Don't own Chuck
The Circus flew into town when they landed in Orleans International airport. Customs police boarded and Giovanni and Rita worked with them to get the rest of the troupe through. Then once they got everyone through they had to stay to work out the details to clear the circus equipment that would be landing in a few days in Marseille.
"Raul, you and Marco go on to the hotel and check-in before they give our room away. Remember we want three single beds. If I get there and there are only two you and Marco are sleeping together."
"Roger that boss," said Raul sarcastically. "But if you want to hang out with Giovanni we don't have a problem with it."
"Will you stop it and get your head glued on straight. Right now we need to think about Papa and getting him back from that pig Alfredo. I have a feeling he'll be contacting us soon so you two need to be ready."
The two Zorro brothers left the air terminal and caught a cab taking them to their hotel near the Parc Floral de la Source in Orleans. The Park is a French garden situated to the south of the River Loire, in the La Source neighborhood of the town of Orleans, in the département of Loiret. It is the most visited site in Loiret with the source of the river is at the center of the park. The park itself has been awarded the status of Jardin remarquable by the French Ministry of Culture and the national council of parks and gardens. However, neither brothers paid much attention to the park as they were more interested in the some 150,000 tourists that visited and the money as well as the jewels, they brought.
"We are here at the Hotel Carlton monsieurs," said the cab driver as he let the two brothers out. They grabbed their bags paid and tipped the cab driver then walked into the hotel. Nothing had changed in the hotel since Napoleon III.
"Monsieurs welcome back," said the hotel manager as he went and held the door for them as they brought in their bags.
"It's nice to be back Pierre," said Raul as they sat their bags down in front of the reception desk. "Do we have the same room?"
"Yes the same as before but I was a little surprised when I received the reservation and saw that your father wasn't included. I hope he's okay."
"Papa had something to do back in the States but hopefully he'll be joining us here later," said Raul as he handed Pierre their passports.
"Thank you, you can have them back in a few minutes. Here are your room cards. I don't have to explain anything to you, do I?"
"No and as always you'll be our guest for our grand opening. Rita is working with our circus manager now to find a location and arrange for the dates."
"I appreciate it, Monsieur Raul," said Pierre as he handed back their passports. "I always look forward to your arrival. Do you need any help with your luggage?"
"No we can manage I think," said Raul. They got them into the elevator then took it up. When it landed on their floor they staged them in the hall. Raul opened the room then they shuttled the luggage in. Marco dropped on his bed beat.
"I could sleep for a week," said Marco as Raul went out on the balcony and look out at the rooftops. "Don't tell me you want to go out this evening?"
"I think we have to. If nothing else to get the lay of the land and see what things have changed. Especially if we don't want to get caught with our pants down."
"You know Rita isn't going to like this," said Marco. But he could tell Paul had his mind made up. "Okay I'm game but Rita still isn't going to like this."
"No, I don't expect she will but we need to do this. We'll go out after the sunsets," said Raul as he went back out on the balcony. Marco followed him out where they stood there watching the sun as it slowly set. "Remember it was Papa who chose this place because the balcony gives us easy access to the rooftops of the adjacent buildings."
"I remember," said Marco. "I can still remember the first time he took me out and we scurried across the rooftops. I asked him why we didn't hit the building close to ours and you know what he told me?"
"You don't crap in your own backyard. I think Papa has told us all that at one time or another. We should try to get a little sleep before we go outside to window shop if you like."
"I'm not too sleepy right now," said Marco. "I think I want to go down stairs and get a sandwich from the bar. I'm kind of hungry."
"Okay just don't go off too far. Alfredo is still out and about. Rita was right about one thing the man is a pig and not to be trusted."
"Don't worry I'll just stay downstairs get something to eat then be right back up," said Marco. He grabbed his room keycard then took off. He rode the elevator down to the lobby then went to the bar. Looking around inside he saw who he was looking for then took up a seat.
"Waitress," said Marco. "What does a man have to do to get service here?" The waitress looked over at him and shook her head then came over.
"Well if you want to know what you have to do to get service I'd start by writing more often," said the waitress. "What can I get you? Maybe something with a pen in it?"
"I know I should've written more often but we've been busy with the show and we put together a new act. I hope you'll come and see it."
"I have to check my schedule to see if I'm off. So what is it you want to order? I know how about a little tongue like you speak with a forked tongue."
"You've been watching too many American Westerns. I don't think any self-respecting native American ever spoke like that. Oh, come on Brigitte can't you see your way to forgive me?"
"I'll have to check with my fiancée to see if he'll allow me the time to come see your performance," said Brigitte. However, the mention of a fiancée put a damper on Marco's hopes.
"So you're engaged now? Well it was to be expected a pretty girl like you. It's only natural that you have a suitor if not two or three."
"Oh will you shut up," she said as she leaned over the table and kissed him. "Don't let this fool you I'm still pissed at you. Let me go get you a baguette and some cheese."
"You could always read my mind," said Marco. "Is there any chance we could get some olives to go with the bread and cheese."
"I guess I can put something together," said Brigitte as she smiled at him over her notepad. "You want your usual quarter liter of house wine."
