Annie and Auggie were met at the airport by Frost.
"So which plane are we taking?" Annie said looking around.
"Oh we are not flying Commercial follow me to the executive terminal." Frost said.
"Team B has is own plane!" Annie said for Auggie's benefit.
"Yeah that and much more, I am getting caught up myself Annie." Frost said.
\\\\\
Chuck and Sarah were relaxing having the first down time in awhile. With Frost back Sarah had very little to do and she was enjoying this respite. Both Chuck and she were lazing by the pool. Vivian and Bryce had become an item. They were at Vivian's LA house she had just purchased in the Hollywood hills. Vivian was on the lounge with Bryce no longer wearing Yuri's disguise was putting sun tan lotion on her back.
"This is the life Hey Bryce?" Chuck said soaking up the sun while floating on the sunken lounge in the middle of the pool.
"Yeah Chuckster it is so when is the wedding?" Bryce asked.
"Old buddy I have not asked her yet! I should be asking you the same thing!" Chuck said.
"Yeah… You are right we need to go ring shopping!" Bryce said.
"I have no need Mom had a ring which was supposed to go to Ellie but ended up to me. Ellie did not want it. She was happy with the one Devon got her." Chuck said.
"Well man you got come with me…This is a big thing!" Bryce said.
"Sure this is something I have to see Bryce Larkin nervous about a ring!" Chuck said.
Bryce smirked. Then tipped Chuck into the water. That started a water fight with the girls charging in to help their side. Everyone was laughing when Carina came walking out.
"Carina why aren't you at the airport? Mom's flight is coming in." Chuck said.
"Relax Chuckles she is not supposed to land for another 2 hours!" Carina said laying out on the lounge.
"I know but she said she was bringing new personnel with her. One she was going to train personally." Chuck said.
"Chuckles we get new people in Castle all the time what makes this seem so different?" Carina asked.
"I don't know but I got much info on the names alone that is good enough to be wary." Chuck said.
"Chuck you are always looking for the other shoe to drop! Honestly can you not relax?" Vivian said.
"Right vacation relax…No I can not something is up and I need to know what it is." Chuck said getting out of the pool.
Sarah looked at the group.
"I'll talk to him…However, he is rarely wrong…If something is bothering him. I have learned it is for a good reason." Sarah said getting out of the pool to chase after him.
They both dressed then headed to Castle once they got there Chuck headed directly to Ellie's lab.
"Hey Ellie" Chuck said hugging his Sister.
Sarah just loved seeing the siblings interact.
"Hey Chuck I have just gotten the new tech you and Dad created installed in the scanner. I think it is ready for Volkoff." Ellie said.
"That is great Ellie I can not wait to inform Vivian." Chuck said.
"Do you think that is a wise Idea Chuck? She might hate you for keeping the real reason quiet. I will do it. Chuck I can say you were not aware. She trusts you Chuck and if I do it she never really liked me anyway. I think she tolerates me." Sarah said.
"OK well if you two are finished I need to go wake up Hartley. Dad should be here soon." Ellie said.
"Ok Ellie you do that. We will stay right here!" Chuck said at the retreating Ellie.
\\\\\
Carina left the pool and was waiting outside the terminal for the plane.
"Welcome to LA I hope you had a good trip. Frost you are needed in Castle immediately. I will drop you off and take these two to their new apt." Carina said. "Oh by the way I am Carina Miller part of Team B. Welcome to your new assignment and you are?"
"Oh Annie Walker and this is my partner Auggie Anderson." Annie said. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Oh great another Walker just wait until Sarah hears this!" Carina said. "Plus another Mr. Anderson it keeps getting better and better."
Both Annie and Auggie looked at each other.
"Don't worry about Carina she is a flavor you have to get used to. Go get settled in your apt. Work does not begin until 5AM that means you need to sleep early tonight." Frost said getting in the car.
Carina kept up the chatter until she dropped off Frost. Then she took them to the Echo park apt complex. There they met Casey.
"Major John Casey I want you to meet our new meat er colleagues Annie Walker and Auggie Anderson of the CIA." Carina said.
"CIA huh never had too much use for you." The gruff Major said.
"Major Casey what do you do on Team B?" Annie asked.
"Well you'll find out in your briefing but suffice to say I'm more of protection and weapons man." Casey said.
"Don't be modest Casey is one of the best snipers in the world. Aren't you Casey! Besides he is prejudice against the CIA." Carina said.
"Why is that Major?" Auggie asked.
"He is NSA was the leader of a strike team and a former Marine too!" Carina said.
"That is a coincidence, I'm former Marine too before I was blinded." Auggie said "now I'm an analyst."
"Really, would you like a beer? What do you think of Ronald Reagan? Casey asked as he brought Auggie into his apt then closed the door.
Annie stood there flummoxed. Carina was just as surprised.
"Oh I think you should follow me. Here is your new home. It is quaint and comfortable but it has many hidden items like your safe is in the floor of the bedroom closet. There is a fully furnish Dojo in this basement and several escape tunnels from here." Carina pointed out. "Plus there is this. It is called a scrambler. It is an anti surveillance device. No surveillance can be conducted while it is on. Any device in a room is promptly deactivated. We want you to turn it on every time anyone in here. This is your bedroom. As you can see it is fully stocked. I suggest you do a workout to get the kinks out before sleeping. Also the whole complex is part of Team B. I'm just next to Casey and the others well you will meet them later. Oh did I tell you team B is a join operation between several agencies. You will meet Barker later. He is MI6. I'm DEA. You and Walker are the only CIA so far. Carina said.
