A/N- Wow, thanks for the reviews guys.
Larkin, Bryce Larkin
+ 6 Hours
Sarah, Casey, and all the other agents in the room immediately snapped to attention as Beckman and Bryce entered the hotel room.
"Report!" Her voice was crisp and to the point. She wasn't happy that Bartowski hadn't been found yet.
"We don't have much general."
"It's been six hours since the Intersect, who in the event your forgot is the most valuable United States intelligence asset, went missing and you're telling me you have nothing!"
"General, it wasn't Fulcrum that we've confirmed that."
"Then who was it Agent Walker?"
"We don't know, yet."
"So what you really mean to say is that the people who kidnapped Chuck are highly trained, know about the Intersect and we have zero intel on them, not even their name?"
"Yes, General."
"You better have something else or I'm reassigning you to the deepest, darkest hole I can find."
"We found two bodies up on the rooftop and it looks like he left via helicopter."
"Well did you check to see if there are any reports concerning one in the area?"
"Yes general, but while it seems almost certain that they left via helicopter there is no evidence to suggest one in the area." The agent paused for a moment preparing himself for his next accusation, "We believe either they were using some kind of stealth helicopter or they hacked in and deleted all traces of it."
"So you once again have nothing."
"I believe they hacked in, general, which would indicate they have access to some advanced computer hackers. I don't know how many organizations have the ability to do that."
"General perhaps if I were to view the video I might recognize whoever it was that took Chuck." Bryce added hoping to calm the general a bit.
"Pull it up, I'd like to see it myself as well."
Casey played the surveillance videos that they'd accumulated.
The video of the actual attack on Sarah and Chuck's bedroom was first up.
"Agent Walker mind explaining why you didn't arm yourself to deal with the intruder?"
"I didn't have any weapons in the room ma'am."
"Agent Walker please remind me, did you graduate from the farm or are you some sort of imposter?"
"General the asset was uncomfortable with the weapons."
"Agent Walker your job is to ensure the intersect's safety not comfort."
Bryce ignored the exchange between the two; he'd figured out long ago that she was compromised. He'd recommended to Beckman that she order a 49-B and she'd agreed, but told him that she needed more evidence to order it. "General I think I might have something."
"What is it Agent Larkin?"
"Well I'm not 100% sure, but I think I know who it was that kidnapped Chuck."
"Come with my Bryce, I think we should talk in private."
"No it's nothing classified."
"Ok then how do you know who did this?"
"I think I've dealt with the guy who held them up at gun point before."
"You know that guy? Who is he?"
Bryce paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and go through his memories of the man again. "John, John Becker. I'm guessing that's a cover though, I thought he was a hedge fund manager; I did check his cover once and it checked out perfectly, so if it is this guy the organization is very good."
"Can you organize a meet with him?"
"He does work around here, I'll arrange a meeting, actually he called me while we were on our way over."
"Good at least one of my agent's has been able to generate one possible lead." She stared at Casey, Walker, and the rest of the team. Beckman turned to her team of agents, "I want you all to go back over any possible leads and look for any signs that they've been sterilized and when you come back and report you better have something more than you do now. Do I make myself clear?"
A chorus of "Yes ma'am." Quickly followed but did nothing to soften her demeanor.
When they had finished exiting the room she turned back to her three senior agents, "I want everything you have on John Becker."
"Well I first met him years ago in Venezuela."
***
"Better luck next time old chap." Bryce looked over at the man sitting next to him at the bar.
"Excuse me?"
"Although I think she might be a lesbian, she turned me down as well."
"So any woman who turns you down is a lesbian?" Bryce was on guard, the brit seemed just a bit to good.
"Most are, and judging by the way you handled yourself and the rejection I'm guessing any woman who turns us both down is."
"Larkin, Bryce Larkin."
"Who are you James Bond? Name's John Becker." John cursed himself, he'd come close to slipping back into the southwestern persona he'd been making use of more recently.
"So Mr. Larkin what do you do?"
"I'm an investment banker."
"Oh, I'm an astrophysicist myself. You on vacation to or here for business?"
"A little of both."
