General Beckman was in a meeting after being first informed by Casey, Sarah and Ellie about Chuck's condition. Next she was visited by Orion which gave her something else to worry about. In that conversation Orion explained the merging of Fulcrum's remaining resources with that of a new global player, Alexi Volkoff.
Diane was aware that Alexi was a product of the late Langston Graham's fevered mind. The ex director of the CIA had gone it alone in creating this monster. She as usual was called upon to clean up his messes. This one was going to the largest undertaking. Since little was known about Volkoff. The last information was from Frost dated 10 years ago. Since then the international arms dealer was pretty much shunted to the Eastern Europe desk as a two bit hood. Some two bit hood she thought. He was brazen enough to shoot Ted Rourke under his own security noses. Then he left without anyone asking about him or Frost.
She knew this because Orion supplied her with the original recordings not the looped doctored ones. Having Orion on her side was most welcomed. She pondered what plans would have to be made to capture then bring to trial such a repugnant human being. Well first off she would need good intel. That meant someone had to provide it. She was looking at the problems. Team B was sidelined for at least 6 months. It was fortunate that Chuck's sister caught a problem and saved his life. That meant Sarah Walker and Casey were available.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her private cell number one that she had never released. Who could be using that number she thought. She sighed and hoped it was not another telemarketer. She had enough vacation plans for one year. Those people were relentless. She had switched her number too many times but yet they located her number in a matter of hours.
She opened the phone.
"Hello who is this?" She asked.
"General Beckman?" The male voice said.
"Yes this is I who are you?" She asked as she motioned her secretary to open a trace on her phone.
"General I have it on good authority you will not be able to trace this call." He said.
She looked at her secretary and the secretary shook her head.
"Ok you have my attention what do you want?" She asked.
Bryce having fun with the situation decided to milk it good.
"Now General is that any way to talk to someone from beyond the grave? By the way how is Team B?"
"Team B? I've never heard it…" She said.
The secretary sent a message,
"Voice print confirmed identity of CIA Agent Bryce Larkin presumed dead."
"Oh come on General I know all about the intersect and how Team B is centered around the NSA's most valuable asset." Bryce said.
"Ok Larkin the voice print confirms what do you want?" The harried general asked.
"What do I want? Well to save the world other than being a sacrificial goat for teams of assassins to take potshots at me?" Bryce said.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Larkin but you doing a job that is most valuable. It causes our enemies to commit vast resources. Those resources while being used. They can not cause more havoc if they were released of that duty. I can not offer you anything else. Do you have a complaint?" she asked.
"Yeah…I get it Fulcrum has been after me for awhile but this new bunch…General I barely got away from those…Who are they?" Bryce asked.
"They just came up as a major player…Those are agents for Alexi Volkoff the Russian arms dealer." The General said.
"The Russians…? Really I dealt with them before." Bryce said.
"Mr. Larkin I think you mistook my words…Alexi Volkoff may be Russian but his organization is top rank. We do not even have eyes inside since Frost 10 years ago. Could I advise you to keep your head down? These guys place for keeps." She offered.
"I'll that that under advisement." Bryce said "… You need someone with eyes in the organization it is simple if they want me I'll turn myself in. That way you will have eyes inside."
"Mr. Larkin that is foolhardy…Alexi Volkoff knows about the intersect from Frost. He would know right away. You are not the human host. If you got caught all the resources would swing to the one we do have." The general said.
"That would mean Chuck who is defenseless in a hospital bed." Bryce sadly said.
"That is correct so it is vital they never capture you." The General said.
"Sarah…You mean to send Sarah." Bryce said
"Mr. Larkin who I choose is my business." She said.
"You can't have Sarah…I won't let you do it. I'll warn her. It's a suicide mission." Bryce said.
"So you tell her what is she going to do? Resign? I doubt that Mr. Larkin." The general said.
"She might…If I talk her out of this suicide mission." Bryce said.
"She would spend her life in a bunker…Is that what you want to happen?" The general asked.
