Don't own Chuck
The General was in her L.A. office at the downtown station trying to stay on top of what was going on. The Major brought in the toxicology report on the dead men and it wasn't good. Death by exsanguination was what it read due to massive internal hemorrhaging. The General picked up the rap sheet on the ring leader Pete Escatti, that was an arm long. She started flipping through the pages and it seemed like he had his finger in everything. There was no crime great or small he wouldn't try or hadn't tried.
"I'm not going to find any answers here," said the General as she dropped the file on her desk. "The man was into everything. Did you read this there's a charge here from a woman that accused him of purloined sweets from her daughter's purse. The man stole candy from a baby! How does a man like that get involved with a group like this one?"
"I don't know. Agent Carmichael S. called in and reported that Dr. Daniels is on the run. She and Agent McHugh went by his office to find he was gone and it looked like he cleared out. Agent McHugh is looking through security cam footage at the University to see if we can come up with any leads."
"Good thinking we're behind the eight ball and we're trying to play catch up. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. Any word yet on our facial recognition search?"
"Chuck... I mean Agent Carmichael C. added a bug to our pic that would act as a Trojan horse giving us access to the computer of whoever downloaded it. The reasoning was if they were interest enough to download it they probably knew who our man was or had dealings with him in the past."
"Smart move so are you telling me we got a nibble at our bait," asked the General. She needed something. The White house had been informed and also key members of congress that a VHF bioweapon had been used in L.A. They were all asking the same question, what was she doing to stop it from happening again.
The VAJA, the Ministry of Intelligence for the Islamic Republic of Iran, General downloaded the pic and it seems to have caused a flurry of activity. But their counter intelligence found our bug before we could retrieve any data but shortly after downloading the photo their Director sent Section Head Banai to Mexico. More precisely Mexicali he should be arriving soon. I've asked our men to keep an eye out for him at the airport and to shadow him."
"Banai, a section Chief, they send to an out of the way station. No there's something more going on here."
"You don't think the Iranians are behind this do you? They're not happy with our presence in the Middle East but would they risk an incident of this magnitude? They'd have to know we'd retaliate."
"I don't think so I think it's probably something much simpler. Chuck knows Banai and when he saw the photo... He knew where the photo came from and the bug could only have been written by one person," said the General as she leaned back in her chair to play out scenarios in her head.
"What? Do you think Chuck could be the next target? We should alert his team in Burbank and send in a protection detail or send him to a safe site."
"Don't get yourself all worked up over nothing. It's not like that no he's not a target and no the Iranians aren't behind this. Although someone might want to put the blame on them, no this is something else. I wouldn't be surprised if the Iranians don't try to make contact with Chuck and ask for a sit down. Mexicali is the perfect spot for a talk. It's just over the border and isolated. I know that's what I would do."
"But why there of all places? Why not simply as permission to enter the U.S. and have this meeting in L.A. Why make it a big secret and not just come out in the open with it if they're innocent. We could organize a safe house and guarantee security for everyone present."
"I have a feeling Banai is going there unofficially. His government can't make deals with the Great Satan not without losing face at home and I don't know if we'd even grant them permission to enter after everything that's happened between us. No something like this needs to low key and that's why Mexicali makes the most sense. Keep me advised."
"Shouldn't we notify Chuck that this might go down and tell him if he is contacted by this Section Chief he should go?"
"No he's got too much on his plate as it is. If it happens it happens let Chuck notify us if it goes down, although he'll probably do it after the fact."
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Indeed Chuck had too much on plate and he had to ask for a doggy bag or as Chuck called it a Morgan bag. The food was excellent at the Topkapi restaurant and the décor was something out of the Arabian Nights. They sat on low cushions around a low table where they could watch the girls play in the center. Sam took a napkin and was showing Samaa how to wrap a bandage under their mothers' watchful eyes.
"Everyone want tea?" asked Chuck then he wave for a waiter to come over. "Do you have gunpowder tea and fresh mint? Aš-šāy I believe it's called."
