Don't own Chuck
The team finally arrived from downtown and shortly afterwards so did the cleaners. Everyone went about their job as Chuck supervised the operation. Alex went inside and let everyone out of the panic room. Sam was wide awake even if it were late. She proved just how wide awake she was when she blew past Alex who tried to grab her but she wasn't having that.
"Chuck... Daddy," she yelled as she ran out into the courtyard. He heard her screaming so he went to meet her.
"I'm here," he said as picked her up and held her. "I'm fine," he said but she noticed he was wearing coveralls and smelt of Aqua Velva.
"I was worried about you," she said as she looked around. Men were replacing the windows in Casey's apartment as well as some of the chard plants out front. "What happened? Where's Mommy?"
"She tried to call before but I was a little busy. Let's go back inside and call her back. I'm sure she wants to hear from you," said Chuck as he got her inside before she could see anything that was truly gruesome.
"What's going on here?" said Kathy, Sam's principal. Her kind sweet-kind disposition was a thing of the past and now she wanted to know what she'd gotten herself into. "I've never had anything like this happen in all my days in higher education."
"No, I don't think Saint Thomas was anything like this," said Chuck. Men walked past the open door behind him carrying what looked like body bags. He didn't have to look behind him to know what was going on. The look on Kathy's face told him everything.
"Sam come with me and let's get your ready for bed. It's late and you need to go to school tomorrow," said Kat as she moved Sam along before she saw what was going on in the courtyard behind her.
"But I can't go to sleep yet. Chuck's going to call Mommy and I want to talk to her. Chuck said I could, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did but you can talk to her from bed so go with Kat and get ready. Kathy maybe you'd like a drink before we talk? How about a glass of wine?"
"I think I need something stronger. I have to ask this does this sort of thing happen often?" asked Kathy as Chuck got out the good scotch and poured her a glass.
"Here you go. Drink as much as you like I'll leave the bottle out," said Chuck as he poured himself a shot. "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if you wanted ice but you put ice with this and I'd have to kill you. She gave him a look. "Sorry, it was just a joke."
"This is a joke to you? This is no environment to be raising children. I asked before if this happens often and you haven't answered me yet."
"More often than we'd like," said Morgan as he walked in eating the last of the fried rice. "Sorry Dude, but the stomach wants what the stomach wants and it was you who locked us in."
"Morgan, what part of not helping don't you understand. Look Kathy, I hear what you're saying but it's not like we go looking for this. It just seems to find us."
"Chuck, you seem like a nice guy but I'm required by state and federal law to report incidents off child... well it's not abuse but it is an unhealthy environment for both Sam and her sister."
"I was afraid you might say that," said Chuck as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.
"I think it's time for me to go," said Kathy as she downed her scotch then put the glass on the counter top as Chuck put the handkerchief to his face. "Crying isn't going to help you. I've made up my mind."
"I'm sorry... I truly am," said Chuck as he covered his nose and mouth then pulled out a small aerosol can from his other pocket and sprayed Kathy in the face. Her eyes rolled up and she dropped. He caught her before she hit the floor.
"Chuck, what have you done," yelled Sam as she came out of the back in pajamas. "You killed her! You killed my principal!"
"No, I didn't kill your principal. She's just asleep for right now and when she wakes up tomorrow she won't remember any of this so Sweet Pea, you can't tell her anything that happened here tonight. Believe me when I tell you it's for her own best interest."
"You know this this isn't right. That stuff has got to be bad for you," said Sam as she stood there looking. "Is that FDA approved?"
Chuck was saved from Sam's interrogation when his phone began to ring. He had to balance Kathy in one hand and pull it out with the other. When he saw Sarah's face on the caller ID he smiled.
"Here answer my phone while I get Kathy situated on the sofa. It's Sarah... your Mommy and you can tell her about your day."
"Yippy," yelled Sam as she answered. "You're never going to guess what just happened. ... Chuck, he's busy he's laying Kathy out. ... She got in the way so he took her out. ... Yes, took her out, that's what I said. Can't you hear me," said Sam as she yawned. "Well, it doesn't matter. Where are you anyway? And why aren't you here with me? I need you. ... You're on your way to visit Jack and Emma? I wanted to come. ... Yes, I've got school and I like me special class. Yes, Kathy was a good teaching."
"Put the call on speaker so I can talk to her too," said Chuck as he finished tucking Kathy in and she began to snore. "She is a good teacher... she is."
"Chuck, I leave you alone for a few hours and what do you do? You take out Sam's principal. I know there can be collateral but does it have to be people we know? Can't you stick to strangers?"
"First of all, I didn't take out Kathy in the sense you're thinking about and if you listen you can hear her snoring on our sofa. The only people that were taken out was a wet team that was sent to grab you."
"Then you've been interrogating them. Did they say why they wanted me and are there more coming? You need to get everyone to safety."
"I'm taking care of that and there is only one left to interrogate but I can't do that until he gets out of surgery. What I know is what he told me before... well let's just leave it at before."