Carina left Annie to get changed and she thought Carina's idea was a good one so she started her workout routine.
"Hey don't stop on my account." Auggie said.
"Auggie I thought I would not see you in awhile the way the Major took a shine to you." Annie smirked.
"Oh there might be a budding Bromance there Walker." Auggie said
"I see just as long as it does not get in the way of my time with my best partner." Annie said skipping over to give him a kiss.
"Hmmm I like you all territorial!" Auggie said "so which way is it to the bedroom?"
"I think I need to take a shower first." Annie said.
"Right shower first then bedroom!" Auggie said kissing her again.
It would take him some time to get orientated. Annie did not mind having to show him everything.
\\\\\
Frost arrived in Castle the same time Stephen did. They hugged and kissed then parted to go to Ellie's lab. On the way they met up with Sarah and Charles.
"Dad… Mom welcome back." Chuck said hugging his Mother. "We were going…"
"Charles I suggest you watch the proceeding out here. Hartley will be extremely disoriented so meeting him at this point would not be advisable." Stephen said.
"Charles I know you are the station chief as such Sarah has to keep you from dangerous situations. Let her do her job." Mary said.
"Ok Mom I get you…I will be out here if you need me." Chuck said.
Frost looked happy as Orion escorted her to Ellie's lab.
"Oh great Mom, Dad I was just about to wake up Hartley. He will be more disoriented than you were Mom. He has been under longer. Are you guys ready?" Ellie said as she switched on the machine then woke up Hartley. This time the results were instantaneous.
"Stephen is that you?" Hartley asked. "How long was I under?"
"Hartley it was a long time…It was not your fault. Alexi robbed you of everything." Stephen said.
"Hartley I protected you" Frost said.
"I know you would Mary I owe you both a debt I will never be able to repay. So what day is this?" Hartley asked.
Mary looked at Stephen then Ellie stepped up to start her examination.
"It is Tuesday the 15th of October 2011." Ellie said.
"No that can not be little Ellie can it?" Hartley asked.
"Yes Hartley that is my little girl all grown up…Hartley you been under for 15 years."
Mary said.
"All that time as Alexi?" Hartley asked.
"Yes it seems Alexi stole the Anti Agent X PSP that Graham was given. You were never allowed to wake up until now when Eleanor had recreated it. So how are you feeling?" Stephen asked.
"Old…Suddenly Stephen I feel old." Hartley replied. "And about Vivian and her mother how is she?"
"Hartley Vivian is a wonderful young lady I had dinner with her last night at her new home in the Hollywood hills." Stephen said. "Her Mother died when Vivian was 12.
"So she thinks I am dead? She must have had her 21st birthday huh?" Hartley said.
"Yeah so sorry we needed her help…She has been a chip off the old Winterbottom!" Stephen said.
"So am I cleared Dr?" Hartley asked Ellie.
"Hmm…? Oh yes you are in fine health. However if you want to stay that way you will need to stay here until Volkoff's men are all accounted." Ellie said.
"Yes I suppose that is correct. Me looking like Volkoff would be a bit troubling." Hartley said.
"Oh we corrected that misinformation. We told Vivian Alexi wore your face because of the high tech mask." Stephen said.
"Oh that is right so you perfected it?" Hartley asked.
"Yeah awhile ago…Hartley how many imperfect masks did you have?" Stephen asked.
"Oh let me think! There were 6 if I remember correctly." Hartley said. "I had Hydra with me too."
"Hydra what is Hydra Dad? Ellie asked.
"Hydra was the first generation of AI. Hartley and I worked on it. I have a more advanced version called HARRY and Charles has LARA which monitors this base." Stephen said.
"Charles? How is old Chuck?" Hartley asked.
"He is 28 and has a degree in engineering from Stanford. He is the one who captured Alexi. Well he set the trap I did the capture. I did not want any harm come to your body by an over zealous strike team enforcer." Stephen said.
"Thanks for that small favor Stephen…So how terrible was I as Volkoff?" Hartley asked.
Everyone looked down at the ground.
"Oh my… That bad…? Well I am so sorry. What about Graham?" Hartley asked.
"Alexi had him killed with a gas leak and a bomb in his car." Mary said. "Hartley you are not at fault. Graham never used the anti Agent X PSP on you when you were only supposed to be under for 2 weeks. It turned into 15 years. That I am so sorry too."
"Alexi killed Ted Roark but that is a good thing. He was bad…As bad as they come. He had always been jealous of both of us." Stephen said. "He was jealous because of your brain and me having Mary. He created an organization called Fulcrum. They were a bunch of Bad people. Charles was the one to take them down."
"It seems like I own much to the Bartowski family." Hartley said.
"No you don't Hartley…we would have done it for any other friend." Stephen said. "Now rest Hartley you have much to learn."
The group walked out of the lab while Hartley still under guard was escorted back to a sleeping area.