An Unexpected Surprise

Dark Semi-lit Room Within The Ring Base
5:55 a.m.
April 13th, 2010

"That's impossible." replied Alex shaking her head in disbelief. "My father's dead. He's a war hero." she said with tears streaming down her cheeks. "He died before I was even born."

Casey lowers and shakes his head in response to her statement. He then peers up staring straight into her eyes. " No, I didn't." he breathed out.

"Stop it!" she responded back with more tears streaming down her cheek.

"You were named after your father Alex." he grimaced in pain but doesn't break his focus on his daughter. "You were named after me." Casey pauses as he takes a deep breathe. "My real name is Alex Coburn." he added.

Upon hearing that Morgan's eyes completely widen. Casey is Alex's father! For the bearded man, this is an absolute bombshell that has just been dropped on him. However, he doesn't know which ranks higher that Casey is Alex's father or that his best friend since the age of 6 is in fact a spy. In that moment, he doesn't know what to believe but he knows one thing for sure and that is he and Chuck are going to have a serious talk if he is able to somehow survive this situation.

Morgan's thoughts are suddenly broken when the voice of Smith gets his attention. "Well how about that. Colonel John Casey, who works for the NSA, is a father." he said with a bit of astonishment.

"I'm sorry." Casey breathed out.

At this point Alex can't look at the man who claims to be her father. As a matter of fact, she isn't paying attention or listening to anything for that matter as she is wrapping her brain around the fact that the man who she has been speaking to for the last several months at work is her father. The man who her mother said died a war hero. If this is an elaborate practical joke like Morgan previously said then it's a very cruel one to play, especially on her knowing how much she wanted to see her father and have in her life.

The big question is does her mother know that he is alive she thinks to herself. If so, then she will never forgive her for keeping that bit of information from her because she has had every opportunity to tell her but she didn't. The thought of her mother possibly knowing about this angers her but the young woman sets aside those emotions because she knows that John Casey of whoever he is can give her the answers she needs.

In that instance, her thoughts immediately turn to the man himself. She remembers him saying that she tried to protect her. Protect from who she said. Morgan? The crazy guy who has us tied up? It's too overwhelming for her to the point where the room seems to be spinning but she briefly closes her eyes and takes a deep breathe to at least to try to calm herself down.

As much as she tries to, she keeps hearing the words Alex I am your father repeating over and over in her head causing the tears to continue to stream down her cheeks. Her thoughts are suddenly interrupted when she feels Smith's finger stroking her left cheek causing her peer up looking at her captor in disgust. "Don't you touch me!" she emphatically stated.

"I'll kill you." the pissed off father angrily growled.

Smith simply responds with a sly smirk as he continues tormenting Casey from across the room. "She's a pretty girl your daughter Colonel." he responded in a creepy manner. "So much to live for. It would be a shame if she didn't."

"Touch my daughter again and I break your neck." he said gritting his teeth as his eyes are narrowed shooting daggers directly at Smith.

Agent Smith gives a bit of a snicker to Casey's demands to not touch his daughter. It gives him all the more reason to do it again reaching down to stroke the right side of her cheek. In that moment, as he caresses his finger against her right cheek he turns his attention to Casey who is seething with rage at this point trying to get loose from his bonds in order to get his hands on him.

"You know…" said Smith stepping forward a bit and standing in front of Alex. He raises his left hand holding the knife and points it directly at him. "…I never figured you for a dad." he stated with a amusement.

While Smith's focus is on Casey his finger is inches away from Alex's face giving her the opportunity to send him a message that she doesn't like to be touched, especially by him. She leans forward and chomps down on his finger causing The Ring Agent to scream in pain. He immediately rips his finger away from her teeth and from the looks of it she did some damage causing it to bleed.

"That's my girl." grunted Casey as he expresses a smith towards his daughter. Alex turns to Casey giving a bit of a small grin back in his direction. Unfortunately, it would be brief one as she gets back handed across the face for her efforts by Smith himself causing the father rather than the NSA agent to respond. "You son of a bitch!"

"Alex you okay!?" Morgan responded looking over his left shoulder trying to see her.

Alex turns back to face Smith and as she does he can see that there is a bit of blood coming out of her mouth. She responds to Morgan as he glares up at Smith with tears streaming down her cheek. "I'm fine." she firmly stated with an angry tone to her voice.

A now injured Smith points the knife at Alex with a threatening look in his eyes. "You just signed your death warrant young lady." he firmly said.

