Don't own Chuck
The Major was walking into the casino when he was almost run over by two teens who were running out. He gave them a look but they kept on going. They were too busy to notice him caught up in some sort of argument. Normally he would've said something but he didn't want to attract attention to himself so he just kept on walking. However, this just wasn't his night because shortly after they almost ran him down a tall well-built man came walking out and almost ploughed him down. The two looked at each other and stared for a few minutes as they gave proof to the paradox what happens if an unstoppable force meets and immovable object.
"You should look where you're going," grunted Casey as he looked him over. There was something about the Major that made the hair on his neck stand up.
"I could say the same thing," said the Major with a thick heavy accent. The closest Casey had to describing the feeling he had was when two large cats meet and they immediately size each other up before the fight.
"Evening," grunted John back before he ran off. The Major nodded back then he went straight on inside the Casino. A run-in was the last thing he needed right now and for John, he part registered the meet then made a mental note to look into the new guest one he got back.
The Major continued on walking across the lobby as he looked around. Making note to himself as to where all the exits were located for a quick escape.
"May I help you," said the receptionist as the Major walked straight up to the counter then sat his bag on the ground next to him.
"Yes, I believe you have a room reservation for me," said the Major as he handed the man his passport. "My name is Major Romanoff... Major Oleg Romanoff."
"Right... one moment, please," said the man as he copied the Major's name from his passport into the computer. "Yes, I have you right here. I'm sorry but we've been told to inform all guests checking in that there will be a major poker tournament next week and as such we cannot guarantee your room reservation past the weekend."
"I see... Well, if everything goes the way I want it to go I might be finished by then so it won't matter. However, I'm a man who likes to be prepared. You wouldn't have a list of B&Bs handy that you could recommend? I don't want to have to spend the night in Bentley parked outside."
"No, we wouldn't want that. I think we can work out something for you to avoid you having to do that here in the hotel. However, here's a list of the ones that we would recommend and a map of the city where they're located. The ones in old town are the most scenic and characteristic but this is only if you're looking for that kind of thing."
"Of course, and I take it the Casino is through there," said the Major pointing in the direction of the sign that read 'Casino through here'.
"Yes, just past the sign. Here's your passport back and this is the keycard for your room. Let me call you a bellhop to help you with your bag up to your room and show you where it's located."
"I'd appreciate that even if I'm sure I could find it on my own. But it seems as though I've been traveling forever and I'd like to freshen up before dinner."
"Very good and the restaurant is through there," said the man pointing at another sign that read 'restaurant.'
"Thank you, I might've missed that. When do they start serving? I want to get a good meal under my belt before I go try to lose some of my money in your casino."
"Well, let's hope you don't lose too much," said the receptionist as he smiled at the Major. The Major just stared back and raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, they start serving diner at eight and serve until midnight. After that you can get sandwiches and light refreshments in the bar."
"Thank you, you've been most kind," said the Major as he took his passport and keycard then turned following the bellhop over to the elevators. The boy pressed the button calling the elevator and the doors immediately opened. They were getting on when an attractive woman came walking over wearing a Fedora.
"Can you hold the doors for me," she yelled. The Major smiled and put his hand over the sensor. "Thank you."
"Are you heading my way?" said the Major without thinking. "I'm sorry, I mean what floor do you want to get off on?" She smiled back then reached over pressing the button for her floor.
"I see you've just arrived," said Carmen as looked at the bellhop holding the Major's suitcase. "Did they tell you at reception that there may not be any room next week?"
"Yes, but I hope to get my business done before then and if I can't then I'll find some place out in town to operate from. I can be flexible."
"I'm in the same boat. I too I hope to have my business taken care of by next week," said Carmen as the elevator stopped on her floor.
"You never told me what your name was," said the Major as she got out. She turned and smiled at him.
"Neither did you," she said as the doors closed. It was good that he knew that Mr. Black operated alone or he'd be worried she was involved with him. The elevator stopped and the doors opened but the Major was still daydreaming.
"Sir," said the Bellhop. "Sir, this is your floor. Please follow me," said the boy as he put his hand in the door to keep it from closing on the Major.
"Yes... certainly," he said as he tried to play off his momentary distraction. "Lead the way, please. There is one thing I'd like to ask you if you don't mind?"
"Let me guess Sir, you want to know the room number of the woman who just got off the lift? Am I right Sir," said the boy as they stopped in front of the Major's door.
"Well yes and don't get cheeky. Remember your tip depends on this." The boy gave the Major a look but played it off opening the door for him. "She's in 317 two floors below you. You turn right off the elevator and then go straight back. You can't miss it. It's the next to the last door down the hallway."
"Here you go," said the Major as he handed him a brand new euro note. The boy took it then looked at it and smiled.
"A hundred euros! I hope you have a pleasant stay with us," said the boy then he turned and left closing the door behind him. The Major went to the phone then dialed 317. The phone rang for a bit then he heard the same female voice answer.
