Don't own Chuck

Sarah opened the door to Marcus's room with a master key card letting Mike and the Commissioner inside to start their search. There was something sad about searching the room of someone who had recently deceased. Looking around the room Sarah couldn't help but wonder what Marcus would have put in order had he known when he was leaving that he'd never be coming back. This made Sarah think of Sam and Bunny and how much she missed them and how much she never wished this on them.

"I found some receipts in his jacket," yelled Mike as he emerged from the closet showing them to her which jogged Sarah out of her dark thoughts.

"What? Let me see them," she said as the Commissioner searched the chest of drawers tossing the contents along with the drawers on the bed. When that was a bust the Commissioner turned to the bedside tables.

"You know we have other guests who use these rooms too so go easy on the furniture. Let me look at that one," said Sarah as she took the piece of paper from Mike. "This this other that Marcus was at a Subway in L.A. a few days ago and it looks like he made it a meal."

"More like a last supper. Hey, can I get a hand," asked the Commissioner as he signaled for Mike to give him a hand moving the chest of drawers out from the wall to look behind it.

"I don't want to say we overlooked the obvious," said Sarah as she punched in the master code for the room safe but there was nothing in it. "I think we're done here."

"Not yet, watch this," said the Commissioner as he turned up the air conditioning until they felt the blower kicked on and air started pumping through the vents in a steady stream like a cold wind. "Feel the air flow?"

"Yeah, I feel something... cold," said Mike as he shivered and thought the Commissioner was crazy. It was already cold enough in the room but now the Commissioner was trying to freeze them out or give them pneumonia. "Is this some sort of torture technique?"

"It can work for that too but just have a little patience my friend and you'll see," said the Commissioner. Not long afterwards they heard something shift inside one of the vents and the air output diminished remarkably. "Here we go. I think we'll find something interesting in here," he said as he pulled out a pen knife and started removing the screws.

"You see the air flow inside was enough to cause whatever's inside to shift and block its passage. This saves you time when you have to toss a room in a hurry and you don't want to get caught with your hands in the cookie jar as you people say," he said as he unscrewed the last screw then took the vent cover off and reached inside.

"What have we got here? Looks like passports and money. You know before you could look at the money a person had on them and tell what countries they'd been to that used to be more effective then looking at passport stamps. People don't like to throwaway money but not now... not with the Euro. Now you know they've only been to one of the EU countries."

"I don't know about that," said Sarah as she used her phone to take photos of the passports. "The bills are all the same but the coins have one side stamped with something from the country where it was minted. People stash bills but they don't think of the coins rattling around in their pocket."

"Yes, yes, but now change has been mixed up among all the member states," said the Commissioner as he checked the stamps in the passports as he took them back from her. He tried to arrange them from oldest to newest according to their last dates.

"Yes, but if you look at which coins the person has the most of that should indicate the last EU country he visited? Before people... I used to pitch it but now until you pointed that out I kept it. Maybe our man did too?"

"Excellent observation and one I plan on verifying it once I get back to the office but now there's another issue we need to come to an agreement over. Who's going to claim ownership of our little treasure trove here?"

"If I tried to lay claim on these you're going to remind me that we are guests in your country or am I wrong?" said Sarah. The Commissioner was starting to grow on her. At first, she thought he was a bit into himself but now she was seeing him in a different light.

"Well, I think I'd like to think I'd be a little more civil than that but basically I think we know each other's position and home team always gets first choice. Besides you've taken photos of everything so you really don't need the originals, do you? You know this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship so let's not spoil it over details."

"I agree and no, I guess I don't them. Well, I think we're done in here for good this time. I need to send these photos off to be examined and processed. But first I need to check on some of our other guests to make sure they are behaving."

"Maybe you can show me the way to Mr. White's room, if it's in the same general area. I need to have another chat with him since I'm here. I need to double check some of the things he told me."

