A/N: As it turns out, it's not really surprising that you didn't identify the movie the previous chapter drew from. It's Foolproof, a 2003 Canadian movie starring Ryan Reynolds, Kristin Booth and others, including David Suchet. I liked it a lot and heartily recommend it to you. Now, on to the story.
Chapter 21
"It wouldn't surprise me," Graham said. "A lot of operations undertaken when Fulcrum was a legitimate unit in the Agency took place in the Far East. I'll kick Beckman out of bed and give her a heads-up."
"Yeah, we're sorry to have woken you up, Boss."
"Don't sweat about it, Chuck. You guys did the right thing letting me know. It also proves what your father always said: The Intersect is worthless without people who can correctly interpret its findings and put the pieces of the puzzle together."
Graham hung up. Chuck and Sarah looked at each other. She spoke first. "I told Morgan everything. He'll bring Bryce and Casey up to speed."
"Excellent. This means we're free to plan our next move."
"Let me guess. You want to put the client under surveillance."
"It's the natural thing to do. The easiest, too," he nodded. "We know the hotel. All I'll have to do is hack into their reservations database, find the suite, go there and load it with bugs."
"And with any luck, we'll be able to learn all about the meeting with Fulcrum's leaders."
"Naturally, we'll be there to identify them and send the information up the chain of command for further dissemination and action."
"Leaving us free to have our V-Day in Paris," she finished smiling.
-o-
And so, Chuck and Sarah walked into one of Paris' most luxurious hotels. They'd done a quick web search first and knew what the staff uniforms consisted of. Under their overcoats, they were wearing outfits just like the aforementioned uniforms. Specifically, Chuck wore a pair of black slacks, a crisp white dress shirt, a black vest and a red and blue striped tie. Sarah's getup was similar, but with a skirt substituting for pants and she also had a scarf in a pocket to use in lieu of a tie. Her shoes were sensible low-heeled ones, as would be expected of a hotel staffer who spent a lot of time on her feet. Hidden in her handbag was a keycard cloning device, which they were going to use to make a pass key. They also had appropriate name tags.
As they'd told Graham, Chuck had already hacked into the hotel's database and knew which suite had been reserved for Fulcrum's Thai business partner. He and Sarah had also flashed on the name. Luang Kourpasiri was one of the least known but most powerful drug lords operating out of the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia. An association with Fulcrum could only mean trouble, as it would give the rogue cabal access to virtually unlimited funding.
No one gave them a second glance as they entered the lobby and headed in the direction of the café and bar. After all, it was a popular hangout for both Parisians and tourists. Only they didn't go there, going instead to the restrooms and a few minutes later back into the lobby. No one paid any attention as they took an elevator to the floor where the suite reserved for the drug dealer was located. The operation swung into high gear. They had checked the reservations and noticed that the next door suite was unoccupied. It was an easy matter to use the card cloning device to break into it, wanting to use it as a temporary base.
Their coats were left on the bed. Sarah went and positioned a miniature wireless camera in the hallway, carefully concealing it. This way she could see everything going on outside the rooms and warn Chuck if anything was wrong. Chuck himself went out for a few minutes and returned with a room service cart that held a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.
"You want us to drink champagne on the job?" Sarah asked suspiciously.
"No, silly, it's for my cover, just in case they find me in there before I have the chance to get out. I need a reason for my presence."
"Smart," she smiled. "Sometimes I forget you've got tons of experience in this game."
"For a rookie, you're not half bad yourself."
"Come to think about it, we should have probably gotten the others to keep watch in the lobby and from the outside."
"You're forgetting one thing."
"What?"
"We two are the only ones who know what the mark looks like."
"We could have split up," she insisted.
"Yeah, somehow I don't think Bryce or Casey would make as beautiful a concierge as you."
Sarah laughed. "One of them could still take your place."
"Hey, this is my plan. I'm not sitting in the sidelines."
"You and your stupid pride," she mocked him.
"Whatever," he said disinterestedly. "I'm going next door to plant the bugs."
"I'll be waiting here."
-o-
Chuck easily entered the suite reserved for Kourpasiri, or Scarface Two as they had gotten to call him, pushing the room service cart along. Once inside, he wasted no time planting a bug in the telephone and concealing other bugs throughout the suite. As a finishing touch, he concealed a wi-fi interceptor device in the closet. This way they would be able to monitor the marks' emails and online chats.
"They're coming," Sarah warned him. "Hurry."
"I've got everything under control," he assured her.
"I know you do, but they've turned out in force."
"How many?"