"Before what?" yelled Casey from the background. "I want photos of my place and nothing had better be broken or I'm breaking someone got it."
"Let's just say the perp and Captain Hook have a lot in common," yelled Morgan. "Big Guy your place is going to look as good as new. The cleaners are in there now tidying up the mess."
"Go away Morgan and get Alex, I think John wants to know she's okay. I'd put you back through to Sam but she just dozed off."
"Give her a kiss for me. Chuck, I'm sorry but I had to do this... I had to go check on Jack. I hope you realize that and there's something else I need to tell you. Mary's in Montenegro too."
"Of course she is I should've known. Well here's Alex for John," said Chuck as he suddenly felt very tired. Alex walked in the door.
"Chuck, here we found this on the guy whose hand you cut off," said Alex as she handed him a phone. "There's only one number in memory. Probably a burner phone of some kind."
"You know I can work with this," said Chuck as he passed Alex his phone and took the one she had. "John's on the line for you."
"I want to hear about the helping hand," said Casey. Chuck reached over and took it off speaker as he went over to Casey's apartment to work his magic with the mainframe. He left the door open because it smelt like wet paint which was because the paint was wet. But he didn't care, he had an idea.
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Mr. White hung up his phone with Mr. Black and looked out the window of his private jet. He would be landing in Mexico City soon to switch planes then fly directly to Moldova. He calculated that if he could swap planes out quickly enough he could be at the meeting by midday the following day. There were too many things going on around him out of his control but he couldn't worry about them now.
"Why haven't I been called yet," said White as he glanced down at his watch. His wet team should've called in by now. "I knew I should've waited for them to take the woman before I left. This is all Twelve's doing, I know it is," he said to reflection in the window.
"Yes, he was the one who told me to leave right away. He's trying to make me look bad in front of One and the rest of the circle. I know he doesn't like me but what good is this to him? It's just petty but that's him. I've got the ledger and there's nothing he can do about that. I wish I knew what he and the Major are up to. Whatever it is it can't be any good."
"Sir, the pilot asked me to inform you we're in touch with tower control in Mexico City. We'll be down in a few minutes," said the flight attendant as he cleared the table in front of Mr. White.
"You can leave the glass of scotch for now. Have the pilot call ahead and have them get my plane ready for takeoff. I don't want to spend any more time on the ground than is absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir, I'll tell him right now," said the attendant as he took a plate and cutlery but left the glass then disappeared up forward behind a curtain.
"The first thing I'm going to do is to give One and the Circle this drive then I'm going to find out what's going on. I'm going to askTwelve what's his end game in front of One so he'll have to answer. Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do and One will have to side with me. This time Twelve and the Major have gone too far. I didn't even think Twelve liked the Major or maybe he dislikes him less than me. I don't care what his reasons are he's done it this time," said White. Suddenly his phone started to ring and he smiled as he looked down at the caller ID.
"It's about time you called in," said White as he put the call on speaker and took a sip from his glass. "I can't talk for long I'm about to land. Just tell me everything went as planned and you got the woman."
"Depends on whose plan you're talking about? If you're talking about mine it went off brilliantly. I'd say without a hitch," said Chuck. "Four of your five men are no more and one is in the hospital. Don't worry he'll pull through which mean soon I'll have him singing like a canary."
"Looks like I've underestimated you but it doesn't matter. It won't happen again and if I failed today I can always try tomorrow and the day after and the day after that."
"If you're smart you won't but if you insist… well I take care of my own so I'd start looking over my shoulder if I were you. Every night you should look out your window and check to make sure I'm not there because one of these nights I will be that you can bank on. Have you ever heard of the Baba Yaga? Well, I'm the person people call to kill it."
"Talk is cheap and I've got more important things to take care of then listen to you make idle threats and gruesome analogies so if you don't mind I have to…"
"Oh, they're not idle. If you want to know who I am... well, I'm the person who took down Fulcrum, the Ring, Alex Volkoff and countless other people and groups who like you poked the bear and later wished they hadn't. Like I said keep a watch out that window because I will be coming for you."
"Since we're exchanging pleasantries then you won't mind telling me your name. I should know the man who intends to throw away his life in an act of stupidity. But by all means come ahead and try if you like."
"You want to know my name? You can call me 'death' and I'm coming for you. You should be careful where you drink your water in Mexico City. That's also true of the ice. People forget about it and that's how they come down with Montezuma's revenge."
"How'd you know… you've been tracing this call. Smart… very smart. I look forward to when we can have a conversation face to face then we'll see how glib you'll be."
"I look forward to it and can I leave you with one last thought. You have to wonder if there isn't a sidewinder missile with your name on it heading straight for you right now. Just a little food for thought."
White jumped up knocking over his glass of scotch and throwing his phone on the floor then stomped on it. He ran forward to the cockpit pushing past the flight attendant and began banging on the cockpit door.
"Sir, you really need to go back and take your seat," said the flight attendant but Mr. White ignored him and continued banging. "This is against FAA regulations... Sir, I need to insist."
"What's going on out here," yelled the Co-pilot as he came out of the cabin. "Mr. White, you can't be up here. I'm afraid I..."