"I'd take whatever he tells you with a grain of salt and ask myself, 'how does this benefit him'. I don't know if he's in right now but if you want I could call down to reception and have them check," said Sarah as she watched the Commissioner pocket the passports and money inside his jacket.

"No thank you. I prefer to surprise by suspects. I find they give better answers or ones closer to the truth if they don't have time to prepare."

"I usually find a ball-peen hammer does the trick myself." The Commissioner laughed as they left the room. "You think I'm joking."

"Unfortunately, I don't."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Oscar kicked White out of his room and sent him packing back to the plane which made him feel better but it didn't answer his big question. How was he going to get past Jack Burton's bodyguards and allow him to grab him before he could sound the alarm for others to come to his rescue. What was worse was that his men had figured out he didn't have a plan either.

"The change in plan is we have to grab Burton and take him back to Moldova with us. One wants to talk to him in person," said Oscar as he looked around the room and saw the looks on his men's faces. He knew what they were thinking. "I don't like it either but those are our new orders."

"And did they say how we're to go about this? There are still two men on the door and he can call for more from inside before we can get to him. Do those people have any concept of what they're putting us through or do they even care?"

"Yeah, I'm with Gustav on his," said another man then soon they were all agreeing. "The money they're paying us is only as good as if we're alive to spend it. I say we go back to your original plan and plant two I his face then tell them there was no other way."

"You have to admit it would be a lot easier? And how are they going to know what happened when we went to grab him? Crap, happened... it couldn't be avoided. Then we put two more in White's face for ratting us out. Either that or we see if he can fly when we're up in the plane."

"He'll get his when we get back but for now we've got no choice. Orders are orders, if not they wouldn't be called orders and White is going to find out that the Circle doesn't accept excuses."

"Hey look down below," said Gustav as he called everyone over to the window. "Look down below there are police still walking around outside. I thought they'd gone away."

"That's all we need," said Oscar as he looked down at the police waiting outside the front of the Casino but as he was watching them a light came on in his head.

"No, we can't do that and get away with it," Oscar said as he started talking to himself. The rest of the men looked at him wondering if he'd finally lost it. "I mean it would never work or would it? And if it did then we'd have to... no, that wouldn't work."

"Oscar, are you feeling all right? Maybe you ought to sit down and take a load off. How about a drink? Maybe that would help you?"

"But it just might," said Oscar as he ran back to the window and looked down again. "And if it did we could use it to get out of here."

"Oscar, if you want we can call a doctor for you? I'm sure the front desk has one on call they can ring up for you. You know doctors... they have to keep whatever you tell them confidential so they can't go blabbing to the police or anyone else what you tell them. That is if that's what you're worried about?"

"Will you shut up can't you see I'm thinking. Now everyone be quiet for a moment and let me figure this out. Yes, okay... gather round, I think I've just had an idea on how to get into that Burton's office. It's going to be a little bit risky but with a little luck and if we can pull this off we'll be wheels up before anyone knows we're gone."

"Okay, we'll do anything that gets us out of here in one piece and back home. Just tell us what we need to do and we'll do it? But can we still shoot White?"

"First things first but like I said he'll get his when we get back to Moldova. My plan is easy but the first thing we're going to need are two policemen's uniform," said Oscar. His men huddled around him as he explained what they were going to do.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack returned to his office determined to finished what he'd started before he'd stepped out with Emma and Molly for breakfast. He began by pulling the papers out of the safe again and he'd started going over them. But as he did he glanced over and read the headline in the paper again about the couple that was getting divorced after almost fifty years of marriage.

"You know the old Jack would've stuck it to them and had them pay a cancellation fee even if I haven't done anything. It would be easy money. I'd just send them a confirmation letter of their request," he said to himself as he thought it out.

