Don't own Chuck
Chuck and Alex drove out to Bob Hope. There they got their chopper, filed a flight plan, then left. It was a gorgeous day for flying if Chuck hadn't been thinking about what to expect in his meeting he might even have enjoyed it. It was sunny and warm with few currents to bother with so they made good time to their destination. Men in black were there to greet them when they landed around midday just outside the city.
"Agent Carmichael welcome to Mexico. We should run straight to the meet it will be noon by the time we get there," said the Station Chief.
"No first we get some coffee in us then we'll worry about getting to the meeting," said Chuck. "By the way do you know where I can buy those big Mexican sombreros? I need... How many should I buy Alex?"
"I don't know. Who are you buying them for?" asked Alex wondering what Chuck was up to. "Well Sarah, Sam, but Sam's should be small, kid size... then Morgan, Dad and Kat that's five."
Plus you and myself that makes seven. Chief, be a sport, drop us off at a good café then get me seven adult sombreros plus one no make that two kid size that brings the total up to eight."
"Agent Carmichael, I'm not your personal shopper. My men have other things to do and I was ordered by General Beckman to take you to this meeting."
"I believe your orders where to take care of me and taking care of me is getting me what I want. The first thing I want is coffee the next are those sombreros. If you don't want to get them for me fine I'll do it myself after that I'll be ready to go to this meeting."
"But you'll be late for your meeting. The Iranians said they wanted to meet with you at noon at their safe house."
"I'm well aware of what they want but they don't have sombreros nor will they have coffee. So how late we are is up to you really. Now sure you could tranq us then drag us along but it's kind of hard to talk if you're unconscious. Here there's three hundred and be a good guy. I'll buy coffee for everyone who isn't looking for sombreros they can have their coffee when we get back. I'm offering."
"Very well Agent Brown you're on the sombrero detail," said the Chief as he handed him Chuck's money. "Can I pick any bar to have coffee at?"
"Actually I read your report about losing Banai in a coffee shop I'd like to go there. If that's all right by you," said Chuck.
"Let's load up and head out," said the Chief. Alex could tell he didn't like the game Chuck was playing with him but she couldn't figure out why Chuck was doing it. She thought about calling Sarah and even pulled out her phone but Chuck saw her and shook his head. She wished she had someplace to pull him aside and ask what was going on.
"We're here," said the Chief. "Let's go in and get this coffee then get out of here. Brown down the street should be a haberdashery that sells hats. You should be able to find sombreros there," said the Chief. He saw the look on Brown's face. "I know, just do it then get back. We won't wait."
"I'll have a double espresso and you Alex what would you like? Come on you have to have something. We got up before dawn."
"Okay I'll have whatever you're having but make mine a single. I don't want to have the jitters for the rest of the day because I had too much caffeine."
"Señor dos espresso de uno espresso doble," said Chuck then he told the man behind the counter to serve everyone a coffee on him. Chuck was buying a round at the bar just it was coffee. Everyone crowded around the bar inundating the bartender. While he was busy Chuck grabbed Alex and the Chief taking them out the back door without being seen.
"Now we have a little time before they notice we're gone. This is where your people lost Banai I read it in your report. If I'm right and I usually am... yes, here stand back and watch this. The fact is Banai never left," said Chuck as he pressed a switch and the wall opened up. Behind it was a garage with a dirt floor an oil stain in the middle and foot prints all around.
"What the heck is this, a hidden garage," asked the Chief as he looked around. "This would mean the bartender inside was in on it."
"Without a doubt he probably has a camera out here then signaled Banai when it was safe to leave. I got suspicious when I was looking at the photos you sent with your report. There were tire tracks that seemed to begin and end from nowhere.
"Good work Agent Carmichael, now we know how so all that coffee inside was just a ruse to get back here without the bartender knowing we were coming here to look around."
"Yeah, I wasn't sure if he didn't have some way to deactivate or simply cut the power to the switch so the door wouldn't open so I couldn't show you this. Let's go get our coffee now we've earned it," said Chuck as led them back inside.