John nodded, he'd successfully lulled Larkin into a sense of security, "I know a good bar around the corner if you think we'd have better luck there?"
"It could be interesting, but I have an early morning tomorrow and don't have the time to put in the effort." Bryce was actually hoping on a boat and crossing the border in a few hours and had the police searching for him, so he knew he couldn't risk leaving the hotel.
John had just finished up assassinating the leaders of a rebel group out in the jungle and was looking forward to some female companionship. He'd been the one to draw the short straw and had to stay in country for a few extra days to deal with any possible loose ends.
"Well then Mr. Larkin it was a pleasure meeting you."
"Yes, it was Mr. Becker. Good hunting." Bryce finished off his drink and then headed up to his hotel room.
***
"So of what you told me, Mr. Larkin what makes you suspect he's a spy?"
"Well I've met up with him a few times and every time is just before or just after some major intelligence coup. Unfortunately I don't know who he works for since he's killed, Americans, Britons, French, Germans, Russians, Chinese and well you get the picture. He doesn't work against any one group whatever the agenda is of those he works for is, it isn't necessarily good for us although recently they have been helping us a lot more than hurting us."
"Why don't they talk to us then?"
"Well they might want the Intersect for themselves."
"Can you set up a meeting with him?"
"Yes, he generally likes to go for drinks we're generally a good team for social activities." Sarah stared at him, they'd started dating shortly before Bryce was sent to Venezuela…
"Do it."
Bryce nodded and walked out searching for his cell phone.
Sarah walked over to the computer bank, "I'll trace the number he calls, hopefully we can narrow down the area.
"Agent Casey can we speak, in private."
Walking off into a side room she turned to the Agent towering over her, "I want your assessment of Agent Walker's mental state."
Casey looked between the General and Walker, he could easily take her down. "It's fragile ma'am. Agent Walker is certainly concerned about the asset and wants him back, she'd probably go through an army to get him back at this point, but I'm not sure how long Walker will be able to keep up her current pace."
Beckman weighed her options, she could either be upfront or force her Agent to commit or give him an out and see how much she could really trust him. "Is Agent Walker compromised?"
"She definitely has feelings for the asset that go beyond acceptable, but I'm not sure you should split them up."
"Excuse me major but I will determine who is assigned to the Intersect project and her feelings go against every rule."
"General I didn't mean to-but considering the intersect is in Bartowski's mind I think it might be prudent to not separate him and his girlfriend, unless it becomes a problem of course. Knowing him, he will become difficult if he is forcibly separated from her." He saw her impending question, "I agree it's ludicrous, but he's a civilian not one of us and we also have no idea how his mental state will affect the Intersect."
Beckman looked at Casey considering her options, "very well, but I want weekly updates and I want to know the moment it becomes a problem I can't have the asset falling into enemy hands because of this and of course I want to see just how far Walker will go to get him back."
"So do I general." Casey said as his lips tugged slightly upward in a repressed smile.
Beckman nodded, "I'll be sending a 49-B out in a few weeks to check up on her."
"Understood General." He said as Beckman walked back into the main room.
"Did you get a location?"
"No, he didn't pick up I had to leave a voicemail."
"Any other leads?"
"I'm going to check to see how they first arrived in the hotel," Walker said as she pulled up the security footage from the hotel lobby.
"Agent Larkin, a word." She said disappearing back into the room where she had just finished speaking to Casey. "You assured me that Agent Walker was not compromised and had no real feelings is that still what you believe?"
Bryce knew he had only two choices, his own career or he could try and buy some time for Chuck and Sarah. It wasn't a choice, "No I have to agree that now Sarah is compromised."
Beckman nodded, "She'll have to be reassigned immediately would you be interested in her as a partner?"
"General with all due respect I'm not sure reassigning her is the best option. Chuck's mental state is almost certain to effect the operation of the Intersect or at the very least is willingness to use and report his flashes I think that while it goes against every rule in the book this is one situation where we might have to bite the bullet and let them stay together."
"So you think we should let them have a real relationship?"