"You want Maghrebi mint tea? We don't get many orders for that but yes we have it. I'll bring it over to your table right away."
"I don't know if you've tried Maghrebi mint tea before but it is very good and I think you'll like it," said Chuck as the waiter came over with a metal tea pot with steam coming out. The waiter then poured the tea from a distance into glasses with fresh mint inside.
"Mumm this is good," said Jamil. "We have something similar but this is very good. Now for the sad news you said thieves went back to the museum and damaged the Spinx... the Lamussu."
"I'm afraid so but... I hate to ask you this here and don't think I'm accusing you of anything but are you sure those pieces were authentic. I ask that because... well look at his," said Chuck as he showed him photos he'd taken of the damage done to the Lamussu. "I didn't think much about this at the time but statue has a plaster center. I haven't had a chance to really test this but couldn't these be very good forgeries?"
"I told you I'm not an expert. Have you talked with that expert the museum curator talked about? He authenticated them."
"I tried," said Sarah. "But he was gone when we got there and no one's been able to find him. I'm afraid Chuck's theory seems to make sense."
"Wait a minute let me see your photos of the Lamussu. Do you have one of its back side," asked Jamil. Chuck flipped to the photos until he got to the one Jamil wanted to see. "You're right this is a fake... a replica if you like. Oh, whatever you want to call it. You don't understand my father was there when they unearthed this and one of the workers was careless with a pick. He hit the back and scarred it. I thought my father was going to take the man's pick and kill him with it. I've never seen him that angry before but on the back was this scar that's not here."
"I've got a book," said Sarah as she dug it out of her bag. "I took this from Daniels' office on campus and... here look there's a page marked with the statue and look at the photo there's what Jamil described." They noticed Jamil became very melancholic.
"What's the matter?" asked Chuck. "If we're right all your father's artifacts can still be out there in one piece."
"That man in the photo next to the Lamussu is my father. See what he has in his hand... I remember the day that picture was taken. Let me see your book," said Jamil as he turned the pages. "Here this was my father's pride and joy. The Mask of Warka, also known as the 'Lady of Uruk'. It's from Uruk and it dates back to around 3100 BCE. It's one of the earliest representations of the human face. The carved marble female face is probably a depiction of Inanna, and was probably incorporated in a larger wood cult image. It is without parallels in the period and after my mother the other love of my father's life."
"It's beautiful," said Sarah as she looked over at Chuck. "I can see why your father would like it. It's quite lovely."
"No you don't understand. The last time I talked with him we had a bad argument over it. I told him it was haram forbidden and we got into an argument over what was haram and halal. What was forbidden and what was permitted." As they were talking one of the waiters came over placing a bottle of Sunich peach nectar on their table with glasses.
"I'm sorry but there must be a mistake we didn't order this," said Chuck. As he picked it up to hand it back. "Wait this was the peach nectar they had at the gala. Jamil this is the one I was telling you about."
"The gentleman over... well I don't see him anymore but a man brought this in and ask me to bring it to you. He said a friend from Khoy sent it."
"From Khoy he said, are you sure that's what he said?" asked Chuck. He looked over the bottle and saw a note written in Farsi. Mexicali tomorrow at noon.
"Chuck, you have friends in Iran? Khoy is in the middle of nowhere and I have a hard time seeing why you or anyone would want to travel through there."
"I actually met this man in Montenegro the first time then we met again in the airport in Khoy. I was flying through and when he found out he stopped by. We shared a glass of tea together while I hung around for my connecting flight. This is his message to me saying he wants to meet."
"The Sphinx and your friend have a lot in common both seemed a little enigmatic," said Jamil as his wife elbowed him to mind his own business.
"You don't know how right you are," said Chuck. He didn't have to look at Sarah to feel her stare she wasn't happy with this development and when he told her what was written on the bottle she'd be even more.
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Two Rangers were out on patrol in the Angeles National Forest when they received a radio call from their post commander. The dispatcher asked them to check out an area where hikers had reported seeing unusual vulture activity. This was particularly alarming because it was in an area where they were trying to reintroduce gray wolves to California.