"Are these ours," asked Chuck. The bartender didn't look too happy. "Smile Señor we're not the Federales so we don't care about your smuggling operation as long as your merchandise doesn't cross the border. It doesn't, does it? Just smile and say muchas gracias everything is on the house." The man growled. "I have a friend in the Federales on speed dial who works the border here. How long do you think it would take him to get here?"
"Everything is on the house," said the bartender as he gave Chuck a look that could kill. Chuck shot down his coffee in front of him then sat his cup on the counter.
"I've had better but muchas gracias," said Chuck as he led everyone out. "Nothing like a free cup of coffee I say. When you get back to your station report, our friend, the bartender to the Federales for smuggling and human trafficking. If they stake out the place they'll find our friend here is also a coyote. Did you notice all those foot prints on the garage floor? Some of them had to be the age of my daughter. If I didn't have this meeting to go to I'd take our friend out in that garage and have a nice talk with him."
"You got all that from the photos and the report I sent in? I'm impressed I thought you were just a butthole especially with the sombrero order. What are the sombreros? The haberdashery is a front for what? Drug smuggling or what other illegal trade... blood diamonds perhaps?"
"No I just wanted to take some souvenirs from our trip home. Now we can head for the meeting. It's time to go."
"We're going to be at least a half hour late," said the Chief as he looked at his watch then he leaned over to the driver. "If you have to run some red lights or break the speed limit go for it just get us there on time."
"No take your time we're not late. You never visit a Muslim family at noon it's rude. Noon is the time for the second prayer of the day, Dhuhr. You go afterwards so you don't interrupt anyone or keep anyone from praying. Banai knows I know this. This is a test to see how much influence I have I think. If I interrupted them then he knows whatever I say won't be taken into consideration worse so would his people. However, now he'll be able to show them I'm respectful to their traditions and customs so they'll talk to me now. Hopefully they'll open up about the man we're hunting."
"What you say makes sense I just hope you know what you're doing and we don't drive into a group of angry Iranians."
"Don't worry I know what I'm doing most of the time. The rest of the time I'm flying by the seat of pants but I don't want to scare you."
"Your confidence overwhelms me," said the Chief. "So is there anything else I should know before we go into this meeting."
"No nothing for you but Alex you need to wear this," said Chuck as he handed her a scarf. "It's a hijab and it will show respect. If Sarah were here she'd refuse to wear it."
"Then why should I," said Alex as she took it from him and looked at it. "If it's absolutely necessary for the mission okay we need this Intel."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sarah and Casey followed the Customs Supervisor to a spot on the map Casey saw. It was a dead area in the surveillance cameras array. There they hoped to catch Carlos and considering he had taken off without notice they hoped to catch him red handed in some nefarious act. His supervisor took them on a short cut but when they arrived there was no one. Except Sarah thought she heard the sound of a car driving away.
"Do you hear that someone is getting away," said Sarah. But Casey and the Supervisor gave her a look like she was crazy then shook their heads. They couldn't hear a thing over the noise of the port.
"I'll take your word for it Sarah. But how can you hear anything over the noise of these ships being off loaded. Does this noise go on twenty-four seven?"
"Yeah, pretty much like I said we're one of the busiest ports in the U.S. I've asked for more bodies but with the hiring freeze that's not going to happen soon. We're down to doing random inspections that was the other thing odd about Carlos' find. The ship he found them on wasn't supposed to be inspected. If he hadn't found those artifacts I would've had him for conducting an unauthorized inspection but afterwards everything was gold."
"I see," said Casey as he when over to Sarah pulling her aside. "I don't know but our friend here is starting to make me wonder if he wasn't a little bit jealous of our perp."
"That might be but look at the ground do those look like scuff marks," said Sarah. She tried to get down to see better but had trouble getting down not to mention trying to get up again.
"Here let me help you up," said Casey as he offered her his hand. "Let me get down and check them out. Phew you don't smell that? It smells like someone relieved themselves here."
"John, we're looking for a body," said Sarah as they both looked over at the quay wall. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Well there's only one way to be sure," he said. They walked over and looked over the side. "Well we've got a floater. Come over here," yelled Casey as he waved for the super to come over "is that Carlos down there?"
