Hello again. Just got the second chapter in under the wire in my one-chapter-a-week rule. What can I say? What I lack in quality, I make up for in quantity. :-D
Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please leave reviews. It's an ego thing with authors. I'm sure all of you can understand.
Echo Park
February 28, 2011
7:45 PM
Chuck had planned the weekend when he proposed to Sarah for over two months. It was just a pleasant coincidence that Devon and Ellie were out of town, enjoying an extended Valentine's Day weekend they couldn't have two weeks ago because of their schedules at the hospital. They were driving back from Sedona and would be arriving within the hour. In the meantime, Chuck was trying to cook a lovely dinner for the two couples and prepare Sarah and him for Ellie's inevitable reaction to their engagement.
"How much do you want to bet she'll be more excited about our engagement than she was about her own?" Chuck called into the dining room where Sarah was setting up the table.
Sarah quietly chuckled as she put down the placemats. She went into the kitchen. "She's been waiting to see this day for almost four years? Gee, I can't imagine why she would be so excited."
Chuck stirred the sauce he was making. "Baby, could you try a taste of this?"
Sarah walked over to him and took a sample from the wooden spoon. "Mmmm, I think you finally have that recipe down."
Chuck laughed as he put the spoon back in the sauce. "Consider yourself lucky. I went through 5 or 6 experiments of this with Morgan before I dared asking you what you thought of it. Including the dreaded 'red pepper overdose' last August. That was not one of Casey's more pleasant nights eavesdropping on us. It was weeks before Morgan ate my cooking again."
"Sacrifice is part of being an agent. He can take it," Sarah replied with a grin.
"Fortunately, he and Anna are out at dinner tonight. And at least Ellie and Awesome know when it's time to leave. I imagine they won't stay late with having to unpack and getting some rest before work tomorrow."
Sarah gently turned him around to face her. "That's one of the best things about you: your impeccable timing." She wrapped her arms around him and pressed into him, giving him a kiss.
"Mmmm, whoah, hang on." Chuck moved them away from the stove. "I lost a robe once from you doing that."
"Well, I can't help myself sometimes," she replied with a mischievous glance. "Don't you know how much a guy who can cook turns a girl on?"
She started moaning when Chuck kissed that one spot on her neck that drove her crazy. "Especially when he does that?"
She felt herself being lifted onto the counter. Their kissing increased exponentially. Sarah could hear a drawer being opened.
"What are you doing?"
Now it was time for Chuck to have the mischievous glance. "Time for me to get a little revenge for my robe. Someone really needs the Aunt Jemima treatment."
Sarah's eyes went wide. "Don't you dare…"
She couldn't escape, being caught in the corner of the kitchen with Chuck completely blocking her exit routes. She screamed as he worked the spatula under her.
"Oh, I dare…" Chuck was laughing hysterically at Sarah bouncing around to avoid the spatula underneath her.
"I am SO getting you back for this!" Sarah threatened between laughing and the occasional high-pitched shriek. She managed to push Chuck back enough with her knee where she could bring her feet up against the edge of the counter. She pushed off and landed on Chuck, wrapping her legs and arms tightly around him. She flicked her tongue at that one spot on his ear that sends shivers down his body. She slid her hand down between them.
"Oh, you wouldn't…"
"Payback's a bitch, isn't it sweetie? I guess Ellie and Devon will know how happy you are to see them."
The knocking of the door interrupted Sarah's revenge. She got down from Chuck with an audible growl that was betrayed by the ear-to-ear grin on her face. "This is definitely not over."
She quickly went to the door as Chuck kept an eye on the stove. She opened the door.
"Sarah, hi!"
"Welcome back, Ellie," Sarah replied as the two women hugged. "How was Sedona?"
"Oh, it was wonderful. Very relaxing. Except for one tiny problem."
"Completely her problem, Sarah," Devon replied as he hugged Sarah.
Sarah looked back and forth between the two of them. "What happened?" Sarah asked, instantly regretting pressing the issue further.
"We tried one of those couples' spa packages," Ellie explained. "And everything was going great until the massage. The masseuse they assigned him…let's just say she really enjoyed her work."
"Babe, she didn't do anything. She said three things to me the whole time."
Ellie looked at Sarah. "His eyes were closed. Obviously he never saw all the times the masseuse was staring at his ass."
"She was not. And you didn't hear me say anything about the Adonis who was massaging you."
"He wasn't attractive," she replied disdainfully. "You're making that up."
"The guy could play Captain America," Devon quietly replied to Sarah. "Couldn't stand him. He kept winking at me and saying I was a lucky bastard."
"Uh, can I get you two a drink?" Sarah quickly asked, desperate to get away from this argument.
"Just water for me, Sarah," Ellie replied. "My stomach is a bit unsettled. We must have had a bad meal on the way back."
"No problem. I'll be right back."
Sarah quickly walked into the kitchen. Chuck noticed the slight look of distress.
"What's wrong, Sarah?"
"Um, how sure are you of this whole marriage thing?" Sarah asked with a bit of a smirk.
Chuck smiled, correctly guessing what happened. "How many times have I told you not to talk with them unsupervised? It takes time to know how to deal with my sister. She only has two modes: crazy and totally insane. It can be quite intimidating."
"How true. If she's at this level already, I hate to think what will happen when…"
"SARAH!"