"I don't have to read newspapers after all and it's not my fault what happened. Then when they write back cancelling I could stick it to them. But that was the old Jack. Can't do that now... not when I'm being watched. However, Emma doesn't have to know what I'm up to. Jack, logic like that is what got old boy divorced after fifty years," he said as he held up the letter requesting the reservation then looked at the couple's photo in the paper.

"Nothing stays hidden forever. Well, I just hope you two work it out. Fifty years is a long time to throw away," said Jack as he talked to the paper. "I'm getting too old for this crap," he said as he got up and started walking around the room.

"This isn't much better than a prison cell," said Jack as he walked around. "I hate doing paperwork. I'm more a hands-on type of guy and shuffling paper just isn't my idea of having fun."

As he strolled around the room wishing he had a window and wondering how he could get one put in he put his hands in his pocket.

"What's this," he said as he pulled out the envelope he'd shoved in it before he'd gone out for breakfast then he remembered Emma handing it to him. "I forgot all about you," he said as he looked at the postmark again.

"No sender," said Jack as he turned the letter around in his hand then held it up to the light to see if he could see inside. "Considering everything should I open you? You can never be too cautious these days."

He took a letter opener and opened the side of the envelope carefully. Experience had taught him that most letter bombs had the detonator attached to the lip. Plus, there was no aluminum foil inside which would've indicated that the presence of a flash bomb.

"You do realize when you were going on before about the old Jack that it's because of him that you have to be so careful opening your mail," he said to himself as he gingerly let the contents fall on his desk. He moved the content around with a pen to make sure there was no powder.

"True but it's because of him I know what to do," said Jack as he picked up a folded piece of paper and started to read. But he'd no sooner started reading when he heard a noise outside his door then two policemen came walking in.

"Mr. Burton, you need to come with us. The Commissioner wants to talk to you in his office right away. He wants to see you about certain irregularities?"

"Irregularities? What does that mean? Is his widows and orphans fund running low and je's looking for a contribution? That really isn't my area of responsibility for that you need to talk to Ms Silverman. If you go back to reception they can find her for you and you can work it out with her. I'm sure she will hook you guys up. Hey, wait a minute, don't I know you two? Your faces are familiar..."

"We don't want anyone else. Our boss was quite specific that he wanted us to bring you in so please don't resist and come with us."

"You sound like a woman I used to know but as I remember I usually ended up tied to a bed," said Jack as he got up. "Look, I'm really busy as you can see so can you go back and ask your Commissioner if we can do this another day? Maybe the fifth of never in the month of I don't give a crap?"

"Please don't make us use force," said the one officer as the other put his hand on his weapon. "Come along quietly..."

"Up until quietly you really did sound like that woman I used to know. I need to check in with my people and let them know I'm going to have to go with you. They get worried when I go out with telling them," said Jack as he picked up his phone.

"You press any button on that phone and you're dead," said Oscar as he walked in past the two policemen pointing a pistol at Jack's face. "You're coming with us either on your own two feet or we're going to carry you out in a body bag. The choice is all yours."

"That's not much of a choice. Do I get a moment to think? The trouble with you people is you're always giving ultimatums I never know when you're serious," said Jack as he sat his phone back down on his desk.

"Believe me when I say I am," said Oscar as he extended his arm. Jack folded the letter he'd taken out of the envelop and shoved it back into his pocket.

"If that's the case then lead the way. Can you at least tell me where we're going and will I need to take a coat?"

"Just walk and shut up," said Oscar as he motioned him with his pistol to move towards the door where he was patted down.

"I just want you to know if I catch my dead from pneumonia it will be your fault."

"Don't worry, it won't be pneumonia's fault."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Moldova the atmosphere in the house was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Tensions were running high as they sipped on the Johnny Walker black that Twelve had brought back for them in gratitude for Chuck's turning Viktor over to them. Anatoly and Stefan hadn't spoked two words to Chuck since the incident and their silence said more than anything they could said in words. Finally Chuck had enough.

"Okay, I get it. You're both pissed at me because of how I handled Viktor but I really didn't have any other choice. No without compromising the mission."