"Just shut up for a moment and listen up. We need to land right now and when I say now I mean right now," said White. Chuck had gotten to him and he was pissed at himself for letting Chuck get to him but for once in his life he was scared.
"Please just calm down and listen to me. Sir, we have to wait for our turn like everyone else so if you will please go back and sit down."
"Screw our turn. You know who I am so get this plane down now and if you have to tell them we have an emergency. Tell them whatever you like just get this plane down."
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Roan was in a meeting with the Bundesnachrichtendienst or the BND director and the Ambassador. Roan was doing what he does best smoothing ruffled feathers and drinking the director under the table. The Ambassador had to pull herself out of the drinking competition after the first three rounds but Roan and the director were still going strong.
"I think you can see how the incident was really no one's fault. I think we can caulk this up to a matter of miscommunication," said Roan as he downed his shot of schnapps.
"If you people had come clean with us none of this would've happened," said the director as he downed his then filled both their glasses. He offered the Ambassador some but she shook her head.
"You're probably right," said Roan. The Ambassador stared at him because she'd been told not to make any concessions and here he was doing exactly what she was told not to do.
"But I can also see how if I were in your shoes I wouldn't want to air my dirty linen in public. I mean really your predecessor was a mole. I appreciate you sharing that with me..."
"And only with you, please that can't get out. It's quite the embarrassment for the agency and we're trying to keep it quiet. I think you can understand why."
"Yes, I can. It takes just one rotten apple to spoil the lot. Isn't that what your people say," said the director then he downed his shot.
"Yes, and as far as the ledger goes if it really does exist, it's somewhere else but not here. Diane says if we find it the intel will be shared at the poker tournament. She hopes you bring lots of Marks because she says you're going to need them."
"Tell her we use Euro now which she knows and she needs to bring a lot of that monotonous green currency you people use. But those were the day, weren't they? When we used to use Marks and hunt Stasi spies. It was like that game children play in the fairs where you whack one rodent and then another pops up."
"You mean whack-a-mole. Yes, and there was always another one, wasn't there? I think I've seen all of Eastern Germany but in a blur. I was always in a car being chased by Igor and his friends.
"Trotski... yes, and I have other names for him. It's hard to look at him sitting across the poker table. I know he wasn't responsible but I lost a lot of good men trying to cross that infernal wall of theirs and now you people want to build another one. The world is a better place without walls."
"Speaking as someone who's scaled many a wall I couldn't agree more with you," said Roan. They finally finished then said good night and left the Federal building. The Ambassador and Roan started their drive back to the Embassy to report in.
"Well that went better that I'd expected," said the Ambassador. "You should've joined State. You're a waste chasing spies."
"I'm good at what I do because of the work I do," said Roan as he undid his bow tie and top button on his shirt. "There's no trick to it. It's all a matter of listening and reassuring the person you're talking to. You don't have to agree to empathize with them you just need to be human... I mean in the end that's what we all are."
"As good as you are at this I think you'd make a lousy husband. You try to empathize too much and something tells me that it doesn't just stop there."
"Maybe I care too much and people need to reassured in different ways," said Roan as he looked into her eyes and lean over to be near her. She didn't try to push him away as she stared back into his eyes. "What would make you feel better?" he whispered. But before the Ambassador could answer the monitor in the back of the limo flickered then Diane appeared.
"Good evening, I just got off the phone with the BND director and he told me that everything was good now. Excellent work you two I knew you could do it. Roan, Mary's having CCTV feed sent to you from the airport in Tivat that's where our rabbit ran into his hole. I want you to look through the footage and see if you can find our man."
"It's kind of late here right now Diane and I really could use a few hours sleep then do this with fresh eyes," said Roan as he glanced over at the Ambassador who was smiling back at him.
"Roan, you know what assets we have in Montenegro and you know the havoc this man left in Berlin. We need to neutralize him before he can cause us anymore grief. Jim might have been a traitor but he didn't deserve to be gunned downed like a dog in the street..."
"But I thought that was what you wanted to do with him? Or was that someone else speaking back at Langley?"
"That's me and this is someone else. We need to show whoever's behind this that we doing tolerate anyone touching our people. If we don't do something then it will be fair game on everyone including you. I think there are more than a few husbands who've got a bone or two to pick with you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Roan as he smiled at Diane then glanced over at the Ambassador who was giving a look. "Well, I don't."
"I'm sure you don't. Beckman out." The monitor went out as suddenly as it had come on and now they were back to where they were before or so Roan thought.
"Now where were we," said Roan as he smiled at the Ambassador then moved to get near her. However, this time she pushed him back.
"I think we were going back to the Embassy so you can go to work looking at that footage and I can file my report then we can both going to our separate beds to sleep. The emphasis here is on sleep."
"Only is you insist but I've been known to multitask."
"I'm sure you have but yes, I'm sure. Don't make me post a Marine outside my door. I'll order him to shoot you."
"What do they say... for God and country?"
"You are so incorrigible."
"That's what I've been told."