Chuck and Sarah jumped high enough to hit the ceiling. They turned to the direction of the scream. Ellie came running into the kitchen in a full-blown frenzy.
"Did I see what I think I saw?" Ellie reached out to grab Sarah's left hand.
Chuck shook his head. "Right, now I remember what I was going to tell you. DON'T wear the ring to dinner."
Ellie was hyperventilating. "Does this mean…are you two…"
Sarah put her arm around Chuck and pulled him close. "Yes, it does. We are."
"Oh, that is the best news ever!" Ellie shrieked loudly enough to break windows two miles away as she wrapped her arms around both of them and hugged hard enough to break a marble column. She was in tears. "That is so amazing. You two are going to have the most wonderful marriage!"
Devon came into the kitchen. "What's going on?"
"We're getting married," Chuck replied as Sarah showed him the engagement ring.
"Congratulations, you two," Devon said as he went to hug them. "That is great…I mean it's so wonder…"
Chuck rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. You know you want to."
Devon got a big goofy grin on his face. "That is so AWESOME!"
"Thanks," Chuck replied. "I knew it was only a matter of time, but it still feels good to have finally done it. I can't get over how lucky I am."
Sarah ran her hand over his cheek. "I feel the same way."
Ellie's breathing returned to semi-normal. "So when are you having the wedding? Where's it going to be? Who are you inviting? Have you already picked your best man and maid of honor?"
"Ellie, we got engaged two nights ago," Chuck replied with exasperation. "Can't we enjoy this for another day or two before worrying about that?"
"No! You have to book the church, find a good banquet hall, audition bands; there are so many things to cover!"
"Ellie, trust me. We'll get it done," Sarah replied.
Amazingly, Ellie calmed down at this. "I'm sorry, Sarah. You're right. I'm just excited and happy for the two of you. I have to learn to take it easy."
Suddenly Chuck was a bit offended. "Wait a minute. You don't believe me when I say we can do it, but one 'trust me' from Sarah and you're so mellow you could have been in Dazed and Confused? You mean you trust her before your own brother?"
All three gave Chuck a bizarre expression. Chuck was instantly humbled. "You're right. What was I thinking?"
Devon grabbed some plates from the cupboard. "Babe, let's give them a hand with the table." Ellie grabbed some silverware and followed him into the dining room.
"You weren't actually offended, were you?" Sarah sweetly asked.
"No, of course not. I trust you more than anybody to get things done."
She smiled and kissed him. "Quit selling yourself short, sweetie. What you can do is pretty amazing, too." She then pulled a set of earplugs out of her ears. "Besides, these were your idea, and you were right to use them."
Chuck laughed as he pulled out the set he was wearing. "Ellie would have given us a serious case of tinnitus had we not done this. I'm just glad Casey had these. You can't even tell someone is wearing them."
"We should be safe for the rest of the night." Sarah grabbed the bottle of wine. "I'm going to go help them with the table. Everything smells great." She gave him another kiss. "I love you, sweetie."
He gently caressed her as he returned the kiss. "Love you, too."
The Ivy, London
March 4, 2011
12:30 PM
Mr. Diaz blended in just like any other customer in the restaurant. He knew an agent worked in this restaurant, as British Intelligence didn't always have to look for their targets; sometimes the targets came to them. But this was the only method he knew to discover what Cole Barker was doing right now. He was one of the top agents with MI-6 and was a master of staying under the radar. Indeed, it was only pure luck that Mr. Diaz was able to retrace his steps two years ago and discover Cole had been in Burbank. Although the proof he had contact with the CIA in Burbank wasn't concrete, certainly it was worth a try to find out.
He saw his mark enter the restroom. Anonymity was Mr. Diaz's advantage right now. He walked casually towards the bathroom, his custom-made dagger hidden in his hand and the blade fully retracted so nobody could see it. If all went well, nobody would, including his mark.
Mr. Diaz walked into the bathroom, where his mark was washing his hands. Nobody else was in the bathroom. He started to walk casually by his mark, who eyed him warily. However, the mark wasn't fast enough as Mr. Diaz brought his hand up and pressed a button on his dagger. The seven-inch blade shot out with more than enough force to penetrate the agent posing as a server, and Mr. Diaz gave it a quick twist before retracting it. The agent instantly collapsed, and Mr. Diaz caught him. He sat him inside one of the stalls and searched him. He found the next-generation mobile phone he knew the agent would be carrying. He placed it in his pocket and walked casually out of the restaurant.
He knew where the surveillance cameras were between here and his hotel, and he was always careful to keep his head turned at the right times so a full image of his face could not be recorded. Once he returned to the hotel, he went immediately to his room. He had to admit being impressed with his bounty. The mobile phones that British Intelligence started issuing to their agents two months ago were as powerful as any laptop computer available to the average consumer. Even though it was a joint venture between the British, the CIA, and the Japanese SIS, the Brits got the first units. Uploading a program to the phone to hack the encryption, Mr. Diaz was able to access the new Spectre database system being used by the government. Created by an Oxford wunderkind who clearly liked ironic nicknames, it gave real-time information on field agents and their current status. Mr. Diaz had to admit a little bit of luck was falling his way. He wouldn't have to leave London to find Cole Barker.