"If you repeat that long enough you might even convince yourself that's true but we all know better."

"And what was I supposed to do? Twelve showed up here knowing that Viktor had run to us. Viktor had to be here because he not other place to turn to..."

"You mean turn out like you turned him out into the cold," said Anatoly as he took a sip from his glass. Anatoly was taking it worse than Stefan and Chuck couldn't understand why.

"You know if I had tried to stop them from searching the house it would've looked exactly like what it would've been, us trying to hide Viktor with the caveat that they would've thought we were somehow in cohorts with him... maybe even plotting against them and that would've ruined everything we're trying to do here."

"You mean what you're trying to do here. I still think we could've hidden him and they wouldn't have found him. You're good at that sort of thing or you used to be when you set your mind to it," said Anatoly giving emphasis on 'used to be'.

"Yes, why I'm here is to save Jack Burton and bring my wife home. I don't expect you to understand but I do expect you not to get in the way."

"Let's table this before someone says something they can't take back," said Stefan as he filled everyone's glass. "Now drink up and let's not talk about this anymore."

"I just need to talk to these people. Not only wouldn't that've happened if we had hidden Viktor but we would've probably been shoot. They would've taking this house apart looking for him or they might not even have looked for him. They would've just blown it up with him and us in it."

"I still think we should've done more instead of just handing him over like the Christmas goose to the chef for cooking."

"Okay, so tell me what I was supposed to do? You're quick at telling me what I shouldn't have done but I don't hear any practical alternatives. I'd like to hear in real terms what I should've done."

"I guess you didn't have any other choice," said Stefan. "Anatoly you've got to admit that. Come on just day yes and then drink up."

"Okay... yes, if you like. But I want to know one last thing... I'd like to know who we're talking to, Chuck or Juri? Because you're sounding more and more like the latter." Chuck was about to say something when John and Mary walking in the room through the kitchen. Chuck wondered how much of their conversation the overheard but if they had they pretended they hadn't.

"You guys need to check that back door. Anyone can come in and I hope there's more in that bottle or we're going to have a problem," said Casey as he spied the familiar color and grabbed up the bottle.

"Help yourself John. What took you so long I was waiting for you two would drop in," said Chuck as he got them both glasses.

"We would've been here sooner but there was a lot of movement going on out in the street. It looked like something or someone got them worked up," said Mary as she caught the glances back and forth among Chuck, Anatoly and Stefan.

"Umm, Johnny Walker Black" said John as he looked at the label. "What asset did you guys have to burn?" Stefan and Anatoly looked at Chuck.

"This is where you explain," said Anatoly looking at Chuck.

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't like for the sake of the mission and that's the last I'm going to talk about this," said Chuck but as they were talking the phone in Chuck's pocket started to ring.

"Hey, I know that dial tone. It's mine," said Stefan. "How'd you get my phone? I thought we gave them all to that guy back at the airport."

"That's just what everyone thought the saw," said Chuck as he handed the phone to Stefan. "It's Imma. You should answer it but keep the conservation short in case these people are monitor cellphone activities."

"I don't know if I should," said Stefan as he looked at Anatoly then at Chuck. "There might be another reason she's calling that's not work related."

"Oh, go ahead and answer the thing," said Anatoly. "You made your bed now lie in it or is that the problem?"

[On a chartered flight from Moscow]

"You'd better pick up or I'm going to strangle you when we meet," said Imma as the fasten-seat-belt lights came on.

"Ma'am, is there anything else I can get you?" asked the flight attendant. "I'm sorry I didn't see you were on the phone?"

"My friend is taking his time about answering. I'll have another sparkling water with lemon and can you find out how long it will be before we arrive in Chișinău?"

"Certainly," said the attendant then disappeared. There was a click on the line then she heard Stefan's voice.

"It's about time you answered. Look, you two have really stuck your foot in it this time."