"Holy Crap yes," said the man as he suddenly felt nauseous and turned green. "I don't feel so well," he said. Casey grabbed him by the collar and held him over the quay wall.
"Heave if you have to just don't mess with my crime scene," said John as the man lost his cookies. "Sarah, I'm kind of busy can you..."
"I'm already on it. Try to make sure he doesn't puke on our perp either," said Sarah as she called to their downtown office to get them to send a team down for a recovery. After she hung up she looked for a pole long enough to reach Carlos.
"Here give that to me," said John. He deposited the Customs officer on the pier then he took the boat gaff she'd found rolling the body over. "Looks like strangulation see those ligature marks around his neck? Our perp was strangled."
"Not just strangled if I'm right the examiner will find double ligature marks one deeper than the other. La loupe was used to do our guy in."
"La loupe? Isn't that a French Foreign Legion technique for taking out sentries silently? Personally I find my Ka-bar does just as good a job without the hassle but I guess the idea is to keep the uniform clean.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kat hurried from the parking lot into Echo Park. She knew she was late but it couldn't be helped she had some shopping she had to do before she got there. Things she had to get to make lunch for everyone but when she got out of the store there was more traffic then she had anticipated which made her even later than she thought she'd be. She'd just stepped foot in the courtyard when the door to Casey's place flew open and Sam ran out.
"Nuh-hu, you can't catch me," yelled Sam then she giggled as she came running out with the green marker in her hand."
"We'll see about that," yelled Morgan back as he hobbled out after her as fast as he could. "Come back here and face the music."
"Are we tired," said Sam. "Do you want to go sleep again?" Sam ran to the fountain then stood behind it laughing. "Morgan I've still got my pen."
"I'm going to take that pen and then we'll see who'll be laughing. Come back here," he said as he tried to grab her but she moved on the other side of the fountain.
"Morgan I'm over here and I've still got my pen," she taunted him by waving it in the air. "You're awfully slow how old are you a hundred and ninety-four?"
"Come back here," he said but as he lunged across the fountain he fell in. There was a splash and water went everywhere but that made it even more fun. She stood there and laughed as Morgan tried to get out but fell back in.
"That's enough young lady," said Kat as she took the marker from Sam then grabbed her up. "Morgan are you all right?"
"Yes just a little wet. You... you...," said Morgan as he pointed his finger at Sam dripping water everywhere but he didn't have words to finish his sentence. She just stuck out her tongue.
"Morgan go get changed and dry off before you catch something. Now young lady can you explain to me why Morgan has a big 'L' in the middle of his forehead."
"I can tell you why," yelled Morgan as stuck his head out of the bathroom. "John Casey is why. He gave her the idea and the pen this morning?"
"Is that true?" asked Kat. But Sam just looked down at the floor and oscillated back and forth. "Sam I asked you a question. Is it true? Did John tell you to do it?"
"I promised I wouldn't be a snitch and that I wouldn't talk even if I was staked out over a hill of ferocious flesh eating ants. Psst," said Sam as she waved for Kat to bend down then she whispered. "There aren't any ferocious flesh eating ants around here are there?"
"No there aren't but you can't do everything that people tell you to do. If they told you to walk off a bridge would you?" Sam shook her head. "I'm sure John was just joking and he didn't mean for you to write on Morgan."
"He told me if Moran fell asleep I was to take that pen and write 'L' on his forehead. So when Morgan started snoring I went to work."
"Morgan you fell asleep again! You were supposed to be watching Sam not sleeping," yelled Kat. Morgan came out changed but his hair was still wet. Sam went to the fridge and got him a grape soda handing him it as peace offering.
"Thanks," said Morgan. Then a thought crossed his mind as he looked at her smiling and at the can. "Hey wait a minute you didn't shake this up first did you?" He opened it carefully but nothing. "Thanks but what am I supposed to do about my face?"
"Come here and let me look at you," said Kat. She took corrector and concealer out of her bag then put them on Morgan's 'L' and his spots to cover them. "There they're all gone," said Kat. She handed him a mirror.