West Hollywood, CA
March 4, 2011
10:30 PM
Chuck felt a bit of apprehension now that he was engaged. They hadn't told General Beckman yet about planning to marry, and Casey was kind enough not to mention it himself. Their announcement was met with a sarcastic grunt and a perfunctory "congratulations" from him, which they simply accepted as happiness on his part…relatively speaking. However, going on missions was now more difficult because Chuck had it in the back of his mind how much more was at risk. Obviously, he was risking a lot every time he went on a mission before now. But seeing that engagement ring on Sarah's finger put a stamp on how much he had now; thus, how much he had to lose. As much as he tried to put that out of his mind, it kept coming up at the worst times. Like right now.
"Chuck, are you OK?"
Sarah looked at him with some concern inside the van. They were two blocks away from The Abbey, where Chuck was supposed to handle the transfer of some sensitive documents from an undercover CIA agent who recently stole them from a Ring site overseas. The files were originally supposed to be given to another agent, but General Beckman indicated some problems with the transfer taking place.
"I'm sorry. I have to get my head in the game."
"Just relax. This isn't your first solo mission. Besides, Casey is already in there."
"I know. It's just that things feel a lot different now. We're doing these missions, and we're going to be getting married. I guess I can't help feeling a little more nervous."
Sarah took his hand. "We're still the same people. We're still the best team of agents the CIA has. And best of all, you're still Chuck."
He turned to her with a heartfelt smile. "I'm still your Chuck, right?"
She squeezed his hand tighter and gave him a kiss. "Absolutely."
They pulled up to the bar. Chuck took a deep breath. "OK, here I go."
"You'll do great. I'll be here if there are any problems."
Chuck turned to her and grinned. "It's a gay bar, Sarah. You won't be able to go in without tipping someone off. So stay in the van."
Sarah arched an eyebrow. "You've been waiting four years to tell me that, haven't you."
"Yes I have."
Chuck got out of the van and walked into the club. He checked with Sarah to make sure his earpiece was working properly and stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe the getup Casey was wearing. The body-hugging sky blue polo shirt and leather vest draped over it stuck out even in the darkened bar. The ridiculously tight black denim jeans he was wearing made Chuck think Casey hadn't been tortured like this since Afghanistan. He tried not to crack up at the piece de resistance to Casey's wardrobe: the highlighted wig that made him look like a 1980's sitcom character.
Chuck walked up to him as Casey finished serving several drinks. "Seriously?"
Casey shrugged. "They tip better when you're dressed up. I've made $60 in only two hours."
Chuck couldn't resist. "And how many phone numbers have you collected?"
"Knock it off, moron, or I'll show you a new meaning to the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy."
Chuck gave him an expression of annoyance as he walked back to a small table where the agent was sitting.
"I hear the mojitos are better at the Dolphin Bar," the agent said, giving Chuck the correct phrase.
"Maybe, but give me an ice-cold beer any day of the week," Chuck replied.
"What happened to the other agent?"
"We were hoping you could tell us. Didn't you try to give the information to them?"
"Tried, yes. But the last two nights, I got the feeling that someone might have been watching, so I ducked out before I saw them. I thought making the exchange here would help because there's so much noise and activity, it would be easy to hide. I think I got lucky tonight. I didn't see anyone following me."
The agent slipped a memory stick under the table to Chuck. Chuck quickly looked around to see if anybody was watching. He spotted someone sitting at the bar. He had a flash, revealing the man to be a Ring agent.
He turned to the agent. "Uh, now would probably be a good time to quietly slip out of this place." Chuck walked further back in the bar. "Casey, we have a Ring agent at the bar."
"Where?" Casey asked.
"End of the bar, black shirt, black leather coat."
"Gee, that narrows it down. Half the guys in here are wearing leather coats."
Chuck started to look for an exit. "Balding, mid-40's, do you see him yet?"
Casey made his way to the end of the long bar. "Someone just got up. I didn't get a look at him, but it might have been that guy."
"OK, can't you use your skills of persuasion to tell him to leave me alone?"
"Working on it. There's a back door just past an alcove of tables on your left that leads to the alley. Get out and get back to the van. Walker, find him."
"On it," Sarah replied.
Chuck found the exit and ducked into the alley. As he walked towards the main street, he was confronted by six very large men.
"You were the one talking to the agent," one of them said in a menacing tone.
Chuck inflected his voice to make it sound slightly more effeminate. "Guys, I just needed a night off from my boyfriend. He was crowding me. I'm not looking for a one-night stand."
"You won't be getting one," the man replied and stepped towards Chuck.
Chuck's eyes fluttered as his Intersect kicked into action, locating the program he needed. He landed a roundhouse kick at the man in front of him. He leaped over that man as he fell and kicked his leg out to knock down a second man. He pivoted and threw a punch at a third one. He staggered forward as someone hit him from behind. He landed between two of the thugs, who immediately grabbed each of his arms and held him place. The first man pulled out his gun and aimed it at Chuck. Chuck could feel someone's hands pushing down on his shoulder. He looked up to see someone fly over his head, having used Chuck's shoulder to push off, and put their feet directly into the chest of the man with the gun, who was knocked back to the ground. Sarah went on the offensive, landing a spinning kick on another thug and taking one down with a right cross. Chuck broke away from the two men holding him, bringing his heel up into one of them as he landed an elbow on the other. Sarah ran at Chuck and took his hand. He spun her around, and she took out another man with a kick to the side of the face. Chuck whirled around and took out the last two with a roundhouse kick for each.