"Seven," she replied. "No, wait. More just came in the other elevator. There are thirteen bad guys out there. And not all of them are Asians. I'm guessing some must be Fulcrum."
"Relax, I've got it."
The door opened. A Thai man immediately spotted Chuck and his hand went under the lapel of his jacket.
"Ah, bonsoir. Welcome to your suite," Chuck said smoothly.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was just leaving you a complimentary bottle of champagne. Your suite was booked with full extras, Monsieur."
"Thank you." Kourpasiri brushed past his henchmen and handed Chuck a folded fifty Euro bill.
"You are welcome. Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Monsieur."
Chuck began to make his exit politely and discreetly, just like a hotel staff member would be expected to do. But one of the people entering the room suddenly stood in his way.
"I know you," the man stated bluntly.
"Then you were a guest in our hotel before, Monsieur?" Chuck ventured. He, of course, had also recognized the other man. Crap, he thought.
"No, but I can swear I've seen you before."
"I cannot imagine where."
"It'll come to me." He furrowed his brow in thought for a moment. Next door, Sarah was listening in on the conversation and fidgeting nervously. The man talking to Chuck was speaking with an American accent, so he must be Fulcrum. What if he recognized Agent Carmichael? Shit, they should have made sure to have backup available.
"In the meantime, if you need anything, and I mean anything, just ask for Jacques. He'll come through for you." Chuck said smoothly.
"You're not Jacques?"
Chuck smiled and pointed at his name tag. "I'm Charles. But Jacques is the best."
"Charles, as in… Charles Carmichael!" He turned to his colleagues. "He's CIA!" Immediately, the Thais and the Fulcrum agents ganged up and pounced on Chuck. He decked a couple of them, but in the narrow confines of the room's entryway even his Intersect-enhanced skills couldn't help much.
Sarah had heard everything and now she was frantic. She whipped out her cell phone and called Bryce.
"Where have you guys gone?" Bryce answered the phone.
"Chuck and I went to bug the hotel suite Fulcrum booked for their business associate. The Thais arrived, but were accompanied by Fulcrum agents. One of them made Chuck."
"Is he OK?" Bryce was suddenly worried.
"They didn't find his mike yet, so I can hear everything. They'll be taking him to one of their bases."
"Sarah, listen to me. Don't try anything stupid in the hotel. There are too many innocent people around."
"I know," she said, suddenly feeling helpless. "But we have to do something!"
"Where exactly are you now?"
"I'm in the suite next door."
"Don't break cover. Those guys are by now suspicious of everything. Wait until they leave and then go downstairs to your car. Meet us back at the base."
"All right," she replied. Then she had an idea. "You go to the base. I'll stay here and monitor the bugs Chuck planted. Maybe I can find out where they're taking him."
"Call us the second you have anything."
"Of course," she said and hung up. Then she went to the laptop that lay open on the bed. Putting the headphones on, she listened attentively to the conversations taking place next door. Thanks to the Intersect she could understand perfectly what was being said, even though it was in Thai. There was one problem though. They were talking about anything else but where the Fulcrum agents had taken Chuck. And then she heard something that chilled her blood: the boss was no longer in the suite, having decided to expedite the meeting. And she needed to know where it would be taking place. Chuck had saved her life once. It was time to return the favor… time to take matters into her own hands.
The Thais left in the suite after their boss left with the Fulcrum agents were thoroughly enjoying themselves, drinking the champagne Chuck had brought, guzzling down more drinks from the mini bar and watching TV. One of them had just gone to the can when there was a knock on the door.
"Yes?" The man who answered it took a good look at the tall beautiful blonde concierge.
"Mr. Kourpasiri asked me to come up here and see if you need anything," she said, speaking with a very convincing French accent.
"We're cool, for now." The man had obviously lived in the US. It was evident in his speech and mannerisms. "Are you part of the entertainment package as well, doll?"
Sarah's answer was a punch to the nose and a kick in the balls. The man went down fast. His friends saw what happened and tried to reach for their weapons that were lying discarded on sofa. But in the next instant a blonde hurricane was in their midst, punches and kicks flying out. The only one to escape Sarah's wrath was watching fearfully from the doorway to the bathroom as she pummeled his friends to unconsciousness one after the other. Knowing that if he stayed it would soon be his turn, he considered discretion to be the better part of valor and fled, not even bothering to wait for the elevator. He ran down the stairs, out the lobby and got into one of their rental cars, speeding away.
Meanwhile, the fracas was over and Sarah was surveying the devastation she had just wrought with no small amount of satisfaction. Only then did it occur to her that she had no one to interrogate. They were all out cold and would not be waking up anytime soon.
