching the house for a few hours, but it didn't appear that anyone was home. Either that or they were already asleep. Chuck pulled a jar of peanut butter from his bag. He hadn't eaten in a while, and although he was craving a steak, the peanut butter would have to do.
He had one of the two laptops he recently purchased sitting on a card table that he found in the office. He had hacked into the building's security feeds, which were currently displayed on the monitor. He left his other computer at Roy's place. There, he had put together a search for Orion. It was flimsy and unlikely to work, but it was the best he could come up with for now. His best bet was to hack into the servers at the DNI, but he didn't think he was up to snuff when it came to that. Plus, that would draw even more attention on himself, which he didn't think he needed at the moment.
The small receiver he had sitting next to his computer started pulsing a red light. It was his motion detectors. Someone had set them off. He had set them all along the hallway that his office connected to. He quickly went to his monitors and saw Casey with about 10 other men. 'Oh fuck!' Chuck thought furiously. The team appeared to be carrying equipment, so he would momentarily have the upper hand for a surprise attack. He had no way out of this room except for the door and the hallway. It would be too noisy to try and break the wall into another. He also had nothing waiting for him outside the window except the pavement. 'So much for viable escape routes,' he thought to himself.
Chuck quickly put his laptop and receiver into his bag. He grabbed both his 9mms and a couple of flash bangs. Thankfully Roy had restocked his inventory and seemed glad to give some to Chuck. He didn't like his chances, but it was the best he could do on short notice. He went to the door, prepared the flash bangs, opened the door and threw them in the hallway in each direction.
He could hear their cries as crashes sounded in the hallway. The equipment they had been holding was discarded in an attempt to shield themselves. Chuck moved quickly into the hallway. The team members on the right of the door were on the ground, holding their eyes, while those on the left of the door were leaning against the wall trying to clear the cobwebs out.
Chuck efficiently made his way left of the door to those who were standing and promptly shot them in the knee. It was difficult to see through the smoke, but he got close enough to know what he was doing. He didn't need to kill them, but he didn't want them to follow him either. After shooting about a half dozen of them, he made his way to the ones who were right of the door. They were starting to get their footing. He was getting ready to shoot the first one in the knee when he felt the bullet hit his thigh. It dropped him to one knee and his instincts took over. Quickly, he proceeded to shoot those who had just stood up three times in the chest. Each crumpled to a heap on the floor, dead.
Chuck made his way over to where his shooter was. Not surprisingly, it was Casey. He had been lying down when he fired at Chuck, and Chuck killing of the agents had brought them down on top of him. He was pinned to the floor, unable to defend himself. The smoke had cleared enough that the two men were staring at each other.
Never in a million years did Chuck believe that it would be Casey who would be staring down the barrel of his gun when they finally collided with each other. He allowed himself a small grin at the thought that he had beaten Casey.
Casey was looking up at Chuck. His mind was reeling. He couldn't believe it would end like this, at the hands of the nerd. Chuck had that stupid grin on his face and it was pissing Casey off. He just killed three agents and had the nerve to smile at Casey. Casey gave him the biggest scowl he could muster.
As Casey's scowl became more pronounced, Chuck grabbed his gun by the barrel and swung it at Casey, hitting him on the right side of the face. Ever the hulking man, the first blow only dazed Casey. He was still conscious, so Chuck brought the gun back across the left side of his face, promptly knocking him out.
Chuck gathered up his gear and quickly left the hallway. He could hear the moans as he descended the stairwell as fast as he could. He called 911 to let them know about the shooting. Chuck found a car that looked like it would be fast and stole it. As he reached the outskirts of the city limits, it was only then did he remember he had a bullet in his leg. He also just killed three federal agents and wounded several others. Any chance at a life after the Intersect was removed was gone.