Chuck and Sarah heard the cock of a gun behind them. They turned in time to see the Ring agent Chuck flashed on level his gun at them with a look of fury on his face.
A shot rang out. The agent fell to the ground.
Chuck and Sarah turned in the opposite direction to locate the person who shot the agent. The man was obscured in the darkness of the alley.
"You know, just once I'd like to complete a mission without you two bailing my ass out."
They couldn't see the man who just saved them, but the voice was more than familiar. Chuck got a huge smile on his face.
"Well, just once we'd like to go on a mission without you saving our lives."
"OK, that sounds like a plan. You let me fail, and I'll let you croak."
"Good."
The man walked towards them, and the lone streetlight in the alley revealed his face. "I really have to visit more often." Jimmy Slade had a huge grin on his face as well.
Chuck walked up to him and gave him a big hug. "Jimmy, how are you?"
"I'm good. Screwed-up missions aside, of course."
Sarah growled at him. "Don't even start, Jimmy." She gave him a big hug as well.
"Ugh, I'm trying not to, kiddo. But this case has been ridiculous."
"What happened?"
"This place was driving me nuts! I've tried to meet with this agent for the last two nights, but guys would keep coming up and asking me to have a drink with them. The agent kept getting spooked and leaving. I've spent 20 hours at this bar for nothing! What, am I putting out some sort of vibe that I'm looking to get laid?"
One of the thugs tried to get up and pull his gun out with a furious growl. Jimmy drove his heel into the man's face.
"Shut up, I'm talking here." He turned back to Chuck and Sarah. "I mean, the last time I checked, I was straight, wasn't I? Call me weird, but I happen to prefer women. I swear, if one more person grabs my ass, I'm going to…HEY!"
Jimmy turned towards the culprit, who had a trouble-causing smirk on her face. "Chuck, would you please tell your girlfriend not to grab my ass?"
Chuck gave him a bizarre look. "Jimmy, at what point did you think I could ever tell her what to do and she'd listen?"
Jimmy rolled his eyes. "Good point. She does that because she knows she can get away with it." Sarah tried to play innocent, but neither Chuck nor Jimmy was buying it.
"Besides, she's not my girlfriend anymore."
Jimmy's eyes went wide. "What? What are you talking about?" He turned towards Sarah, who held up her engagement ring. "Oh, you're engaged? Congratulations!"
Jimmy gave both of them a hug. "And about frickin' time! I was afraid you two were going to go the Kurt Russell-Goldie Hawn route."
Chuck laughed. "Oh, please. We're not that bad, are we?"
"Ah, you're right. I guess it just drives me nuts when people who clearly belong together don't realize it. But don't worry. It's not like I've been sitting at home thinking this is some lame-assed, will-they-or-won't-they relationship. I knew it was just a matter of time with you two."
Casey came out the door of the club with his gun drawn and spotted Jimmy with Chuck and Sarah. "Oh. Now I know why Beckman had to call us in."
"And how have you been, Case?" Jimmy gritted through his teeth. "Nice outfit, by the way. Just get back the Adam Lambert concert?" Casey growled at that comment.
"OK, we've got work to do," Sarah replied before an already long night got any longer. She called the local NSA office for assistance in processing the Ring agents now in custody.
Unknown Location, London
March 5, 2011
10:05 PM
Cole Barker had to admit this was not one of the more fun missions he had been on. But when you've visited over 200 different countries, saved the world a dozen times, and bedded enough exotic women to make Hugh Hefner proud, domestic missions didn't have quite the appeal. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy London, but he had certainly visited it plenty of times growing up in Newcastle. He imagined he found Hong Kong, Rome, and New York more fascinating than the people who lived there.
Queen and country, he reminded himself. The Ring had become a greater threat than Fulcrum, and he worked very hard to help bring down that organization. Fortunately, Chuck Bartowski proved to be a lot more than meets the eye. His team was victorious. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning, and The Ring was now keeping British Intelligence's domestic and international branches very busy.
His contact was late. Already the alarm bells were ringing in his mind. He checked to make sure his Walther was in a ready position. He was starting to consider making a run for it, but his contact told him he had important information to give him tonight.
The information Cole could have used was that his contact was lying dead outside of the abandoned building next to his car. He never saw the laser sight aimed at his back. A slight pinch and Cole collapsed. Two unknown men entered the building and carried his body to a waiting van. Mr. Diaz watched them place Cole inside while he disassembled his rifle.
Castle Underground Facility
March 7, 2011
10:30 AM
Chuck, Sarah, and Jimmy were gathered around the main conference table. They were a little tired from being there, especially since they spent most of the weekend writing up reports regarding the capture of Ring agents at The Abbey the previous Friday night. It was especially aggravating for Jimmy, who alternated between his hotel and Castle the entire weekend. Outside of Chuck, Sarah, and Casey, nobody had seen him.
"Beckman wants me to stay in L.A. for a little while, so I guess we'll have to come up with some excuse for me being around," Jimmy said. "Unless you want me to stay down here the whole time. Although I should warn you I was getting a little stir crazy the last time I was here, and I was only in Castle for two days."
I was already thinking about that," Chuck replied. "Unfortunately, they shut down Zork on us to save money."
Jimmy shook his head. "I hate when that happens. Maybe the CIA should get sponsorships for their spies, like NASCAR."