"I guess I got a little carried away," she shrugged. Even the Intersect was no substitute for years of experience in the spy business. "Note to self: Leave at least one bad guy conscious next time." With nothing else to do, she went through the Thais' stuff, hoping to find a lead. She came up dry. Well, mostly dry, as they had a lot of cash with them, which she took. Sarah was a firm believer in keeping to the old adage of 'to the victor go the spoils'. Plus, with the cash she would be able to purchase several sets of lingerie ranging from classically sexy to downright slutty. They would make her Valentine's Day in Paris with Chuck interesting – to say the least.
"Any news, Sarah?" Bryce asked when she called him again.
"I subdued Kourpasiri's goons, but no one is in a condition to talk right now. I went a little overboard on the ass-kicking."
"Wow. I wish I was there to see it."
"Any clues as to where Chuck is?"
"Don't worry about him. He'll let us know when the time is right."
"His emergency locator," she guessed, kicking herself for not remembering it earlier.
"Yup, and he will activate it soon. Trust me."
"What if they find it?"
"No chance in hell, Sarah," Bryce said emphatically.
"OK. I'll tie those clowns up. Have the support team come over here to collect them."
"Will do."
-o-
Chuck had been taken to a big house in the suburbs. Even though his captors had put a hood over his head, the fabric was thin enough to enable him to have at least a partial view of his surroundings.
"Charles Carmichael," said a somewhat familiar voice. The hood was removed. "Nice to make your acquaintance."
He focused on the man speaking. Not only the voice, but the face was familiar as well. "Mr. Roark," he nodded politely.
Ted Roark got a good look at Chuck and his eyes widened in recognition. "I haven't seen you since you were a kid, but you're still the spitting image of your father."
"And you are still the same conniving bastard you were back then, Ted." Now was the time. He pressed the side of his right shoe heel against the chair he was tied to, activating his emergency locator beacon. It was a gadget of his own design, incorporating a voice transmitter as well.
"You know him?" Kourpasiri asked Roark.
"Yes. I know his family, too."
"Still smarting from the battering the family business gave Roark Instruments in court, huh? Is that why you joined Fulcrum?"
"You are pretty cocky for someone who is about to be forced to tell us everything he knows," one of Roark's henchmen said. Chuck flashed on him and identified him as Vincent Smith.
"Funny. You were supposed to be dead, Mr. Smith. I don't believe in ghosts, but you seem to be like the proverbial bad penny, as you have been reported killed on a number of occasions. The Nerd in me would compare you to the High Priest Imhotep from the Mummy movies. You kind of look like the actor, too. So, I suppose you're going to torture me now?"
"It would be unprofessional not to."
"Of course it would. And we are, if anything, professionals."
"Vincent, I think you can wait until our esteemed associates and I retire upstairs to do business. Then you can do anything your nature compels you to. You can even eat him. On second thought, I need you to go over some parts of the deal with me. Someone else can deal with Chuck here."
"I'll do it," a petite brunette piped up. Chuck flashed on her and identified her as one Lizzie Shafai, active CIA agent from the Middle East section.
"She's an expert interrogator," Vincent confirmed.
"OK, Mr. Carmichael. Let's see how long you'll last."
"Do your worst," Chuck said disinterestedly, clasping his hands behind his head, the very picture of relaxation.
"You picked your handcuffs?" Roark asked.
"It would have been unprofessional not to," Chuck grinned, looking at Vincent, who actually laughed. The rest of the Fulcrum agents were not so amused and kept their weapons aimed at the captive.
-o-
The moment Chuck's emergency locator was activated, his team mates wasted no time. They requested backup and got on the road. All had changed into their mission gear and in the back of their van Morgan was getting satellite photos of the area. The locator's signal put Chuck in a house located in one of Paris' affluent suburbs. They got there soon and parked some distance from it, waiting for the other team to arrive and reconnoitering the area. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, no guards had been posted on the outside of the house. While they were watching, a car parked in the driveway and its driver ran inside.
Roark, Kourpasiri and others were gathered around a conference table, discussing their business plans, when someone entered, approached the Thai drug lord and whispered something in his ear.
"Let him in. Gentlemen, forgive the interruption, but it appears to be an urgent matter." An anxious looking man entered and approached his boss. "Why aren't you at the hotel?" Kourpasiri asked.
"Boss, I was at the hotel with the others, but while we were sitting around, a giant blonde she-male entered and beat the others up. Boss, I think she killed them all. I escaped only because I had gone to the bathroom and she didn't see me."
"She must be working with the CIA agent we have downstairs," Kourpasiri guessed.
