Chuck was excelling in school and after school him and Morgan were inseparable. Ellie true to her word was teaching more and more to Chuck. He was getting tired of having to run that extra mile every time Morgan showed up. Chuck was beginning to suspect that Ellie was doing it out of spite. Chuck dressed in his ninja outfit was going to have it out with his big sister that night. He was creeping around the house keeping a wary eye out for the attack which was sure to happen soon. Chuck now saw his father lab door open. Chuck looking around and not seeing Ellie anywhere nor his father crept into the room. The lab was filled with all sorts of separate monitors. In the middle of these stood a lone Ancient Mac. Chuck took off his mask to inspect the computer. The computer was blinking "Press Enter to Start" Chuck sat down at the console and pressed the enter key. Suddenly the room filled with all sorts of images which flashed in front of him. It took a few minutes. Chuck seemed to lose consciousness. When he awoke he had a terrible headache like Ellie had taken all of her frustrations out on him with the Bo Stick. He was first aware his father was talking to him. He sound very strange and distant at first but as he concentrated the sounds became recognizable.
"Charles? Charles can you see me? Charles can you hear me?"
Ellie was standing at the open door scared. Her little brother was sitting so still in the chair. This was a highly unusual occurrence. Chuck was rarely one to be sitting still.
"Dad? Is Chuck Alright?"
Stephen look at his oldest daughter still covered in her ninja outfit.
"Eleanor I do not know. We will have to wait. I hope so."
"How long do we have to wait? Can we move him to a bed?"
"No Eleanor, We dare not move him. How long he will stay this way? I can not hazard a guess."
20 mins went by and still no responses to anything outside stimulus.
Stephen was getting worried. Chuck was reacting the same as some of the other test subjects. This is bad. My only son and I could have ruined him.
A half hour passed and Stephen now noticed that Chuck's eyes were starting to react to light. Overjoyed Stephen started talking to chuck again.
"Charles? Charles can you see me? Charles can you hear me?"
Chuck now slowly started moving and was trying to talk but no sound was coming out.
Stephen encouraged by what he saw started talking to Chuck again.
Chuck now turned his head toward the sound he had heard.
Stephen now completely ecstatic was speaking slowly and directly at Chuck.
Chuck now was moving like normal.
"Dad, I am so sorry I just wanted to see what was on the screen."
Stephen picked up and hugged his son.
"Aces Charles You are Aces!"
"Dad. What happened to Chuck?"
"Eleanor, Your brother is special. Remember that! Remember your mother's words!"
"Yes Dad I remember her words I have to keep Chuck safe."
"Yes, Eleanor even more so now."
Chuck recovered and as a treat Ellie did not make him run that extra mile anymore. She was still not letting up on his training though. Ellie now did her nightly patrols and video observations with more diligence. Now as Chuck got older He started switching with Ellie on the night patrols. Chuck knew something was wrong when he saw the non descript van park across from the park on his way to school. Chuck knew something was up. Ellie pulled Chuck out of school. 18 year old Ellie had just graduated High School Early and was accepted to UCLA on a full scholarship. Her appearing at his school was a bit unnerving.
"Chuck, I am here because Dad is missing. We both knew this day would come. I have assumed full guardianship of you. So if the school needs anything they are to be referred to me. You understand."
Chuck knowing that van was the reason for his father's disappearance. Gave Ellie the license plate number he had jotted down. Plus the description of all the occupants in the hug he gave her. No one looking in could see the note passed to her.
Chuck now moved away and headed back to class.
Ellie left the school and in her car she opened the note after checking that there was no one around. Her spycraft was now at her peak. She committed the note's information to memory and destroyed the note.
Ellie now went back home and found the key to her father's lab. She opened it up. All his equipment was gone. However the dumb terminal which logged into all the different databases was still active and she only had a little problem overwhelming the login security. Now in the system she tracked down the van and the people in the van. Ellie now knew that the CIA was involved in her mother's and now father's disappearance. The one name which blazed in Ellie's mind was Langston Graham. Ellie quickly erased any trace of her incursion. Ellie now knew He father is running from the CIA.