"Fortunately, there's someone who can help us. We'll slip you inside the Nerd Herd."
"How?"
The door opened upstairs, and Jimmy's mouth hit the floor. The last person he expected to walk into Castle was Morgan.
He turned to them, more than a little shocked. "Wait a minute. Does he know?"
"That's why he's here now," Sarah replied. "We're going to explain everything."
"He knows about this place? Wow, I really have to call you people more often."
"It'll be fine Jimmy," Chuck assured him. "Trust us."
"He's never going to believe I'm the same guy from 16 months ago. Hell, I don't believe I'm the same guy from 16 months ago." This earned him a smack on the back of the head from Sarah.
Morgan surveyed the room. "Mr. Bartowski, future Mrs. Walker-Bartowski, and…wait a second. Are we letting new people into the clubhouse? Chuck, doesn't that whole 'spy secret' thing start going out the window if you let too many people in on it?"
"It's OK, Morgan. That's actually why you're here." Chuck gestured to Jimmy. "This is Roger Murdock. He is a fellow agent."
Morgan shakes Jimmy's hand. "Good to meet you, Roger."
Jimmy looked slightly amused but shook his hand anyway. "And you, Morgan."
Morgan suddenly froze. "Wait. That voice sounds familiar. A little less Barry White behind it than it used to have."
Jimmy turned to Chuck and Sarah. "Wow, he's good."
"You've met him before, Morgan," Sarah replied. "About a year and a half ago, do you remember the guy who took over the Buy More for two weeks before Big Mike was back in charge? He died in an auto accident?"
Morgan staggered back. "No…no way! Anthony?"
"Actually, that was just an alias I used. My real name is Jimmy Slade."
"But dude, you were…you were, a…"
"A fat bastard?" Sarah gave him an evil glare. Jimmy shrugged. "Well, I was. Airlines were charging me for three seats."
"Oh, man. What is your secret? How do you do these things?"
"The same way I did, Morgan," Chuck replied. "Let me explain. Jimmy wasn't killed in an auto accident. He's an Intersect, just like me. Except his was done back in 1990. It doesn't work the same way as mine."
"Basically, if Chuck is an MP3 player, I'm an 8-track tape," Jimmy added.
"But the same group that attacked Castle went after him. He died in an explosion trying to save us…or so we thought. He went into secret training like I did, and this is the result. Now he's a spy. A really good one, too."
Morgan looked Jimmy up and down in disbelief.
"Wow. Dude, seriously. You should write a book. You're like one of those stories on the infomercials."
Jimmy chuckled. "I don't think the 'lose weight on the taxpayer's dime' plan would go over too well with the general public. Chuck, Sarah, and Casey went to bat for me with General Beckman to keep me out of an underground bunker, just like they apparently did with you. They thought I could be a good agent. I guess they were right."
"Morgan, do you think he can work undercover in the Buy More?" Chuck asked him. "Could you convince Big Mike to hire him?"
"Absolutely, Chuck. You know I've got your back. But Big Mike's gotten the word from corporate that there's a hiring freeze on. How do we get around that?"
Chuck and Sarah looked at each other and smiled.
Buy More
March 8, 2011
12:30 PM
"Sorry for going John McEnroe on you, but you CANNOT be serious!"
Jimmy stared at the cage in the back of the Buy More, adorned in a white Oxford shirt and gray tie. A mountain of computers was staring him back in the face.
"It's necessary for the cover, Jimmy," Chuck replied. "We needed to have a reason for hiring someone else. Casey talked to the NSA."
Jimmy turned to Casey, who had a joyous smirk on his face. "Casey did this. Gee, what a surprise." Jimmy shook his head and was ready to tear his hair out. "You mean I have to fix these computers all by myself?"
"I promise I'll get Jeff and Lester to help you."
Jimmy threw his hands up in frustration. "So I DO have to fix these computers all by myself!"
Casey clapped Jimmy's shoulder. "Have fun. Sucks to be a nerd sometimes, huh?" He walked away with an amused grunt as Jeff and Lester came up behind Chuck and Jimmy.
"Guys, we just got this big shipment of computers, and Roger will need help fixing them," Chuck told them.
"Sure Chuck," Lester replied. "Can't leave the new guy twisting in the wind."
Chuck lowered his voice so only Jimmy heard it. "See? You treat them nice and they step up to the plate when necessary." Chuck turned to Jeff and Lester. "Thanks guys."
Chuck walked away. Lester checked his watch and gave a devious smile. "Oops, it's lunchtime."
"We've got a few things to take care of," Jeff replied in an unfocused haze. "By the way, someone has to man the Nerd Herd desk."
Jeff and Lester walked away, and Jimmy walked out to the main floor, where he saw a line of 20 angry people at the Nerd Herd desk. He started to look towards his back pocket where his CIA-issue suicide pill was.
"Tempting...tempting..." He briefly debated whether to take it himself or mix it into Jeff and Lester's coffee. Either way, problem solved.
Unknown Location, London
March 8, 2011
5:00 PM
Cole woke up bound to a chair in the middle of a room he did not recognize. His head felt like it weighed forty pounds, and his mind was in a haze. He wasn't sure how long he was unconscious. He saw only silhouettes of people in the room.
"What is your name?" A voice he did not recognized called out from the dark.
"My--my name?" Cole wasn't sure what was going on, but his mouth felt detached from his mind.
"What is your name?" The voice said with a bit more force.
