Don't own Chuck
Chuck and Morgan made their way down to castle through the secret passage behind the lockers in the breakroom. They had just gotten off the elevator and were about to get situated when the monitor flickered then Beckman appeared in all her glory. She looked at Chuck carrying Bunny in her baby carrier then raised an eyebrow with a look that showed exactly how she felt.
"You know we don't have a bring your kid to work day in the agency," said Beckman as she played with her pen. "I take it you had problems with child care."
"Something like that and you're not the first person to make a pun about my having to bring Bunny to work. Let me pass her to Morgan then we can get down to business. I want to hear how things went in Mexico City."
"No! You don't have to give her to the wooly person. This won't take that long," said Beckman. Now it was Chuck's turn to raise an eyebrow. Could it be that Beckman actually cared about his kids? That sent him daydreaming of Christmases with Auntie Becky and ugly sweaters being exchanged as gifts. Then Beckman telling Sam and Bunny about Chuck in the day.
"Agent Bartowski," said the General. "If you would kindly get your head out of wherever it's at and look at the video I sent you."
"Yes ma'am... I'm sorry I was just distracted for a moment thinking about Christmas and...," said Chuck then he stopped in midsentence. There was no way he was going to put a voice to what he had been thinking. "Right, so can you explain what I'm looking at? It looks like a hangar that's gone up in flames."
"Yes, this is the result of your... well let's call it bravado. You poked the bear and he tried to cover his trail. We had a team in position to lay eyes on our man and to try to put a tracking device on him but as you can see it seems he was one step ahead of us."
"So, our man did this? Is that what you're telling me? Do we have a casualty count and were any of our people hurt?" Chuck was wondering if he'd leaned a little too hard.
"None of ours but he took out the whole grounds crew. He was trying to cut losses and wanted to get out without being identified. However, contrary to orders, our team leader was able to get a blurry photo of him. I'm having the image enhanced as we speak."
"If you want you can send it to me and let me take a crack at it. I can write an algorithm that should do the trick."
"This may come as a surprise to you but I do have other people who work for me so let's let them earn their paychecks for once shall we?"
"Okay but does this mean we've lost our guy? I could always try to call him again and see what happens but if he's gone to this much trouble I'm sure he's ditched it by now."
"No, we haven't lost him yet. I've been following him as he crosses the Atlantic via satellite but he must know we're watching or he's just being overly cautious either way he's about to drop into a dead zone..."
"Excuse me but is that like the Bermuda Triangle," said Morgan as he tried to put the playpen together and listen in at the same time. However, the playpen was kicking his butt. "I knew there was something there," he said as one corner popped up and hit him in the face. "Ouch, I bet it has to do with aliens like area fifty-one. You don't have to answer that just nod," said Morgan as he rubbed his nose.
"No Morgan, it doesn't have anything to do with aliens. We move out spy sats around to areas... well let's call the area of special interest and our target somehow knows their locations. This is how he's going to disappear from the view of one before the next one is in position to pick him up. That is what you wanted to say, right General?"
"Exactly... aliens, really. Geez, come on," said Beckman as she wiped her hand across her face and shook her head. "Agent Grimes maybe you should consult the instruction manual."
"Not really my style. But I have to point out that it is possible that Aliens could be behind this. There was some in the National Enquirer and I read about a cover up... I think on the internet in Brietbart."
"Well Bart isn't very bright because... Grimes why are you wasting my time talking about aliens anyway? Look the plane filed a flight plane for Bucharest when it left Mexico City but I have some serious doubts if that's going to be its real final destination. I'm expecting him to change course in midair after he turns off his transponder."
"You think he's going to go dark to try to give us the slip," said Chuck as he thought for a moment. You know we could still string together radar to follow him."
"But if he's in the middle of the Atlantic there's no radar that can reach that far and once he's in the dark zone he turns off his transponder then for all practical purposes he'll be dark too."
"I don't think he's going to turn off his transponder and leave it off. That would just draw attention to him when he finally came in contact with the first control tower. He isn't flying a Nighthawk. I think he'll switch out his signal and try to make himself appear like he's someone else."
"That makes sense but we're going to have to sort through all aircraft flying over Europe to find our man and that will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"But we can track him while he's still over the Atlantic and watch him as he tries to pull his fast one. I never said we had to have a radar that can cover the Atlantic. I said we need to string together a group of radars. We have our warships in the Atlantic so all we have to do is to string together their radar. We identify our man on one ship then they can pass the target off to another ship and so on and so forth. When he tries to change his identity, we'll be there to catch him."
"Let me get off this line and make a call over to the Navy Yard. The CNO might even get a kick out of this given his Seal background. This just might be something up his alley. Beckman out," said the General then the monitor went blank.
"Well that will work if they don't fly into the Bermuda Triangle. If they do there's no coming back from that," said Morgan. "There the playpen is together."
"Are you sure you put it together the way it's supposed to be," said Chuck. Bunny looked up at him with a little perplexed look. "I know I'm not so sure either."