"Bob so what there are a few vultures flying overhead what's the big deal. They're all over the park and they help keep place clean of carrion."
"It's not just that there are a lot of people that are fighting the reintroduction of the wolves. Hunters are complaining because they think they'll lower the deer quotas and the farmers are up in arms because they think the wolves will attack their livestock. So we need to see what's going on up there before it torpedoes the program before it gets off the ground."
"Yeah I can see how some rancher could get his feathers ruffled if they took down his prize brahma bull."
"But that won't happen. Wolves go after the weak and the sick members of the herd. No wolf is going to go up against a healthy 2000 pound bull risking its horns and hooves. Not unless it was extremely hungry or had young that it was desperate to feed but that's not the case."
"No they should have plenty of game up here to feed on and they're in one of the remotest corners of the forest. Geez look at that," said the ranger. There were a good fifty vultures circling but none of them were landing. "What do you make of that?"
"I don't know but our hikers were right something isn't right," said Bob as they opened up the throttles on their quads. They drove up over a ridge and were shocked at what they found.
"Good grief what the…," said the one ranger as he looked over at his partner. "I knew we have people who hated the wolves but to go so far as to bait them with poison... this is just too much. That's why the vultures aren't landing see the dead ones over there. They know all this meat is tainted with poison. Call into command and tell them we need to get the State police and a vet up here."
"Command Post this is Bob we have a problem. You need to get the police out here and on the double. The wolf pack… well it's all gone. We think someone poison them."
"Hey I found something in the middle it looks like... holy crap the wolves dug up a shallow grave and there's a half-eaten corpse. I think I'm going to be sick," said the Ranger as he jumped off his quad and heaved.
"Command we need the State Police out here on the double. In addition to the vet we're going to need a coroner. There are human remains. ... Am I sure he's dead? Yeah he's dead and digested."
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After lunch and tea they said their goodbyes to Jamil and Noora. Sam said goodbye to Samaa with a tentative play date in the park soon. Sam promised to introduce her to other children she knew there and they could all play together. Then they drove back home in silence Sam was tired and dozed off in her car seat. Sarah was silent and Chuck knew why. Later back at Echo Park Sam took her voice recorder then went to her bedroom hanging a sign in the door, 'Do not disturb'.
"Sam's in her room so we can talk now. You're not planning on going to Mexico are you? If you do I'm going with you."
"I am but no you're not. Look it's an eight hour drive round trip plus the time I spend meeting with Banai. I need you here to hold down the fort and cover for me. Beckman isn't going to like me going..."
"I don't like you going. Not without backup at least you don't know what he's got planned down there. You're outside the U.S. he could do anything. For all you know it could be him and his government behind this."
"Banai might be a lot of things but he's not a sociopath and he would never use this type of weapon. If he was going to do something to me he had ample opportunity when we were in Khoy."
"And we both know why you went and what it did to you. I still don't like it. If you won't take me then take someone else like John or Alex. I just don't want you to go alone or I swear I'll tell the General."
"Take John where," said Casey as he walked in. "Hey I just got off the horn with Beckman and your professor you were looking for just showed up or I should say got dug up. His body was found in Angeles National Forest by a pack of wolves. Someone gassed him like our friends then dropped him in a shallow hole. Unfortunately not deep enough a pack of wolves dug him up and I hate to say it but he took the wolves with him. So now take John where? And you're going to tell Beckman what?"
"No I can't take you. If I take anyone it will be Alex. I can rely on her not shooting anyone before I can figure out what's what. I'm sorry John."
"Sorry John for what? Listen up I want to know what we're talking about. I'm starting feel like the little fat boy who always gets picked last and I don't like it."
"John, did you have a weight problem when you were young," asked Chuck as Casey growled at him. "You know you look like one of those wolves right now. What sharp teeth you have."
"And I'm about ready to huff and puff," said John as Sam stepped out of her room. Everyone got silent as she walked in. She looked at everyone like they were crazy then moved the step ladder over got herself a glass of water then went back to her bedroom. But before going in she looked back at them one more time then shook her head before going inside.