"Cole." A small part of his mind wondered what the hell just happened. He thought he had built a tolerance to just about every form of truth serum available. Clearly he was wrong.
"Who do you work for?"
"Her Majesty's government." His movements were sluggish, but that small part of his mind that was registering what was going on was starting to scream. You could train for months and years on end to survive torture, but you don't truly know how you'll react until it is actually happening. Whoever this was, he was smart enough not to assault him to make him talk. There was no way Cole would give in to being beat up.
"I need some information about your travels."
Whatever this man wanted, Cole knew he couldn't give it up. He knew what he had to do. He had to hope that the new-issue shoes many agents wore in MI-6 from the Quartermaster would work.
"You were in the United States a few years ago."
Cole just got lucky. This man was taking his time, perhaps to make sure the serum worked properly. Asking the correct questions was important when dealing with a person with an altered mind. The one part of Cole's mind that was still cognizant of his situation willed his body into action.
"I've been there many times," the part of Cole that was obeying the effects of the serum replied.
"There is a CIA facility in southern California. You were rumored to be there helping them with a mission to take down Fulcrum."
"Yes," was Cole's reply, while his left heel quietly worked to break the sole of his right shoe. He couldn't stop now. If it was a question between his life and telling this man about Chuck, the answer was obvious. Chuck, Sarah, and Casey were some of the best people he ever worked with.
"Can you tell me who you saw there?"
Cole concentrated all of his efforts into resisting that question. His feet shifted slightly, but the men in the shadows didn't notice. He quietly pushed the heel of his left shoe into the broken sole of his right shoe. The plastique was mixed. The final ten seconds of his life ticked down. But he could still go out swinging.
He let his body fall to the side, and the chair tipped over. He feigned unconsciousness, hoping the men would walk up to him and pull him back up. Indeed, two of the men walked up to him and tried to pull the chair back up.
Be careful, Chuck was Cole's final thought as the plastique detonated.
L Apparemment Café
March 8, 2011
5:00 PM
It was the usual crowd in the café. Like most cafés in Paris, this wasn't the most popular time of the year for big crowds. However, there were still enough people to sample pastries and drink coffee to keep the café busy. At worst, the clientèle would leave the woman alone, merely wanting their drinks and not to be bothered otherwise.
The woman observed the same man come in. He always dressed in casual clothes. He probably thought he was being inconspicuous, but that only served to make the briefcase stick out even more. She had her suspicions as the man met whom she believed to be a contact. This time, she was ready. They didn't notice her. Why would they? She had been working as a server at this café for six months, and her story checked out. The man who walked in with the briefcase walked out with the same briefcase. At least, that's what it was supposed to look like. Fortunately, the server caught the switch under the table.
She made a few notes into her order pad. She had enough to take this to her bosses and request additional resources.
Orange Orange
March 12, 2011
6:00 PM
Chuck was tempted not to go home after working at the Buy More. Unfortunately, he knew he had to. Sarah would kill him if he blew this off. Not because it was something she planned, but she insisted he suffer with her.
Ellie was throwing them an engagement party at their apartment and wouldn't take no for an answer.
As much as he knew how big of a deal this was, he preferred going to parties rather than being the reason for them. Unfortunately, Ellie was not one to be denied once she set her mind to something.
Chuck opened the door to the Orange Orange and saw Sarah's apprehensive look. He knew she was dreading this as much as he was.
"We could always elope," Chuck said with a smile. Sarah couldn't help but smile as well. It was impossible to resist that boyish charm.
"I think Ellie would disown you if we did that."
Chuck shrugged. "I'm willing to risk that. How about you?"
Sarah laughed. She put the last of the toppings into the cooler and took Chuck's hand. "Come on. We've been in life-threatening situations before. This can't be much worse."
They started to walk out of the Orange Orange. Suddenly, Chuck stopped. He appeared to be lost in thought.
"What is it?" Sarah asked. Her curiosity grew even more when she saw the big grin on Chuck's face.
"Maybe we can make the party not completely about us. Someone has a birthday coming up."
Sarah tried to figure out what Chuck was talking about. Suddenly she was grinning. "Oh, he will never forgive us."
"Maybe, but how many birthdays did he ever get to celebrate?"
"The first thing he'll tell us is that his real birthday isn't for three weeks."
Chuck's look grew even more devious. "But he can't prove that, can he?"
Sarah wrapped her arms around Chuck. "I am liking this side of you, Mr. Bartowski."
"We just have to pick up a few items."
They dashed out of the Orange Orange.
Echo Park
March 12, 2011
9:00 PM
Ellie looked over the crowd at Chuck and Sarah's apartment. Granted, most of the people there were friends of Devon's and hers. However, they were the ones who would truly appreciate an engagement party. She made sure as few people from the Buy More knew about the party as possible. Morgan and Anna couldn't be avoided, and Devon promised he would keep an eye on Casey so that he wouldn't perform any public acts of indecency. The only other person from the Buy More she saw...provided Jeff and Lester didn't crash the party...was the new person Chuck was talking about. She tried to remember his name...Roger was the name going through her head...but he kept to himself near the apartment. She'd take quiet...and very attractive...over the normal motley crew of Buy More employees Chuck hung around with.