"We'll continue the discussion later," Roark declared after consulting with his colleagues. "Right now we must find out what is going on." He rose and led the way downstairs.
Lizzie had left Chuck alone for a while, wanting to let him stew. His calm demeanor confounded her. As an agent he should know that everyone talked at one point, yet he was still a really cool customer. Clearly, she had to devise some new tactics and come up with a different approach.
"Chuck, isn't it? That's how Mr. Roark called you."
"It's my name."
"I don't want to bother my superiors and their friends upstairs, so I'll start by making you an offer. You can join us and become a member of Fulcrum. I think you'll find the rewards very appealing."
"Really?"
"Think of all the fun we can have, Chuck." She straddled his lap and ground against his groin.
"LEAVE MY MAN ALONE, YOU SKANK!"
Gaining entry into the house through the garage had been easy for Sarah, Casey, Bryce and the other CIA/NSA team. They had disposed of three guards on the way to the large downstairs living room. When Sarah realized what Lizzie was about to do to Chuck, she saw red and flashed on several kinds of martial arts and weapon skills.
At the same time, Roark, Kourpasiri and the other major players were making their way down the stairs. The henchman who had been lucky enough to escape Sarah's attention at the hotel paled. "It's the Giant Blonde She-Male! RUN!" He was so afraid of her that he crashed through a window in his frantic effort to escape. Some of the other bad guys raised their weapons to fire at Sarah, but never got the chance. Casey and Bryce scythed them down.
Sarah drew her Smith & Wesson pistols and started running towards Chuck and Lizzie, having identified the latter courtesy of the Intersect. Two men tried to block her, but she shot out their kneecaps without even slowing down. She jumped on a table, performed a flawless somersault and gave the same treatment to two more men before she even landed. And then only a petite brunette Fulcrum slut stood between her and her boyfriend. She ignored the chaos, carnage and mayhem taking place all around them as the combined CIA and NSA teams cleared the house and fixed Lizzie with a deadly glare.
"Are you still on him? I thought I told you to leave him alone. Now, I'm done playing nice."
Lizzie was not afraid – much. The tall blonde facing her was obviously very much in love and thus had broken the cardinal rule of spying, something guaranteed to lead to mistakes. "You think I'd be scared of you? The blond hair dye must really kill brain cells, I guess. No matter what you do, I'll make sure your love story gets a very sad ending."
That was a major no-no of the first magnitude. First of all, Sarah was a natural blonde and, second, even though she knew Chuck would never step out on her, she couldn't help but feel possessive of him. Having another woman putting her hands, or any other part of her anatomy, for what the matter, on him was unacceptable. Especially if said woman wanted to torture him.
She holstered her guns. "Just for that, prepare to get your scrawny ass kicked, bitch."
"Bring it on, Blondie."
The two women warily circled, sizing each other up. Then Lizzie lashed out with a spin kick. Sarah easily avoided it, answering with a sharp jab to the gut, which her opponent barely managed to block, and only through sheer luck. Lizzie attempted to draw a fighting knife, which was knocked out of her hand by one of Sarah's throwing knives. Chuck was untying himself, not taking his eyes off of the two women. He almost felt sorry for Lizzie. Sarah looked like she was out for blood. As he watched, Sarah gained the upper hand, eventually knocking Lizzie unconscious with a right hook to the jaw.
"Oh, good, you're up," she said, seeing him free. The area had been cleared, so she hugged him. Then she backed up and glared at him. "She didn't do this to you, did she?" Sarah was referring to something hard she felt in his pants.
"Hell no. That was all you. It was really hot to watch."
"Let's go see if we can do anything to help the others. And when we're done with everything, reports to Graham included, I want you to take me back to our room and plow me. I need to burn off a lot of excess adrenaline," she whispered in his ear and handed him one of her guns.
"Sure, anything you want. I owe you. By the way, how did this Giant Blonde She-Male thing come up?"
"I'll tell you later."
The operation was a huge success. All of Fulcrum's leaders and a number of their senior operatives were dead or captured. In addition, a large cache of documents, financial assets and weapons was recovered. The rogue organization had been taken down in one fell swoop. Graham and Beckman were understandably very pleased.
When the formalities of the reports were over and done with, Sarah and Chuck were finally able to retire to their room. The moment the door closed behind them, Sarah pounced. She grabbed Chuck and kissed him hungrily.
"Take it easy, Sarah. We've got all night."
"Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, Chuck. I want a foretaste of what's to come."
"Like I said, anything you want."
"Undress me, lover," she commanded imperiously. Chuck grinned and kissed her as his fingers closed around the zipper of her black top and began pulling it open.