"I don't know about you but I haven't eaten and I hate to dine alone. If you'd like would you join me in the restaurant in say an hour. ... You've already eaten but have you had dessert? ... No, well there you go. I'll meet you outside the restaurant," said the Major then he hung up. After he hung up he went to the window and looked out at the town below.
"Well Mr. Black, come out, come out wherever you're at. I wonder where you are. I bet in one of these B&Bs but sooner or later you're going to turn up here. If you don't go and get yourself killed."
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Molly and Razhib argued as they walked through the narrow winding streets of Kotor heading for Alibaba's pub. Razhib didn't want Molly to follow him and she wasn't going to let him go by himself so they were at an impasse. However, if the truth were known Molly's reasoning wasn't so much about Razhib's safety as a chance to check out the competition.
"Look, I'll go in and sit somewhere by myself and order a coke, a kebab then chill. You won't even know I'm there so you and Miriam can do whatever it is you do together."
"That's not going to work because I'll know you're there watching us. Why couldn't you just stay at the casino and mind you own business for once."
"I can always go back but if I see Margot I'll have to tell her that I don't know what you're doing with Miriam because you sent me away which is the truth."
"You wouldn't dare," said Razhib as he turned around to look her in the face. "You know if you did that she'd send the cavalry down here to pull me out. Then Miriam would never speak to me again. Is that what you want?"
"But it would be the truth and I don't lie... not for you, not for anyone. Just tell me if what I said isn't the truth. I dare you, go ahead and tell me."
"But there are ways and ways of telling the truth. Your way of telling the truth will get me in trouble and Miriam pissed at me. Unless that's your objective?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Molly as the sign for the pub came into sight. "I think you're making a lot out of nothing and you should be thanking me for taking up for you. Do you think Margot would've let you come here by yourself? I don't think so."
"Oh, my hero," said Razhib sarcastically with his hands clutching his heart which got him a look of death from Molly. "Come on am I supposed to thank you for Emma telling Margot I was leaving the Casino?"
"I swear I didn't have anything to do with that I promise. I would think you'd know me better by now. I'd never do that to you the same way you'd never do it to me when the time comes."
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you seeing someone I don't know about? You know I should meet him."
"That shoe is kind of tight when it's on the other foot," said Molly as she smiled as they stood outside of Alibaba's.
"Okay, I guess you wouldn't... that is rat you out. Here's the deal you can come inside but wait five minutes, so Miriam doesn't see us entering together then sit where I can see you. Sometimes there are some rowdy people inside."
"And you want to see if anyone sits next to me but won't Miriam get upset? Look I don't want to get you in trouble. You don't have to worry about me I can take care of myself."
"Yeah, keep on repeating that to yourself and thinking like that will get you in trouble. Just do me a favor sit where I can see you and leave Miriam up to me," said Razhib then turned and he walked inside. Molly looked up and down the street wondering why she was here as she waited the five minutes that seemed like an hour before she went inside.
[In the meantime]
Razhib walked in the pub and as usual the music was loud. There were young people huddling around two pinball machines with bells and sirens that were going off. Most of the other pubs had modern video games but not Alibaba's. He'd spent good money on these back in the day and was determined to keep them going for as long as he could get replacement parts. It also seemed that his thriftiness was paying off as a new generation of young people were being attracted to them.
"Razhib, if you're looking for Miriam she's over in the corner with that other guy," yelled the man behind the counter. "I know you're a good kid, but her father came by and we talked and… well stay out of trouble and try not to get me in any either with her father."
"I won't and thanks," said Razhib as he looked over at her talking to a dark-skinned man dressed in a very expensive suit. Suddenly Molly's joke about Miriam's father arranging a marriage for her came to mind.
"What's she doing with that old man," he thought to himself as he tried to put the other thought out of his mind, but he had a bad feeling about this guy, a very bad feeling.
"Here's Razhib now," said Miriam as Raz made his way across the floor heading towards their table. "Your late," she said as he got near them. "What took you so long?"
"I'm sorry, but it couldn't be helped. There were some problems at home and I had a hard time convincing my mother to let me leave. However, in the end... well I'm here."
"You mean your aunt," said Miriam. Razhib gave her a look then decided to let it go. He reached over and shook the man's hand sitting at the table with Miriam.
"My name is Razhib but I think you know that already," he said. The man smiled back at him then gripped his hand firm.
"People call me Mr. Black and I want to make you famous… well that might be a little too strong but I want to write your story in my paper. May I ask you a few questions?"
"Mr. Black is staying in our guest room we let out and when I told him about you he became interested. He wants to write about you and tell people your story. Isn't that wonderful?"
"I don't know," said Razhib. This wasn't the reaction Miriam thought he'd have. "I don't think people will be that interested… let's face it no one has so far. And besides my story isn't that great. People become orphans all the time and no one writes about them."
"Dickens did when he wrote about Oliver Twist," said Mr. Black. "He held up the plight of the downtrodden to Victorian society which caused much needed social reform."
"That was then and this is now. Beside do you really think that my story could have the same effect on my people?"