Sarah walked back into the apartment. It was a bit ironic that she trained for situations like these before, but when the party was exactly that, a party, and one for Chuck and her, she felt a bit nervous. She made small talk with the people from the hospital already and was almost ready to spring the trap with Chuck. She felt a little bad doing that to one of the few people Chuck and she ever encountered who never changed and never turned. But Chuck and she weren't much for being the center of attention, and it was time he was just once.
She walked over to Jimmy, who was standing quietly in the corner of the apartment and avoiding everyone in general. How he ever became successful as a public speaker was beyond her.
"Hey Jimmy. Thank you for the engagement present." She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Our formal diningware is already building, and we haven't even picked a date yet."
Jimmy shrugged. "Can't go wrong with crystal, right? I couldn't come up with anything better, unless you two would have preferred a gift card someplace. I'm great with those."
"They're beautiful, trust me."
Jimmy noticed the odd expression on Sarah. She was smiling way too much for a bunch of crystal glasses. "Uh Sarah, I've seen that look on your face before."
Sarah tried to play innocent. "What do you mean?"
Jimmy shot her an annoyed glance. "It's the same look you gave me that first day when you tried to pull me away from my briefcase so Chuck could figure out who I actually was."
The look disappeared in an instant. "What do you mean?"
"Just spill it, Sarah. What do you want that I'm not going to like?"
Sarah looked down at the ground. It was easy to forget about Jimmy's cynical, distrusting side, since she hadn't seen it in so long. "Chuck and I were wondering if you could do something for us. And you're right: you won't like it one bit."
"What?"
"Just, uh, play along when Chuck comes out."
"Play along? What are you talking about?"
Both of them looked to their left as Chuck emerged from the kitchen with a cake and lit candles all over it. "Everybody! I know that he's not one to boast of it, but one of my coworkers, Roger, is having a birthday this weekend! So if we could all sing Happy Birthday to him!"
The crowd applauded and launched into song. Jimmy tried to keep a smile plastered on his face.
"This is not funny, Sarah. My birthday isn't for three weeks, and I don't like birthdays anyway," Jimmy gritted under his fake smile.
"Check your driver's license, Roger," Sarah quietly replied, emphasizing the word Roger. "It says your birthday is Tuesday."
"I don't like my birthday. I don't like celebrating it! You know the last gift I got? Does the phrase 'Hong Kong Phooey lunchbox' mean anything?"
Chuck put the cake down on the table in front of Jimmy, gave him a hug, and put a hat on him. Jimmy glared at him.
"You will end up with parts of you painted orange at your bachelor party if it's the last thing I ever do," Jimmy hissed.
"Please? Just take one for the team? Ellie wouldn't back down. We can't handle being the center of attention."
"And I can?"
There were calls from the crowd to make a wish. Jimmy relented since it was already too late. He blew out the candles to applause. He pulled back to let Ellie cut the cake.
"Happy Birthday, Roger. Chuck was telling me that they're really swamped at the Buy More, but you've been a big help."
Jimmy calmed down. He still felt a tinge of guilt whenever Ellie was around. Even though Ellie didn't recognize him, Jimmy still remembered the day she was taken hostage, and he had to rescue her with Sarah. It was not a day he remembered fondly.
"Well, I just pitch in wherever I can."
"Did you know Chuck before working there?"
"I met him once or twice, mostly at workshops. I used to work at the Buy More in Anaheim. But I've been taking a couple of courses at UCLA, so it was easier to find a place near here and transfer."
One of Ellie's friends was calling her over. "Sarah, can you handle the rest of this?"
"No problem Ellie," Sarah replied. Sarah finished cutting the cake as Ellie went over to her friends.
Chuck turned to Jimmy. "See? This isn't so bad, is it?"
Jimmy shook his head. "So to avoid celebrating your real engagement, we have to celebrate my fake birthday?"
"We're sorry Jimmy," Sarah replied. "This has been a bit overwhelming since everybody found out about our engagement, and Ellie really isn't helping it with her over-exuberance. Besides, we never get to see you. And if you haven't celebrated a birthday since you were a kid, don't you think you should finally have one?"
"Hell, if you needed a reason to celebrate, you could have done that and gotten some payback on Ellie at the same time."
"What do you mean?"
Jimmy looked confused. "You didn't notice it? There's wine all over the courtyard, but Ellie hasn't had a single drink tonight. And she doesn't really strike me as the designated-driver type."
Chuck and Sarah looked over to where Ellie was. They walked over to Ellie as Devon joined her.
"Sis, can I talk to you for a second?" Chuck and Sarah pulled Devon and Ellie aside. "Um, is there something you're not telling us?"
"What?" Ellie asked, going into full denial.
"You insisted on this engagement party when we wanted to keep things quiet and now you're hiding something?" Chuck gestured at the water Ellie was drinking. She looked down at the ground in guilt. Jimmy Slade walked slowly over to the group.
"You're right, Chuck. But we really wanted the party for you, and we only had it confirmed the other day."
"You are?"
Ellie and Devon wrapped their arms around each other. "We're due in October!"
"Congratulations!" Chuck had a huge grin on his face as Sarah and he hugged Ellie and Devon. Even Jimmy's surly mood for having a birthday surprise sprung on him disappeared.
"Congratulations, that's wonderful news. And now I can take this off," Jimmy said with a smirk as he pulled the birthday hat off of his head.
Devon turned to the crowd. "Everybody, we have an announcement. We're expecting our first child!"