"See you're a mind reader mademoiselle Brigitte. You can come back and sit with me. We can talk about old and new times together."
"Pierre will fire me if he catches me and I need this job but I get off at eight. We can go for a walk together along the Loire. It's very romantic after dark."
"I can't. My brother and I are trying out a new act for the circus in our room later. Is the hard rock café still on the corner down there?" she nodded. "Good I'll try to get this thing done with my brother as quickly as I can then meet up with you in the park we can walk along the Loiret together and get caught up."
She just smiled then walked away. As he was sitting there watching her disappear a heavy set man plopped down sitting across from him with a goon walking up behind him.
"Alfredo, what do you want other than get your butt kicked? If you're begging I'm more than happy to oblige. You've got something that belongs to us and we want him back."
"And I want my data device back so let's make a deal. You give me what I want and I'll give you what you want. I watched you making eyes at the girl. No wonder you people always stay in this fleabag of a hotel. Do you think she'd approve the way you supplement your family's income?"
"You leave her out of this or you'll regret it. You know I can snap you neck before your goon could do anything about it."
"That might be but it won't get your father back now will it? This is the deal two days then we make the exchange in the Park."
"The only way Raul or any of us are going near you is if we see our father standing next to you. You have him in the Park and we can make a deal but without him you can forget it."
"I'm not sure I can make that happen on so short a notice," said Alfredo. Brigitte was taken a little aback when she came out and found Alfredo sitting there.
"Well you'd better make it happen of you'll never see that data device. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't be talking directly to the man who's pulling your strings. You know what they say get rid of the middle man. You know what we want now go make it happen," said Marco as he puffed himself up.
Alfredo thought he could come in and intimate the youngest member of the Zorro clan but he quickly found out that Marco was not one to be toyed with and that he could take care of himself.
"Okay, if that's the way you people want it. We'll have to wait until we get to Monaco to make this happen…"
"Just don't try anything cute like what you did to Raul. We'll uphold our end as long as you uphold yours. Now if you'll excuse me I've got some reminiscing to do with a friend," said Marco as Alfredo sat across from him immobile. "What I'm telling you is don't let the door catch you on the way out."
Alfredo got up slowly then glanced back at Brigitte then back at him. He motioned for his goon to follow him and they were gone.
"Marco, I don't like that man," said Brigitte. "You should stay away from him," she said as set the table in front of him.
"Oh him… well he is a bit of a butt. I know this is going to be hard to believe but he's one of the clowns in our circus…"
"What's his job? Is he supposed to scare the kids? I thought clowns were supposed to make you laugh? If anything he'd make me cry."
"Yes I know and just about everyone feels the same about him. However, he's in good with the owner of the circus so he thinks he's untouchable. But one of these days… yes one of these days," said Marco as he looked at the door Alfredo left through.
"One of these days what?" said Brigitte as she poured him a glass of wine then when no one was looking she took a sip. "You never finished saying what you were saying. One of these days what?"
"Oh nothing just someone will put him in his place but that won't be me because I'll be busy with you," said Marco as he took the glass from her took a sip then handed it back. "You know in some cultures drinking out of the same glass would make us husband and wife."
"In your dreams maybe. When I get married I want the whole nine yards a romantic engagement then a large church wedding followed by a big reception. Until then it's everything goes."
"Everything? Maybe you can illuminate to me what you meant by 'everything'?
"Brigitte," said Pierre as he walked in on them. "I think the people on table three want to pay their bill and the couple in the booth are ready to give you their orders. Marco is your brother still in his room?"
"Yes he's lying down right now. With the trip and everything he's tired," said Marco as he ate olive after olive spitting out the pit. "Is there something you want me to tell him? I'd be more than willing."
"I'm sure you would. No for now I was just wondering if he was up. There's the European cup this evening on TV, we're playing Italy so I was wondering if he'd like to come to my office and watch it?"
"I don't know but I can ask him when I see him in a few minutes," said Marco as he took the piece of camembert and made a sandwich with the baguette. "I really missed your cheeses when I was in the States."
"Really? I thought it was my waitress. Don't try to deny it I'm the manager of this hotel and I see everything that goes on in here. I don't know if your father would approve."
"My father isn't here," said Marco. "And I like the cheese when I visit here."
"We have between 350 to 450 different types. Do you plan on sampling them all?"
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Casey watched Morgan walk back to the table as he answered his phone. It was the General and if she was calling there was a mission she wanted him to go on. Too bad he thought to himself he was really beginning to like this getaway. This call and being with Kat reminded him of being in a Buffalo train station. There was no such thing as the right moment just the moment you're in at hand. He heaved a sigh then brought his phone to his ear.
"Yes, General, I assume you've got a mission for me," said Casey as he listened to her. The Mariachi band walked by playing music. "Hold one I'm having trouble hearing you. Let me put in an earbud. One moment." He put in the earbud then went into the bathroom and locked the door.