"As-salāmu ʿalayka," said Mr. Black. "I'm talking about our people. So, tell me what's it like going from rags to riches living in a Casino. I take it Miriam's father doesn't approve."
"Waʿalaykumu as-salām. It's been said to lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness or that's what it seems like to him."
"Well let's see if we can't change that," said Mr. Black as he started asking Razhib questions about the Casino and then about Jack. He asked him everything except the questions he'd thought he should be asking.
"I thought you were going to ask questions about me," said Razhib as he looked over at Miriam who looked just as puzzled.
"Yeah, like where he was raised before he came here," said Miriam. Razhib gave her a look because that was something he didn't want asked nor told.
"That's a different story and not one I'd like to get into. There's too much pain there and well... I just don't want to talk about it." He expected Mr. Black to protest but it was as if he hadn't heard him at all. However, before he could say something Miriam's attention was suddenly drawn to Molly sitting near the middle of the room sitting alone.
"What's she doing here?" snapped Miriam. "Don't tell me you brought her here? This is our time together… to be alone."
"We're hardly alone…," snapped Raz back and he was immediately sorry. "You see my mom… my aunt didn't want me to come out alone, so Molly volunteered to come along. If I came this evening it's also thanks to Molly."
"I'm sure she volunteered out of the goodness of her heart," said Miriam as she stared at Molly. "I need to go home it's getting late."
"Come on, don't be like that," said Razhib but he could tell there was not calming her down. She put on her hajib and got ready to go. Razhib started to get up to walk her home but she stopped him. "And where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going to walk you home of course. You can't walk home by yourself. Your father already doesn't like me what will he think if I don't see you home?"
"You need to stay here and walk Molly back to the casino. She can't walk back by herself and you brought her here so you're responsible for her." Razhib knew she was right and he was between a rock and a hard place. There was no winning here.
"I'll walk you home," volunteered Mr. Black. It didn't make Razhib happy, but it was a solution. "I've got to go back to my room anyway and write up my notes."
"Thank you," said Razhib. He wasn't sure he actually meant it but given the circumstances there was little he could do about it.
"Don't mention it," said Mr. Black as he took his watch out of his pocket and put it on. Razhib looked at him perplexed. "Oh, you weren't here when we got here. It's an old habit that was taught to me a long time ago. You take your watch off when you're talking with someone to say nothing else matters but you."
"Really, that's very nice and you say someone taught you that? Was this someone very close to you?" asked Razhib. "I'm sorry... just look at me now acting like the reporter."
"Yes, look at you," said Mr. Black as he looked in Razhib's eyes wondering. "Well, the man who taught me this was my teacher... mentor if you like but much more than that… maybe like a father."
"I wouldn't know what that feels like," said Razhib as they walked towards the doors. Molly looked up and followed then with her eyes. She was getting up when Razhib walked back over to her.
"I'm sorry I saw the way Miriam reacted when she saw me. I guess you were right I should've stayed in the Casino."
"Don't worry about that now we've got another problem."
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Sarah had just gotten off the line with John and was sitting at the table waiting for him to arrive when she decided to call Beckman. It wasn't that she wanted to not after their last conversation but she needed to or the General would have another tirade about her not being kept in the loop. And already having to listen to one rant was plenty.
"Just rip the Band-Aid off I need to get this over with," she said as she pulled out her phone but before she could dial the phone rang with the General appearing on her caller ID.
"I'm going to need this," she said as she topped her glass then put the call on speaker. "General, I was about to call you. I'm at the meeting point where Mary was supposed to be but there's no sign of her. Casey's on his way and once he gets here we're going to start a search for her."
"You can stand down. I just got off the horn with her and she's on her way to Moldovia. It seems she got word that there's some sort of meeting being held by the organization that is behind the contract on Jack. We think that they came together in some sort of emergency meeting caused by whatever Abe got himself caught up in."
"So, you think there is a list or ledger out there that could identify them," said Sarah as she picked up her glass. She paused before sipping wondering if Beckman could somehow hear her drink through the phone. She shook her head and sipped wondering if some of Chuck hadn't brushed off on her.
"I'm more convinced then ever. We need to get eyes on the leaders of this group because as of a little while ago, we didn't even know they existed. However, they're going to find out we're quick learners and now that we do I want to know who they are and what their up to then I want to bring them down."
"General, I don't want to tell you how to do your job but you could move a satellite over head then we could scour the area and identify them."
"You're right you don't want to."
"But Ma'am, Mary is going in alone so I'd like to ask permission to go in after her as her back up."
"You have your own problems in Montenegro which you so vocally pointed out during our last conversation and as far as moving a satellite... well we don't know how connected these people are. But if they've been able to keep themselves hidden so far then I have to assume they are tapped in at the highest levels. This means if I move a satellite they will know and like turning the lights on in the bathroom with roaches they'll all scurry away for cover."
"Yes ma'am, I see, but that still leaves Mary operating by herself in hostile territory."
"Which is why I'm sending Colonel Casey."