"No, make sure Walker knows that if she pursues it she'll be reassigned. Chuck won't be happy, but as long as Sarah is around he'll continue to be the Intersect."
"So we keep them together, but don't let a relationship form?"
"I think that would be best, you might want to get someone else assigned so either Walker or Chuck have someone else to form a relationship with."
"Good thinking Larkin. I'll be sending a 49-B out in a few weeks perhaps an official one might turn up some more evidence against Walker especially since my unofficial one managed to do so well."
"She slept with me! I certainly wouldn't expect that from someone who was in love with their boyfriend, cover or not." The one thing Bryce couldn't-wouldn't tolerate was someone claiming that he was bad at his job. He was the best.
"When you arrange the meeting with this John make sure to bring along my surveillance team, I don't want Casey and Walker out of my sight."
"Understood General."
They walked out again, although this time Bryce disappeared out of the hotel room hoping to track down his lead.
"Agent Walker did you find anything?"
"Looks like they came in through the rooftop as well. My personal guess was they fast roped in, and then waited downstairs for us, grabbed the Intersect and then brought in the helicopter."
"Any idea why he didn't just kill you outright?"
"No, but they wanted me alive for some reason."
"You know we bugged your entire suite, including the bathroom."
Sarah froze, she was caught. She gave herself over to her agent instincts, "What are you saying General?"
"That we have your entire suite bugged."
"General…I-"
"I was also a young woman once Agent Walker."
"General?"
"I recognize, for now, that you will do everything to get the asset back and I also understand that you may have certain preferences when it comes to the asset as long as they don't interfere with your job."
"General?"
"And Casey is not to know about your preference."
***
+ 19 Hours
"General I might have found something." One of the Agent's burst into the hotel room as Larkin, Walker, and the General were suiting Bryce up for his op.
Beckman simply looked at him. "General, I believe we found how they deleted the logs and all reports relating to their extraction team."
"And infiltration, they came in via helicopter."
"Really? We'll have to go back in and check for those erasures, anyway it looks like they have direct access to air control systems."
"Well perhaps you and Agent Casey are off the hook, they do seem to be quite effective professionals." Beckman looked over at Sarah.
Sarah leaned up to Bryce as she finished checking him over and making sure there were no visible bugs, they weren't risking any slip ups on this op. "Bryce be careful, we need you to come back."
"Worried about me Sarah?"
"We need you to find Chuck."
He nodded, "With Walker and Larkin working together again we'll find him."
"Get to your meeting."
"I've got a couple of hours Sarah…"
"Your done here, get going."
"Sarah it's dinner not a stakeout I can't show up a couple hours earlier."
"Then go bug the restaurant."
Bryce looked at her; he recognized the look on her face. It was one he hadn't seen in a very long time, since before they'd gotten together. She was willing to do anything to complete her mission, it didn't matter who she had to kill, who she had torture, who she had to seduce. She was in her quintessential CIA agent mode and she was going to get the Intersect back.
"I guess I'll go brief the surveillance team for a few hours."
***
+21 Hours
Bryce briefed his surveillance team on their job, they were to monitor the conversation for anything, cover him, and if Bryce decided that his contact had some important information he'd give the code word, Herder, and they move in and grab John.
Bryce walked into the restaurant and spotted his contact immediately, at a table up against the glass window, well that'd make his surveillance team's job easier. Normally he wouldn't have brought them along, but with Chuck being kidnapped him being sent to New York and then being contacted by John all happening within a day, it was too much of a coincidence. He also had the sneaking suspicion that John was into some deep black ops, he always showed up around when things started getting weird and usually he left after leaving a couple dozen bodies behind. He approached the table and sat down opposite him, "Hello John."
"Mr. Larkin." His contact greeted.
"So what brings you into town? String theory conference at Columbia?" When Bryce had begun to suspect that John wasn't actually an Astrophysicist he'd realized the genius of the cover. Only an actual theoretical astrophysicist specializing in quantum mechanics and string theory would ever ask more than the most cursory question and even if they did he'd just be able to lie to them and they'd believe him as long as he sold it.
"My girlfriend and I were here on vacation." Bryce didn't buy it.