"Okay General it sounded like you said you wanted me to shadow Roan. I knew sooner or later you'd give me the order to whack him but…
"I don't want you to whack him I want you to follow him and if he gets into trouble bail him out. Roan is on a sensitive mission in France to recover data that was taken from a secret facility of ours."
"If he's going to France and you just need him shadowed why not activate Chuck and Sarah. They should be there or almost there."
"I have my reasons for not using them. Colonel, you have your mission. Roan is wearing a tracker so you will have no trouble finding him. He's on the trail of the Grimaldi International Circus. Our perps are using the circus as cover. I'll send you all the pertinent details."
"Very well I'll catch the first flight out from here," said Casey. "Then what do you want me to do? Do I make contact with Roan?"
"No, I want you to shadow him from a distance and above all he can't know you're there. Your mission is to intervene only if he gets himself into trouble. Beckman out."
Casey smiled thinking that the seduction master wasn't as hot as Roan thought he was. But as he walked back to the table he could tell by the faces that Morgan had let the cat out of the bag and told them Beckman had called.
"I can see the Troll shot his mouth off," said Casey. "Yes, I've got to go but first we have our meal and enjoy it. Kat this is not Buffalo I swear it to you. I've just got to go babysit an agent then I'll be right back. So has anyone tried the Gazpacho?"
"We should send this back and have them warm it up," said Morgan after he sampled it. "It's gotten cold and some of the vegetables are raw."
"Morgan, Gazpacho is served cold and that's the way you make it. It's supposed to be a cool dish you serve on a hot day."
"So John do I need to worry about you," asked Kat as she sipped on her glass of wine. "It's funny you mentioned Buffalo. I was thinking the same thing. But you know I had the right guy back then and I have the right guy right now," she said as she took his hand. "I guess what I'm saying is go do what you have to do then come back to me. I'll be here waiting for you." Kat leaned into him and kissed him. Casey turned the fifty shades of red.
"Should we be doing this in front of the kids," said Casey. Then she kissed him again. Alex sat there smiling from ear to ear.
"Way to go there Big Guy," said Morgan. "You're my hero."
"Shut up Grimes or you'll be wearing that soup. Now let's eat then we need to get back to the hotel so I can pack up."
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Sarah obtain permission to land in the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. Chuck walked back into the cabin to make sure everyone was buckled in and ready for landing. He checked the girls seat belts then gave them a kiss on the forehead. After he finished with them he went to Bunny and made sure she was strapped in. As he was doing this Sarah called him over the intercom.
"Sweetie, I've permission to land and I'm ready to make my descent. Can you come back up to the cockpit?"
"I'll be back when we get on the ground," said Chuck. Then he walked back up in the cockpit and climbed into the co-pilot's seat.
A few minutes later they were on the tarmac taxing following the instructions of the grounds personnel as they took them over to hangar. They shut it down then went back into the cabin where they waited for a customs officer and Hannah to show up.
"Bonjour," said the customs officer as he boarded. "I'm sorry but Mademoiselle Hannah will meet you in the hotel. There was an incident in Orleans that required her attention. I just need to ask you a few questions then you may go."
"Sure," said Chuck as he looked over at Sarah. "Do you know what happened in Orleans that she had to look into?"
"It seems 'la chat' has returned. It's in the newspapers there was a robbery in a high rise building. The police are baffled as how the thief or thieves gain access. So now let's get this over with… what is the purpose for your trip? Leisure or work?" said the customs officer as he went through his check list. They answered them all and finally they were free to go. Sarah got everyone off while Chuck did some work on his tablet.
"Come on let's go," said Sarah. "There's a car waiting for us outside the hangar and I've got everyone loaded. I've got our luggage being sent over to the hotel later. What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry… it's just well I was a little curious about this 'Cat' the customs officer talked about. It seems he or they are active for a short period then he stops. Police think that he makes enough then lives off that until he needs money again."
"At least he's not greedy," said Sarah. "That's for the police to solve not us. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. I know that look. Now come on we've got a couple little girls who are already complaining that there's nothing to do."
"Not true, I've just got an e-mail from Hannah with a list of things that we can do with them. She excused herself but this thing in Orleans is taking more of her time than she thought."
"You can explain to me more about how she's involved in this as we make our way to the car," said Sarah as she took the tablet from him then kissed him. "Remember this family time we're putting work and missions behind us."
"You're right," he said as he followed her down the ladder and out towards the car. "It's just the building that was broking into is one of our clients so I felt I needed to give it a quick look over."
"Okay I understand," said Sarah as she and Chuck got in. Chuck took up shotgun while Sarah drove to their hotel down on the boardwalk of Nice. The sun was bright and the reflection off the sand and sea made it even brighter so they all wore sunglasses as they pulled up to the Grand Hotel Negresco.
"Is this a hotel or a museum," asked Sam as Chuck helped her and Molly out. Sarah and Emma took care of Bunny. "Are we sure there aren't any ghosts wandering the halls?"
"Funny," said Chuck as he took the girls' hands then walked them across the street and into the lobby. "You should be trying to absorb the culture."
"I could absorb the culture even better with a 'glace'," said Sam. "I know how to say ice cream in over ten different languages. Now that's absorbing culture."