"SMITH!" screamed Casey. He doesn't get his attention the first time so he calls it out the second time. "SMITH! LOOK AT ME DAMN IT!" Smith attention is slowly but surely averted to Casey hanging there like a piñata waiting to be cracked open. The grizzled veteran agent continues to seethe with anger as he continues on. "You don't want her."

"I don't?" questioned Smith.

"No!" he quickly replied back shaking his head. "You want me…" he growled. "…so kill me not her." added Casey expressing a scowl as his top lip curls up.

XXX

Warehouse - Corner of 2nd and Alvarado
6:18 a.m.
April 13th, 2010

Travis, Sarah, and Chuck arrive at the warehouse. They immediately stop but cautiously head in with their weapons aimed high and flashlights illuminating their way. While Travis and Sarah are armed with government issued M1911 handguns Chuck arms himself with his weapon of choice the tranq gun. All 3 teammates head in and after a few moments they finds themselves cautiously entering the same area Casey did with the soda machine against the wall across the room.

As they approach inevitably standing in front of it, Chuck stands there for a moment shining his flashlight at the soda machine and focuses on it. In that instance, his eyes begin to flutter to where he sees the following images:

An image of a shell…

The inner workings of the soda machine itself…

A data board system…

A micro chip…

Buttons highlighting the touch sequence…

Finally the shell once again…

Chuck reaches over pushing the right sequence of buttons and when he does all three suddenly find themselves dropping down at a quick rate of speed. This causes the 3 individuals to immediately turn around to get against the soda machine in order to not get injured from the sides of the walls, which would at the rate of speed they're currently experiencing would seriously hurt.

While they continue to drop, a grin appears on Travis' face as his hair flies up hitting not only his face but Chuck's face as well. Unfortunately, he can't apologize for that right now because they are dropping to who knows where and how many agents will be welcoming them when they arrive. However, he can't help but feel a little bit of a rush as if they're on an amusement park ride like The Tower of Terror.

The rush of excitement he feels is temporary as the so called ride they are on suddenly stops at the bottom floor. In that moment, Chuck and Travis turn to each other, look up, look back down at each other and mouth the word wow with a hint of a grin on their face. He then turns to Sarah expressing the grin but it quickly falls flat as she exudes a look of absolute seriousness as she pulls back the handle on her weapon.

Her actions cause Travis to pull back the handle to his weapon as well leading Chuck to do the same. All three turn their straight ahead to see a long white corridor ahead of them. They briefly turn to each other and then move forward making sure to hug the right side of the wall with Chuck taking the lead, Sarah behind him, and following behind her is Travis who quickly glances back to check if anyone is behind them.

A slew of thoughts are currently running through Sarah's mind at this point one of them being the status of her partner Casey. The worst case scenario for her is that the best damn partner she has ever had is dead along with Alex and Morgan but she knows that Casey is a survivor. As stubborn and hard headed as he is he will not let a little thing such as death stop him from saving his daughter.

The incentive for the Marine has and always been to protect his daughter from danger even if it means giving up his own life to do it. As valiant as it may seem to some, she doesn't want to have that particular scenario play out in the end because she made a promise to Jayne the she is bringing back Casey alive and well. It's not just him she's bring back alive and well but his daughter, as well as Chuck's bearded best friend Morgan.

So much is at stake at this moment as innocent lives hang in the balance added to the fact they are racing against time. Time they are certainly don't want to waste because Beckman within an hour…hour and a half she will order a stealth bomber to drop a bunker buster missile on this exact location destroying the ring base entirely. Sarah knows they need to move quickly because time is of the essence right now.

After a few moments they eventually reach the end of the corridor leading Chuck to peer to the left and sees nothing while Travis hugs the other side of the white wall to peer over to the right side. He sees nothing as well. The two motion to Sarah that they see no one on either side leading her to quietly hand over a pair of electronic glasses to the two men. A look of curiosity appears on both their faces as they hold up the devices in question.

As the two turn their attention to Sarah, she looks at them responding to their curiosity while holding the glasses in their hands. "Put them on when I tell you to." she whispered.

Chuck looks over to what seem to be sunglasses on steroids as they have the appearance of night vision goggles only in glasses form. His curiosity is peeked as he turns his attention towards his loving but albeit deadly government agent fiancé Sarah Walker.

"What are they?" questioned Chuck back in a whisper.