"Thanks," said Morgan as he admired Kat's work. "I look better than normal. What do you think squirt?"
"You could use a little eye liner and some lipstick then we could call you Morgana," said Sam. Morgan grabbed her and did a tickle attack.
"Stop, stop not fair. You had help," said Sam as she broke away but as she did she fell and bumped her head. "Ouch," said Sam as she got up. Kat went over picked her up then got some ice from the freezer wrapped it in a towel and put it on the goose egg that was starting to grow.
"Will you two behave for just a little while so I can get lunch started? You both have got some explaining when your parents get home."
"What are you going to cook?" asked Morgan as he sipped on his grape soda. "There's not much in the fridge and I think Chuck's looks just as bleak."
"Yeah what are you making?" asked Sam as she put the ice pack on the table climbed up in a chair and put it back on. "We don't have anything in the fridge because Morgan ate it all."
"Then it's a good thing I stopped by the grocery store on the way over," said Kat as she looked at Morgan. He pointed at himself and shook his head. "Well, I was thinking about a stew and white rice."
"Yummy," said Sam as she held the ice pack to her head. "Can we help? Please, please I want to help. What do you want me to do? I'm old enough to help."
"First and foremost behave," said Kat. Sam crossed her heart then spit in her hand then held it out for Kat to shake. "Okay then you can come with me and help me carry in the groceries. Morgan, do you know if Chuck and Alex will be back in time?"
"I don't think so their meeting was supposed to be at noon so I don't expect to see them until around two or three."
"Okay then we'll make a lot and they can have it for supper."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[In a hacienda outside of Mexicali]
A caravan of three black Escalades made their way down a dusty dirt road. They were seen long before they arrived but Chuck wasn't trying to sneak up on anyone. Once they got in sight the Chief's men started to get nervous when they saw all the men with guns guarding the ranch house. Chuck looked over at Alex with the hijab on and thought about how pissed Sarah had been for the past few days.
"Take that thing off your head," said Chuck. "You're not Muslim and there's a limit to us being accommodating."
"But you said," protested Alex but he cut her off.
"I know what I said and now I'm telling you to take it off. Sarah was right just take it off and come with me. Stop here we'll walk in. Keep everyone in their vehicles the last thing we need is for someone with an itchy trigger finger to cause an incident. Besides you guys have A/C inside. Come on Alex let's get this over with."
They got out and walked up to the front doors of the compound. Two men stepped out holding H&K MP5As.
"As-salāmu ʿalaykum," said Chuck but the men remained silent. They seemed more interested in Alex than in him. "I'm here so where's Banai?"
"Chuck," said Banai as he came out to greet him, "As-salāmu ʿalayka."
"Wa-Alaikumus-Salaam," said Chuck as they embraced each other. The men with Banai looked at each other then at them wondering who Chuck was.
"Come in and follow me," said Banai. "I've got tea on for us. Your friend here should've worn a hijab."
"It's not by covering our women that we have the right thoughts in our hearts. When we sin we sin twice once with our mind then with our deeds."
"Let's go out back in the courtyard. When I asked you to come I didn't invite you for a theological debate. I have information that you'll find interesting on the man you're looking for..."
"Commandant Ali Al-Najaf, friends with another Ali that has been executed and the Dutchman," said Chuck as Ali pointed to chairs around a table. They sat down as Banai poured tea.
"Good, you've done your homework," said Banai. "Miss I'm sorry I don't know your name. I know how Chuck takes his but I don't know how you take yours."
"My name is Alex, Alex McHugh..."
"She's Casey's daughter," added Chuck. Alex gave him a look.
"Like that is just fine, thank you. And yes John is my father. Why do you know him?"
"We've met just for a little while and I know his reputation. You hear a lot of stories in this line of work some of them are true and some of it made up. The more secret it is the more people want to talk about it. But we're getting off topic. Chuck, this is the dossier I personally prepared on the Commandant I ask for only one thing I'd like to be the one to end him."
Chuck looked at Banai without answering him just sipping on his tea. The silence seemed to speak louder than any words they could've said. Chuck turned his head to one side then took a deep breath.
"So you want to be the one to end him?"