"Tell him," said Sarah. "Go ahead and I bet Casey will tell you the same thing. This is crazy and ridiculous but let John tell you."
"Okay, this is the story I received a coded message from Banai. I don't know if you remember him you met him in Khoy. His coded message read that he wants a sit down with me in Mexicali tomorrow at noon. I've got no choice but to go despite what other people think. We need to get out in front of this and if Banai is willing to share intel we should take him up on it."
"I remember him from the VAJA... yeah right. Well this isn't that unexpected. When we put that photo of our perp out on the dark net the Iranians fell all over it. Unfortunately for us they found your bug too."
"This could be them pissed at you for trying to hack their system," said Sarah. "Take Alex then if you want but I want regular updates and if anything happens... well you can tell him he doesn't want to make me come down there."
"So we're agreed I'll take Alex but I don't want to tell Beckman not until I know what's going on. I don't want her to tank this before I can find out what he's offering."
"You think she might tank it," said Sarah still not happy. "Let's see because well I don't know Chuck, because you're our only functioning intersect or that you're risking your life when you have a family to think about."
"I doubt if she'd think about that. If she did she wouldn't have asked you to do recon for her from the second floor balcony when those gunmen were in the museum and you had only a half a clip left."
"You're not going to let that go are you? I told you that so you'd go that care of our daughter which you didn't."
"I thought saving her mother was more important so she'd have one. Let's stop I don't want to argue. I understand why you did what you did but I need for you to understand I have to do this. I love you and if you think I shouldn't go I won't but Banai can't come here. If he's come this far there's something he wants to tell me."
"If I say no then you won't go that's what you're telling me," said Sarah as Chuck nodded. "Oh crap go but I want you to call me. But if Beckman calls me and tells me you're dead I'll kill you."
"Well now that that's decided I'll go tell Alex she's coming with you. Oh and can someone tell what disease Morgan has? He's got these green blotches on his face and hands."
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Outside a café in Mexicali, Mexico Banai and two of his men stopped for coffee. He sat at a table in the back then waited. It wasn't long before his CIA tail walked in. They were perplexed at first but they reasoned it would make more of scene if they'd left so they pulled up a table and ordered coffee.
"Did my message get delivered in Los Angeles like I asked you to do?" asked Banai. One of his men nodded.
"I delivered it personally like you instructed. They were in a restaurant, the Topkapi. I have to say I almost wished I could've stayed to eat. It's hard to find halal food here."
"Good then I might need to help calm nerves back at Langley," said Banai as he got up. He walked straight over to the table where the men in black were sitting.
"Isn't it hot running around in those suits? If we got one thing right during the revolution it was getting rid of ties."
"I don't know what you're talking about Mister. Do we know you?" said one of the men. "We're here for the convention that's in town."
"Really and what convention would that be? You don't need to answer because I need to get a message back to your boss, General Beckman. I know you're going to say you don't know who I'm talking about but it's okay. I need to tell her I sent a message to Chuck that I... we have to meet tomorrow at noon. I need her to make sure he comes."
"If we knew this person you were talking about I'm sure she'd want some sort of sign of good faith before she'd send one of her own into the lion's den."
"Really the book of Daniel, you're going to go there? Okay tell her the man she's looking for is called Ali Al-Najaf Commandant in the Republican Guard and member of the Jihaz Al-Mukhabarat Al-Amma, the Iraqi secret police. I've got a dossier on him I'll pass on to Chuck but only to Chuck. Here is the place where we'll meet at tomorrow. If he's punctual tell him I'll have a pot of tea on and you really need to come up with a summer or tropical dress. You make me sweat looking at you."
Banai waved for his men to follow him then they went out the back. The agency men gave chase but they found the door locked.
"Get the car and go around behind the bar," radioed the one man. "Come on we'll go around on foot follow me."
"Hey wait, said the owner. "Someone needs to pay for those coffees and I don't give credit especially to gringo spies."
"Brown you settle the check the rest of you on me." But naturally by the time the got around back Banai and his men were long gone.