"They will help us find Casey, Alex, and Morgan when the time is right." she replied whispering back once again. "Just stick them some place and try not to break them."

"Looks expensive." stated Travis holding them with his left hand lowering his voice.

"They are." she softly said. "So try not to break it or you'll be paying the expenses for replacing them." added the stoic blonde agent kneeling beside Chuck.

Chuck and Travis turn to look across at each other. Their eyes simultaneously go wide after hearing the word "expensive". The two place the electronic glasses in their front vest pocket. After a brief moment, Sarah motions for them to go right to which the two guys nod in compliance. All 3 cautiously turn right with their weapons trained down another long white corridor that seems to go on forever and head cautiously down it.

XXX

Dark Semi-lit Room Within The Ring Base
6:25 a.m.
April 13th, 2010

"NO!" frantically responded Alex as she shakes her repeatedly towards Casey. "Don't do it!"

Casey responds by shaking his head towards his own daughter. "If it means saving your life then I'm willing to sacrifice mine for yours." he breathed out grimacing in pain. "I'm a spy." he added expressing a hint of a smile. "After all, it's for the greater good Alex."

"Screw the greater good." she emphatically stated. "I'm ordering you to not do this. You hear me! Don't do this!"

He smiles when his daughter orders him to not let himself be killed. "I'm sorry." he said shaking his head once again.

It's in that moment Morgan interjects his thoughts in the mix. "Come on Casey!" Morgan quickly says. "This is not…"

Casey narrows his eyes and turns his attention to Morgan. "If you say awesome I will rip each individual hairs from your beard." he angrily stated.

"Cool." he replied. "This is not cool. That is what I was going to say." added Morgan nodding his head convincing himself he was going to say that.

Agent Vincent Smith simply stands back observing the father-daughter-date situation as he holds his throbbing finger that was bitten by The Colonel's young daughter. He takes a quick look at it and then reaches down to wipe the blood on his pant leg. He'll deal with his unfortunate injury later and continues to stand there listening to the interaction between the three of them.

He had to hand it to The Colonel though. He spawned a feisty, spitfire of a daughter that's for damn sure he thinks to himself. In his mind, she along with the bearded man, will not be living long after he dispenses with the veteran agent hanging there several feet away from him. He has two options at this point which is to either make it a quick death by jamming his GI Tanto Knife through his heart or continue torturing him in front of his daughter no less in order to get the information he needs concerning the whereabouts of Manoosh Depak.

If he does take the first option, he will have to go after the rest of The Colonel's team one by one starting with Travis Riley and if he doesn't give him the information he needs he will then capture Agent Bartowski. Once again, if he is uncooperative he will go after the last member of the team Agent Walker. A sinister smile appears as the thought of torturing the female agent gives him absolute pleasure.

It will not only be pleasurable, but he will take his sweet time about it because for a woman like her he is going to need all the right tools to torture her with. However, his thoughts turn to the other option in which he can simply continue torturing Agent Casey in front of his daughter and her pleading for him to stop are music to his hears as he slices into his flesh.

An actually chill runs up his spine just thinking about it. The one thing he hasn't heard yet is him screaming and he's been waiting for him to scream bloody hell. If he does that would truly be enjoyable to listen to. To hear the screams of his hellish pain knowing he is suffering while his daughter is suffering as well watching with absolute horror as her own father who she thought was dead is being sliced and diced right in front of her eyes.

He ends his thoughts by stepping forward blocking Casey's view of his daughter and stares directly into the eyes of one Colonel John Casey or Alex Coburn. It doesn't matter what name he is, he won't live long to be able to hold his daughter in his arms. "I hate to interrupt this hallmark moment between you three but I would like to get back to the torturing if you don't mind." he says with an amused smirk on his face holding up his knife for Casey to see.

As Smith casually walks towards Casey reaching up to rest the knife on his right shoulder, Morgan is sitting there hoping to God someone saves them just in the nick of time. Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, the entire Justice League, Iron Man, Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon…he doesn't care who it is as long as they bust down the door and take out the crazy dude with the knife before he kills Casey.

While sitting there, he still can't wrap his brain around the fact that John Casey who he used to work with at Buy More is in fact not only a Colonel in the military but a federal agent working along side Sarah, Travis, and most of all his best friend Chuck. The first thing he is going to ask him if he somehow survives this whole situation is when did this happen? After asking that he then will ask him how it happened? Then after that who else is a spy that he doesn't know about? Ellie? Awesome?