"Why are you in town?"
Larkin sensed something was amiss; he felt like he was now in danger and he knew that his contact was the reason for the danger. Lying would be dangerous if he was caught he'd be dead. He did the one thing he never thought he'd do in his career, he told the truth. "I'm helping a friend of mine out, her…" he searched for the right word to describe Chuck and Sarah's relationship he certainly couldn't say asset, "boyfriend was kidnapped."
"That's terrible, what was his name?" His voice conveyed his aloofness.
"Chuck Bartowski."
Echo nodded, but Larkin was done with the dancing. "Let's cut to the small talk."
"Whatever do you mean?" His fake concern was replaced with sarcasm.
"I know you're involved in Chuck's disappearance." Bryce searched John's face for any sign of shock or surprise at being discovered it was his best opening, except there was no sign of shock.
Echo was done playing games, "The Intersect is a concern of mine." His voice lacked any kind of emotion, and his delivery had been honed over the years.
Bryce had suspected some kind of peripheral involvement not complete knowledge of the Intersect, Bryce was the one who was showing shock. "You kidnapped him?"
"No, no you see I'm going to be asking the questions from now on." He saw Bryce reaching for his weapon, but Echo was faster. "There's a block of C4 taped on the underside of your surveillance van, I'm jamming their receivers and looping our last conversation and I have my backup on the rooftop across the street with a sniper aimed at your head, oh and of course I have my weapon."
Bryce was floored, never in his career had he been so thoroughly beaten. He was out of his league. Bryce sat there quietly looking for an out of some kind. No one was that good, no one should have been able to sneak up on an NSA team wire their van escape without detection, surprise him, and trick him into the wrong meeting place.
"Now I want the location of the new Intersect."
Bryce knew the recording would have a limited time and he needed to strike a balance between being difficult and eating up the time so it would end and his team would realize something was amiss and pissing of John too much and ending up dead. "You mean you don't have the Intersect?"
"The location of the building where the NSA has constructed their new Intersect."
Bryce smiled; finally he had something that he could flaunt over his opponent. "You can't figure it out?"
"Should I just kidnap you and torture it out of you?" The threat was real, and while Bryce was used to being threatened with torture and death he knew that the man who called himself John would certainly break Bryce, if only for the challenge of it.
"So that's what you're doing to Chuck? Torturing him? Forcing him to flash and give you new Intel?"
"The address. Now." His voice was dead.
Bryce pursed his lips, his eyes flashed with anger, for the first time in his career he'd totally failed. He wrote it down on the napkin and passed it to John.
"Here John, but let the kid go he's not one of us."
"My name isn't John and believe me Chuck is perfectly happy where he currently is."
"I highly doubt that." Echo holstered his weapon, they'd be done shortly. "Sarah isn't there and despite my advice he still has feelings for her."
"How long does she have?"
Bryce stared at him confused.
"Until she cracks, how long until she breaks down?" Bryce was surprised; John appeared to actually be concerned about Sarah.
"Two, three days, four tops."
"She's a good agent. I'll have him call her." He dropped a few bills, to cover the bill, onto the table as he stood up.
Bryce looked at him like he had three heads, "you're kidding right?"
He looked at his team and motioned for them to hold their position and attempted to contact them. As he saw John walk out the door he finally heard his team again, "He's leaving Bryce what do you want us to do?"
"Stay in the van, it's wired!"
"What?"
"They've got the van rigged to blow stay in it and don't make any moves. Once he leaves then drive back to base, I'll take my own car back.
A/N- I believe I owe an apology to nirvana12, I told you this should be up by Monday, and obviously it wasn't. Unfortunately I was not aware that both the Sims 3 and E3 were this week, which is why this was a bit delayed. I look forward to any and all reviews. I did have more for this chapter, but I wanted to have both Chuck and the rest of the team on the same time period. I look forward to any and all reviews. I seriously love to hear what you guys think. Oh and I've been pretty much dead all week, so in the event I did have any plot holes please tell me so I can correct them. I think I went back, but I know I changed Echo's cover a few times so one of the older ones might be left.