Chuck's time at the local Buy more was ending. Tomorrow he was college bound. Mike the general Manager had tasked him to teach Skip to be the Nerd Herd manager. Lester and Jeff were in the home entertainment center again doing who knows what. The Ass Man just came in for a home install request on a Mac G4 full a 6000 dollar unit. Skip now had to find Lester to get him on this install quickly or the company and him would lose a sale and Lester 600 bonus. Skip was totally on his own. He entered the home entertainment center with much trepidation. Getting inside his hand was shaking so badly he could not talk so he thrust the paper at Lester then ran terrified out of the room. Chuck knew that would not do so he used guilt on Morgan to check on poor terrified Skip. Morgan found him in the refrig gobbling down the contents of the mystery crisper. Morgan incensed that there was no bet being made tried to get him to stop. Finally after ripping the crisper from his hands Skip stopped eating.
Man I was saving that for a big event! Thanks Skip!
Skip just looked at Morgan as if he was a cow crewing cud. The cow would look more intelligent.
Morgan just shook his head. This will not do Not do at all.
Morgan cornered the Ass Man Harry and said
"Skip is no way going to make it as a Nerd Herd Supervisor. He is too scared of everything and when gets upset he eats everything in the refrig even the mystery crisper!"
"It is out of my hands he is the most senior tech."
"Wait I am more senior than him!"
Harry looked at him skeptically.
"I can do anything Chuck can!"
"Grimms are you asking for the Nerd Herd Supervisor position? You the head lackey? You the biggest slacker in the world?"
"Yes I am!"
"Congrats you have the position go change to a white shirt and retire your green polo in your locker Plus find a Tie. Your first order of business is get Lester and Jeff on that install pronto!"
Chuck is still at the Nerd Herd desk when Morgan came out dress for success.
"Well look at you little Buddy! Looking sharp! So what changed I thought you did not want to work?"
"Well Chuck I do not understand it myself I was telling Ass Man Harry that Skip was too afraid to do the Nerd Herd Sup position and then I hear myself saying I want the job and Ass Man Harry giving it to me. I just do not understand why this inspiration came to me. Are Lester and Jeff still in the entertainment center?"
"Yeah they have not come out since Skip bolted from the room."
"That is what I thought. Well I am going into the den of iniquities. Wish me luck."
"Good Luck little buddy!"
Morgan entered room like the man with no name entering Thunderdome. In his mind the chant Two Men enter One Man leaves is in a loop and it is getting louder and louder.
Jeff and Lester lookup to see a Morgan they have never seen before a glare in the eye and a ramrod posture.
Morgan picked up the order of installation which was on the floor. He marched up to Lester placed the order in his hand and will a steely voice said.
You need to be doing this Now. I am waiting 5 mins then you will not know what happens next. But Promise you it will be very unpleasant.
Lester gulped and grabbed Jeff then left the entertainment center believing Morgan was possessed! Morgan's eyes even flashed red while staring at Lester.
After they left Morgan chuckled piece of Cake!
Morgan returned to the Nerd Herd Desk.
Morgan that was incredible you got them running for their lives to get on the install. How did you do it?
Chuck I have a demon locked inside me and I just gave them a look at him.
Chuck now burst into laughter! Morgan too joined in!
That was great Morgan! I am sure it scared them witless! Of course they would have to find wits first before losing them again.
Chuck turned in his badge and gave a long look around this place. This is place which gave him money for parts and videogames. Yep an end of an era!
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The next morning bright and early Chuck finds himself packed and in the car to drive to Stanford. Ellie and Devon came along with him. They pull in front of the engineering fraternity. There were guys in shorts playing Frisbee with no shirts on. There were very pretty coeds passing by. Chuck gets out of the car and does a Yogi stretch. It loosened all the muscles in the body at one time. Chuck enters the fraternity and seeks out the president.
The president of the Fraternity was Butch Palmer, Astronomy major and minor in Electronic Engineering. Chuck gave him the piece of paper signifying that he was a legacy member. Butch looked and paper and handed it back. Climbed out of the couch and moved to his office. Looking through the bedroom assignments he found one opening. Chuck now had a roommate a Bryce Larkins from CT.
Chuck has guided to the room and found it tidy but lived in. Bryce was not around. Since it was rush week there was always something to do. Butch now added Chuck's name to the roster.
Butch now stuck out his hand.
"Congratulation Legacy Member you now arrived!"
Chuck shook his hand vigorously and squeezed a bit to hard.
Butch squint his eyes and squeaked out Ok then left to put ice on his poor bruised hand.
Chuck returned to the car and gradually all his stuff his homemade computer and power supply were transferred to his room and last was his beloved Tron Poster.
Chuck hugged both Ellie and Devon and promised to email them regularly.
Chuck was on his own. The first order of business was to go the administration office to pick up his check for the month. Being on full scholarship allowed him the luxury of only paying for his books. He was a scholarship winner for Acton Industries. The problem Acton Industries does not exist but only on paper. Their assets are very real. Chuck was puzzling about his mysterious benefactor. Chuck liked to do word games in his head. While walking his unusual brain figured out the reason he was so unsettled by this name. It was owned by a Langstrom Graham.
Chuck settled into college life. He would regularly email with either Morgan or Ellie. About 4 months into the first year Chuck was playing his regular foam dart game with his roommate Bryce when he mentioned how He was under scholarship from Acton Industries. Bryce raised his eyes and said he was too. That was too much of a coincidence for Chuck's razor spy mind. Something was up and he sent a cryptic email to Ellie but strangely he got it bounced back by a Daemon error. Chuck looking into the error code discovered a message from his father "It is Ok no need to worry Acton is not what you think it is." Getting a message from his father was the highlight of the semester. It has been 3 years since the last message. Chuck was happy to know he was out there somewhere still looking out for him. It was Christmas break and Chuck took the train into Burbank and took a bus to home in Echo Park. He had opened the door only to be confronted with a Ninja! Ellie Chuck closed the door and bowed the the Ninja the Ninja bowed back then came the onslaught but the ninja was not wining she was losing ground in my inch she was backed down into the Dojo. Chuck held his hand up and did a sweep for bugs even the newest passive kind. Finding none he switched on the scrambler finally after all precautions were up held Chuck gave the quote from Darth Vader to Obi wan. In the Darth Vader voice.
"I left the student and you were the Master. I returned and I am the Master!"
Ellie swatted her Brother over such a cheesy quote
"I am glad your time at college has not dulled your skills so before this go on I need to see you perform everything I taught you!"
"Now" Ellie said as Chuck was laughing.
"I mean it do not make me get the Bo stick on you!"
"You know that threat has not worked since I was 15! Have you been improving?"
"You will never know defend yourself Little Brother!"
Chuck jumped and grabbed her twirling Bo stick out of her hand with ease then handed it back to her.
"I am impressed. Where did you learn that move?"
"I learned it by accident I was working out with my roommate Bryce then I just figured it out. Speaking of Bryce did you know he has the same scholarship sponsor as I? Yeah he and I are being sponsored by Acton Industries. It is owned by a Langstrom Graham."
"Chuck, Langstrom Graham was just now sworn in as the director of the CIA. These were the people who took Mom and chased Dad. No It maybe under Langstrom's name but I got a message from Dad. He told me Acton is not what I thought it was. Can you believe it after all this time he reaches out? I was beginning to worry if we would ever be in contact again."
"Chuck just because it is in his code does not mean it is him. There are only 2 authorized channels for passing messages. And electronically is not one of them. I would be very suspect of anymore messages that way. However, I will place an add to see if he responds properly. It is good to see you home Little Brother."
Ellie gave him a patented Ellie squeeze!