He suddenly shakes those thoughts out of his head and averts his attention back to Casey with the crazy dude slowly approaching him. In that moment, he knows that he has to do something to prove his worth even though he's tied up in the chair. He reflects to the night of the date he shared with Alex and how he did his go to move instead of defending her. In that instance, he makes a bold albeit crazy decision.

"KILL ME!" he screamed. "Don't kill Casey…" he said pausing for a brief moment as he takes a quick gulp realizing what he's actually doing. "…kill me. Casey is too valuable to kill and since you have his daughter who is also valuable then that just leaves me."

"Idiot." grunted Casey. "It's not the time to be a hero Grimes!" he gruffly responded.

"You make a valid point." Smith said turning around to face the bearded man sitting tied up to a chair with a look of fear in his eyes. "Sorry Colonel…" he added glancing over his right shoulder. "…it's a deal I just can't pass up."

"Morgan what are you doing?" questioned Alex as she looks over her shoulder."

"I'm making up for Saturday night remember." he said looking over his right shoulder with a grin on his face.

His response causes tears to flow from Alex's eyes as she hears that. "You don't have to do this Morgan."

The bearded man shakes his head as a fearful grin appears on his lips. "I know." He pauses for a brief moment before he continues on to speak to her. "Alex, I just want you to say something before I die."

"What is it?" she softly said.

"Remember me well and…" he paused as a wide smile appears on his face.

"And what?" questioned Alex with tears sliding down her cheek.

"I love you." he softly stated.

XXX

White Corridor - Deep Within The Bowels Of The Warehouse
6:35 a.m.
April 13th, 2010

Chuck, Sarah and Travis reach the end of another long white corridor. As Chuck peeks around the corner he sees a total number of 3 men standing several feet away. He turns his head towards Sarah and Travis behind him showing the two of them 3 fingers leading his fiancé and friend to nod. After taking a quick breath, he quickly rounds the corner shooting a total of 6 six shots…2 rounds each at the three dark suited individuals who immediately go down.

The lanky, brown haired business owner of Whiz Kid Systems, Inc. nods to Sarah and Travis that its all clear. The 3 teammates head down the white corridor inevitably standing where the downed dark suited agents have fallen. As they stand there, Sarah not only sees two doors on either side but hears a faint commotion coming from behind one of them. Sarah points to her ear and then at the door leading to put on her electronic glasses to which the two guys do the same as well.

When Chuck puts his on he turns to look at Travis who he can see underneath his clothes. At the same time he does that, Travis does the does and when their eyes meet they immediately shake their heads upon seeing each other. The two then turn to Sarah and when they do Travis leans his head to the right causing Chuck to look as well but then turns to Travis who he immediately slaps in the arm.

They have a brief altercation to where Sarah snaps her fingers silently breaking it up. All three turn to face the white wall to where each of them see through it and see 4 individuals in the room. One is hanging by his wrists from the ceiling while the two seated possibly bound as figure stands next to a bearded man. From the looks of things, Team Chuck minus one member has found Casey, Alex, and Morgan.

As the 3 of them assess the next step outside the white corridor, Smith stands inside the darkened room next to Morgan with the GI Tanto Knife tightly gripped in his right hand holding blade down. He peers down at the bearded with a seemingly a look of respect of sorts for giving up his own life to keep Alex and Casey alive. "It's a commendable thing you're doing…" he stated. "…stupid but commendable."

"Well you know." he replied peering up at him. Morgan then takes an elongate gulp looking at the blade in his right hand.

Smith raises his knife upward placing both hands on the handle with the blade pointing down directly towards Morgan's chest area. He watches as Morgan takes a deep breath and closes his eyes ready to sacrifice himself for Casey and Alex. As this is happening, Alex is in full on tears by this point and as she's crying she speaks to Morgan one last time. "Morgan." she said as her voice cracks.

"Yeah." he replied with his eyes closed.

"I love you too." she softly stated.

The bearded man's only response is a wide smile. A smirk appears on Smith's face as he readies himself to thrust his knife down on the chest of one Morgan Guillermo Grimes. As this is happening, Chuck and Travis are stationed at the door with Casey on the other side of it while Sarah is at the other door with Alex and Morgan behind it. The two men turn to Sarah who hold three fingers up and begins counting down. As Smith reaches back to thrust down the sword towards Morgan's chest inside, Sarah reaches one and then nods leading the three individuals to kick in the doors.

XXX