"This is as sound as..." Morgan started to say as he rested his hand on it. But as soon as his hand touched it the playpen suddenly folded up and he found himself resting on the floor.
"I think I'll just hold her until Kat gets here," said Chuck as Bunny giggled. "I think she's asking if she can see you do it again."
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Sarah drove to the marina then walked down the pier to their boat. It was a wooden hulled ketch that Chuck had bought in Italy in what seemed a lifetime ago. The air was crisp as a gentle breeze blew in across the bay. The boats bobbed in the water as the gulls flew overhead hanging on the currents. She took a deep breath before she reached the end of the pier and boarded the boat.
"I'm here," yelled Sarah reminding herself to stay calm as she walked up the gangway. However, there was no reply. "I heard you wanted to talk," she said as she continued boarding
"Mary, I don't have time for hide-and-go-seek," said Sarah not hearing a reply as she stood onboard. "Mary, I swear if this is one of your tricks I'm not in the mood."
Sarah looked around above deck and didn't see anything so she went below deck. She found evidence that Mary had been there. On the table was an open bottle of Rombauer, Chuck's thinking juice as Morgan described it, along with a wedge of Gorgonzola cheese and a partial loaf of fresh Ciabatta bread as well as a bowl of fresh figs.
"I don't know if I would've gone with that cheese and leaving it out like that is only going to increase the mold as well as the stink in here," she said as she put everything away in the small fridge.
"Geez, already it's starting to smell like a herd of sheep have been grazing in here," said Sarah as she started looking for Mary again. There was only one glass and plate in the sink so that told her Mary had dined alone.
"Margot said she met Mary at the Yacht club so this was just a snack while she waited for me," said Sarah as she checked out the berthing areas but all the beds were made and no signs of anyone sleeping them.
"Mary, where are you," said Sarah as she went back to the galley. She put her hand on the wine bottle and found it still had a chill.
"I need to get help down here," she said as she went over got another glass then poured herself a drink. She looked at the wine through the glass then whirled in around a little looking for any suspended particles. After being convinced there were none, she smelt it and it seemed fine so she took a small sip.
"There's no reason to let you go to waste," she said so she poured herself a full glass then took a drink as she pulled out her phone.
"John, this is Sarah," she said as she put the call on speaker so she could retrieve the figs too. "I'm on the boat and I could use you down here right now."
"Oh no you don't," said John. "I'm not going to be your bullet magnet. I can't believe I'm going to say this but you and Mary need to work out your differences without the use of firearms."
"Very funny but I'm here and Mary's nowhere to be found. I don't know where she's at and before you ask no you don't have to have the bay dredged... or at least I didn't put her there."
"I think I need to get down there. I'm on my way as soon as I turn Jack over to Margot's men," said John then he hung up. Sarah put away her phone then ate a fig. It was big red and sweet inside but as she was about to get another one she found one that had gone bad.
"You need to go before you ruin the rest," she said so she took it then opened the cupboard under the sink where they kept the trash can. As she tossed it inside she found an empty bottle.
"What's this," she said as she pulled it out of the rubbish. It was a non-descript glass bottle but one whiff and she immediately knew what had been in it and that told her everything. "You stingy people you'd think they'd saved a little for the rest of us."
[A couple hours before]
"Where is that girl," said Mary as she went to the fridge pulled out the wedge of cheese and bottle of wine. She laid both on the table next to the piece of bread and figs. She had just cut herself off a piece of bread and was about to spread cheese on it when she heard someone creeping down the ladder into the galley.
"Don't tell me I've finally gotten the drop on you," said an old man as he walked over to her sitting at the table. He placed a bottle on it between them.
"I'll let you think that Ševo," said Mary as she brought up her Beretta she had been holding under the table and laid it next to the bottle. The old man burst into laughter.
"It's good to see you haven't changed," said the old man as he took the cork out of his bottle. "Let's have a drink and I mean a real drink not that stuff you're drinking now. I brought a little of my famous Serbian sweat."
"You should really change the name if you want to make it more appealing," said Mary as she picked up his bottle and took a hit then passed it to him. "Here eat this or that's going to go to your head," she said as she passed him her plate with a slice of bread and cheese on it.
"Thanks," said the old man as she sat across from her and started eating then he took another hit from his bottle then handed it to her.
"Thanks, but I don't think you had to come this far to find a drinking partner. I'm actually waiting for someone who should show up soon or at least I hope she does."
"No, I didn't but I don't want to be accused of being a turn coat for you Americans either. In my line of work that isn't very healthy," said Ševo then he took another hit from his bottle. "I heard you were seen at the airport so I thought this could be good for the both of us."
"I'm a little busy at the moment to take out any of your competition for you," said Mary as she reached across and grabbed the bottle then took a hit too. "But you know what they say the thought is what counts."
"You know I knew Chuck had to be your son the first time I laid eyes on him," said Ševo as he reached across and grabbed a fig then ate it. "These are good. You know my wife makes a jam out of these that is to kill for and believe me I have," said the old man as she burst into laughter.