A few gasps went up from the two dozen guests, which transitioned into enthusiastic applause. Morgan, Anna, and Casey came up to Devon and Ellie to wish them congratulations.
Echo Park
March 13, 2011
12:00 AM
Chuck and Sarah exited the apartment with two plastic bags to begin the cleanup. They found Jimmy already picking up the glasses, plates, and napkins that were strewn around.
"You don't have to clean up," Sarah admonished him. "It was our party; we should be doing the cleaning."
"Technically, it was Ellie's party, but I'm sure you're not going to make her clean up after the big news. Besides, it's an old habit of mine. I'm still used to not getting a lot of sleep."
Chuck looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry to drag you into the party just because we didn't want to overdo our engagement..."
"Oh, don't even worry about that. Actually, it was very kind of you to think about me. I may not like being the center of attention, but it's nice of you to think that I deserve it."
"That you do, Jimmy," Sarah replied. "It's too bad they don't know all of the things about you that we do. They would throw a parade if they did."
Jimmy shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I'd really enjoy that much attention."
Chuck looked at Jimmy for a long moment. "Have you talked to Alex at all?"
Jimmy hung his head. "Not since San Diego. I left her a dozen messages, but she hasn't responded. That's two months now. I guess she's just focusing on her father at this point. I can't really blame her."
"Did you think about flying to Philadelphia and seeing if she would meet with you?"
"I considered it, but she was having a tough enough time when she left San Diego. You know about the fight we had. I told her about my family, and I think she feels guilty about what she did. I don't know. I just don't want to crowd her. She's going through enough as it is. I don't have anything going on that even compares to that."
Sarah contemplated telling Jimmy about the fiancé Alex lost on 9/11, but she wasn't sure if Alex wanted that information revealed. She decided to play it safe. "Just be patient, Jimmy. She'll find you. She'd be crazy to let you go."
Jimmy shrugged. "I guess."
"Hey," Sarah sharply replied, grabbing Jimmy's chin and pushing it back up. "Remember what I said? You have to learn to see yourself the way we see you. You're a good person. The best. You have to start believing that."
Jimmy gave a shy smile and nodded. "I did follow your advice when we talked in January. You said try to find something about my past that I could fix. And I did."
Chuck's eyes lit up in curiosity. "What was it?"
Jimmy turned to Chuck. "There was really only one thing I could fix, so I tracked down your father."
"You did? What happened when he saw you?"
Jimmy laughed. "He was shocked, to put it mildly. He couldn't believe I was still alive. I guess you never told him. Then I explained everything that happened...being pulled out of the rubble, the year of training, and reuniting with you, Sarah, and Casey. I swear you never saw anyone more proud. I don't think I ever got that from my own father. Not once."
"Why did you visit him? Was it just to tell him you were still alive?"
Jimmy shook his head and smiled. "It took a few tries, but I am officially Intersect-free."
Chuck and Sarah stood there in shock for a second. They shook it off and gave Jimmy a hug.
"Congratulations, Jimmy," Chuck said.
"Thanks. Your dad was certainly glad that I had come full circle. I think he was happy that he finally got to fix that part of both of our pasts."
"Hey, you deserve it. You must be so relieved."
"Yup. If I want to complete a mission now, it'll have to be with my own abilities." Jimmy paused for a moment. "There goes my good service record."
Chuck and Sarah groaned and started throwing cups and plates at Jimmy.
"OK, OK, Uncle! Uncle!" Jimmy waited until they were done. "Your dad was, to say the least, very grateful that I came back. He told me if there was anything I ever wanted, he'd try to get it for me. I told him there was one thing he could do."
"What was it?" Sarah asked.
Jimmy paused for a moment. "I asked him to put the Intersect back in me."
Chuck and Sarah froze. It was the last thing they ever expected Jimmy to request.
"Obviously, I didn't want the old Intersect back. I asked him to put in an upgraded one."
Chuck was barely registering what Jimmy was saying. "But...but why?"
Jimmy was silent as he looked out over the courtyard. "I've given it a lot of thought. I know you can't change the past, but I can't stop wondering what would have happened if I made some different choices. Or if some things went the way they were supposed to. Maybe I was meant to have the Intersect and it was just bad luck how it went. I have to know if this was something that was meant to work for me."
"Jimmy, I don't think my father wants anything to do with the Intersect project anymore. It cost him too much already."
"You're right, and I agree. I don't think he would have even considered it if anybody else asked but me. And he is putting some conditions on it."
"Like what?" Sarah asked.
"First of all, only I get the upgrade. Nobody else can have it. As soon as it's uploaded, the Intersect computer and all of its records get destroyed. Second of all, he wants the patents for the work he did that Roark Industries took from him. I'm not really sure what that's about. I was under the impression Ted Roark died of a heart attack two years ago."
Chuck shook his head. "It's a long story. We'll tell you later."
"OK, and that the government gives him a budget to work on his experiments for the rest of his life with no oversight."
"And then he'll give you a new Intersect?" Chuck asked.
Jimmy paused and took a deep breath. "No. The most important condition is that you have your Intersect removed and retire from being an agent."
Chuck and Sarah sat in stunned silence.
Sarah looked at Jimmy. "He doesn't want Chuck to be a spy anymore?"
Jimmy turned to Sarah. "Actually, that applies to both of you."
Chuck and Sarah looked at each other in shock.