"She would not and you know it. I would spring her then she would disappear. You know I can make that happen." Bryce warned "…This time there would be no Casey to stop me either."
"Ok Mr. Larkin you have made your point…Team B is idle for at least the next 6 months. So what am I to do?" The general said.
"I don't know I'll have to get back to you on that one." Bryce said then hung up.
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Orion overheard the entire conversation.
"So Stephen are you with me? Do you have any transport I need to go see Sarah now," Bryce said.
"Yes I'm with you Bryce ever since I recruited you to look after my son. I've always backed you." Stephen said.
"Good so where is it and where are the keys." Bryce asked.
"Wait you will need a disguise to get out." Orion said digging into his bag and withdrew a silvery bag. He tossed it to him.
Bryce never seeing it before asked.
"What do you want me to do with this?" he asked.
He was perplexed. It was just a bag though it was sort of pretty.
Orion chuckled.
"Put it over your head and look in the mirror." Orion commanded.
"Yeah I can see through this…What is…" Bryce said.
Orion activated the device from his wrist computer.
As Bryce looked the surface shimmed then attached to his face as a second skin.
"Wha the…" Bryce said,
Orion gave a few more commands then Bryce was looking at the face he did not know.
"Say that is good…There are no seams to give you away. It's complete with hair too." Bryce said looking at the older gentleman in the mirror with white snowy hair.
Here these are the gloves…you would need those…your hands would give you away. Orion said.
Bryce donned them and the same miraculous transformation happened. He looked at the wrinkled old hands of a Farmer.
"To top it off here are some overalls and a straw hat. It will complete the look for the vehicle I have in mind." Orion said.
Bryce changed clothes and looked admiring in the mirror. They both left and came up in a Barn. There was a red 1951 Ford F100 truck which looked like it had seen better days.
"It's a truck" Bryce said still limping.
"Yes it is which a few modifications" Orion said. "Look under the hood."
Bryce lifted the hood and saw an old 6 line engine.
"It looks like an old engine." Bryce said.
Orion tapped a few keys then asked him to look again.
"It's a brand new Coyote Ford engine that could produce 600 hp." Bryce said.
"600 hp would be fast enough if you need more speed there is a NO2 attachment. So you can evade any vehicle trap. Also you can have the choice of color and body style." Orion said as he tapped a few more keys.
"It is still a truck" Bryce said. "It is perfect so how can I control it?"
"You can't but I can. So just tell me and I will change everything." Orion said.
"You mean my look too?" Bryce asked.
"Yeah how would you like to have an Armani suit?" Stephen asked.
Orion tapped a few keys and the overalls changed into a three piece suite and tie.
"That is a neat trick Stephen. But please the overalls and I'll be on my way." Bryce said.
"You're welcome Bryce. Just park the truck anywhere once you do not need it. I'll retrieve it."
"Thanks Stephen." Bryce said as he started up the truck and noticed it had white smoke and real 6 cylinder engine noises.
Stephen opened the barn then Bryce headed the truck to Burbank a few hours away.
Orion closed the barn then shut off the lights. He headed back to his chair to continue his monitoring.
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Bryce passed right by the groups searching for him as they nary looked at him.
Bryce smiled this was going to be fun. So this is how Orion could be a step ahead of everyone he said out loud.
"Yes Bryce it is. Don't worry that anyone other than you can hear me." Orion said. "It's built into the mask."
"I see well did you see how easily I evaded those pursuers?" Bryce asked.
"Yes I did very good Bryce. You can always deactivate the masks by pulling at the sides of your neck. I would not do that too often because I would have to reactivate it." Orion said.
"Well since we are talking why not change everything. We would not want to stay the same in one area." Bryce pointed out.
"Ok Bryce we can change just pull in behind that billboard." Orion instructed.
Soon the Truck took on the appearance of a later model Ford F150 blue in color. Bryce himself looked like a respectable business man.
Bryce did not talk to Orion the rest of the trip.