"Okay, out with it what is it you wanted to tell me," said Mary as she held up the bottle with only one drink left in it. Ševo waved for her to finish it and she didn't have to be told twice.
"I heard from a reliable source that there's a meeting going down of a group of cut throats and all around bad men who wear tailored suits in Moldovia. I heard this meeting was thrown together in haste because they were nervous about something."
"Nervous you say," said Mary as a light came on in her head. "Your friend... he wouldn't know what's got them so worked up would he?"
"No, he just said they took over a town outside the capital and locked the town's people in their houses. I've got the name of the town for you if you're interested?"
"And what is it you expect in return? I know you're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart," said Mary. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and ger face felt warm.
"The fifth cousin of my wife on her mother's side was caught in New Jersey selling hot televisions and cellphones. I need for the idiot to be sent home so I can get off the sofa and sleep back in my bed again. I don't know what it is but my wife's relatives are all morons."
"If this pans out I can see what I can do but I can't make any promises. But the way we're deporting today it might not be that difficult to get done."
"I'd really appreciate it," said Ševo as he passed her a folded piece of paper with the name of the town written on it. "My back is too old to be sleeping on the sofa. But if you're going to act on that you need to get a move on it. My friend didn't know how long this meeting was going to last."
"I can leave now then notify everyone I need to notify on the way."
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Razhib was making his way across the hotel lobby as he made a beeline for the front doors. He saw Molly talking with Emma and they both looked anxious. He looked at his watch and he knew he was going to cut it close but Miriam had called him. She underlined how important it was that they meet tonight and he didn't want to disappoint her.
"Razhib, wait up," said Molly. He tried to pretend not to hear her but she ran after him catching up to him just as he was about to reach the doors. "Raz, hold up... wait. I need to talk to you."
"What is it?" said Razhib curly. "I'm sorry. It's just... well, I need to go meet Miriam and if I hang around here any longer I'm going to be late."
"Miriam will wait for you. Have you heard Sarah is in town? Jack is in some sort of trouble and she came to help him out."
"What kind of trouble? I'm sorry I don't have time for this right now. You can tell me when I get back. I'll meet you in your suite."
"You promise? Or is this just you trying to ditch me so you can go see your sweet heart. You used to have time for me but now that you've been seeing Miriam I'm old news."
"Don't be like that you know that isn't true. Look, I said I will look you up when I get back and I will. It's just Miriam called and told me she had something important she wanted to talk to me about."
"That sounds rather ominous and she didn't give you any hints what she wanted to talk to you about? You know her father could be arranging her wedding for all you know."
"Don't say things like that or you'll get me thinking it too," said Razhib as he turned to leave but standing in front of him was Margot. "Crap, don't do that. You can give a person a heart attack... oh I see what was going on. Molly was distracting me long enough for Emma to find you."
"I don't know what you're talking about and if your saying what I think you're saying then I will be upset. The people here care for you and are only looking out for your best interests. I don't know what it is with the men who work here. Have you all gone crazy?" said Margot as Mike let out a cough behind her. "Okay, not all the men."
"Now it's my turn to tell you I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just going to Alibaba's to meet Miriam. I've never lied to you about seeing her."
"No, no you haven't and I'm sorry. It's just... well, I've had a few run-ins with Jack and I'm a little on edge right now. I'd really appreciate it if you didn't go out this evening. If you want to meet Miriam then invite her here. The hotel will spring for your dinner and you can really impress her."
"I can't do that and you know why. Her father thinks this place is a den of iniquity and has forbidden her from stepping foot in here."
"I don't see the problem. She's been in here before and the Casino is separate from the hotel. I can't go into everything but it might not be safe outside."
"Her father doesn't see that distinction. She was here once because of an emergency and the other time he didn't know. I can't put her in that position and it doesn't make me look good to him either if he finds out. What do you mean 'it might not be safe outside'? Does this have to do with your problems with Jack?"
"I can tell you that it does and he's not making my job any easier. I can't be worried about you and do my job of looking after Jack."
"I'll be back as quickly as I can and you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. Look, I've got my watch with me if anything happens I'll call for the cavalry."
"I'll go with him," said Molly. She'd been standing there listening to Razhib and Margot go back and forth. "I can watch him from a distance and call in if anything goes wrong."
"This isn't a healthy environment for kids to grow up in," said Margot. But as she was talking Casey came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"I told your men on Jack's door but I've got to run down to the Marina and work a little with Sarah. When she got to the boat Mary wasn't there and now it seems she's missing."
"Why is it when it rains it pours? I can send a few men down if you guys need assistance but this wouldn't be the first time Mary's gone missing," said Margot then she turned back to Razhib. "Now for you guys. Where'd they go?"
"Razhib and Molly went out the front doors while you were talking to Casey. Do you want me to go after them?"
"No Mike, I need to show Raz that I trust him and besides I can only deal with one child at a time. Let's go have another talk with Jack." Inside she hoped she was making the right decision but she wasn't sure.