Don't own Chuck
A half hour before Casey went to the hotel. Alfredo was looking out the window at the Loiret river watching boats travel up and down the waterway. He was in a trance staring down at the passing barges when he received a phone call. He looked at caller ID it was from the man he sent to check on Larry and Joe. He answered but before he could say anything the man blurted out a flow of words. Alfredo listened as he glanced over at Roan.
"Okay, I understand," said Alfredo as he hung up. "Curly take the prisoner down to the car. I'm moving him and us out of here."
"What's going on? What did he say about Larry and Joe?" But Alfredo didn't want to talk he just wanted to get Roan moved before it was too late. "Where are we heading?"
"The circus has permission to performed we'll take him there and stash him with us in the clown trailer. Have the other men hold position and cover us as we leave."
[That was forty-five minutes ago.}
Casey was standing in the room with his Sig drawn standing over the body of the man who tried to defend four walls and didn't do a very good job of it. He couldn't figure out why the tracker had brought him here when Roan wasn't there.
"General, I'm here but Roan isn't. The room was empty and there's no sign of Roan. I don't understand unless… Where did you say you hid the tracker?"
"I put it in his watch. It was a present I gave him so I could find him when I needed him… for missions you know," she quickly qualified.
"I'm sure," said Casey. "I think I know what happened." He noticed the man had a shiny Rolex on his arm. "The idiot here must've grabbed Roan's watch when they snatched him," he said as he took the watch back and slipped it into his pocket. He searched the man and he found working papers.
"I've got working papers here for circus… the Grimaldi family circus. Isn't that the group we're interested in?"
"Yes Colonel," said the Major. "If this man worked there, odds are the others did too. I think you just created a job vacancy. We can create a backstory for you as a road hand…"
"Oh no," said Casey as he looked at the photos on the man's phone. "The man was a clown and I'm not making fun of him. I've got photos of him dressed in a clown outfit with a red nose, sunflower on his lapel and big shoes."
"Well we can create a backstory for that too," said the Major. Casey realized where this was leading and he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
"No way… Don't you even think about it," said John. "There's no way I'm going to dress up like Happy the Clown so you can forget it."
"Colonel Casey," said the General. "Your nation is calling you. Are you going to turn deaf ear to the call to take arms or in this case nose and shoes?"
"Why can't you bring Bartowski in on this? He's a naturally born clown or Grimes for that matter. He's a walking joke. The human Brillo pad acts like a clown most days."
"We have an agent down and it's your mission to extract him then help him fulfill his mission. We need to recover that missing data."
"There has to be another way… there just has to be," said Casey. But he knew when he said it there wasn't any out and to sum it all up he was screwed. "Okay create the backstory."
"Very good Colonel. You can't go back to the Carlton our Station Chief just called in and said the two bodies you left there had been found and the police were crawling all over it. We're having the Station Chief meet you out front of your location in five then take you to a safe house. Once we have the backstory in place he'll take you to the circus where you can get a cover job. If you have no questions Beckman out."
The line dropped. John took his earbud out and put it in his pocket then he made his way back out of the hotel. He just couldn't get over what was happening to him.
"I went from the NSA's number one G-man assassin to Buy More Green Shirt which I thought was humiliating enough. I didn't think I could sink even lower. Boy I guess I was fooled," said Casey as he stepped out of Hotel Rwanda. A van pulled up and the side panel opened. He climbed in then sped away.
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Chuck worked on his tablet as they took a gourmet break at the "La Terrasse" a panoramic restaurant located eighty-five meters above the sea. It offered a 360° view over the Principality and the Mediterranean. The girls watched Chuck work as they ate their ice cream. He looked up from his work to see two pairs of little eyes watching him work.
"Do you want more ice cream or maybe something that is actually healthy for you? I need just a little more time then I'll be done here. After that we can continue on."
"No, I'm fine," said Sam as she tried to look at the tablet. "Molly, do you want anything?" She shook her head as she continued to eat her ice cream.
"No, I've got finish this, but what are you up to Chuck," said Molly. Molly and Sam laughed. Chuck gave them a look. "What's up Chuck… get it 'up chuck'."
"Funny, like I said I'm almost done here then we can continue on with our visit if you want. There are still the aquariums we have to see. I just need to finish this and then we can go."
"What are you doing?" asked Sam as she looked at him from across the table still trying to steal a peak. "Is it difficult? It looks difficult."
"I'm writing an algorithm to find…" Chuck started to say then he noticed both girls were listening and he didn't want them to think it was work. "I'm trying to find a cat… yes a cat that's been stealing food from people's apartments and houses."
"Is that the cat you were talking about with Mommy? The one they talked about in the paper? Since when does the police hunt for cats?"
"This is a special cat," said Chuck. "Anyway I'm writing a formula if you like to find this cat. It starts with a statement 'find the cat' then there is an input followed by an if then followed by a yes or no. If the answer is yes it goes one way to another 'if then' or no it goes to another 'if then'. This is the GOTO. You see it's like this an algorithm is a self-contained step-by-step set of operations to be performed. algorithms exist that perform calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning. It goes through the yes's and no's until it comes to the end. Now do you understand."
"Not really," said Sam as she looked over at Molly who nodded her head. "But that's okay I'll learn how to write algorithms after I learn how to read."
"That's probably a good idea," said Chuck as he finished working his algorithm. The girls noticed a flyer that was left on the table next to theirs. Molly went over and got it then showed it to Sam.
"What does it say," asked Sam as she looked at the picture. She had a good idea but she wanted Molly to confirm what she thought.
"It says that the circus will be coming to town in a few days and it goes on saying that the Circus just came from a successful tour of the States and are going to perform their acts right here. Do you like circuses?"
"I don't know I've never been to see one do you?" said Sam. Chuck looked up at the girls they were both looking back at him smiling.
"I don't know either. I mean I've been to them but I don't know if I like them. They're funny especially the clowns but to say I really like them… well I don't know.
"Okay, you're kind of freaking me out. I'm getting nervous," said Chuck. "One second and… there we go… I've uploaded my algorithm in Castle. What's going on? You two have that look that says you want something."
"We want to go see the circus," said Sam as she slid the flyer over to Chuck. "I've never been… we've talked it over it looks like it might be fun… and this is supposed to be a family trip… and did I tell you I've never been to see one."
"I got that… hum, I need to talk to your mother before I can say yea or nay but if she doesn't want to come I can take you. That would give your mother and Emma more personal time. From what I understand your mother doesn't like circuses or clowns…"
"Who doesn't like clowns," said Molly. "They're funny and they do crazy things with their big red nose and big feet… and they do magic."
"I hear you but I still need to talk to Sarah. Let's finish our visit here then when we get back I'll talk to her. We can go from there. But I promise I'll give it my very best pitch."
"Maybe if we look cute and ask that will help won't it," asked Sam as she and Molly posed for a smile. "What do you think?"
"You two are incorrigible. Now come along we need to finish our tour then get back at a reasonable time," said Chuck as they got up from the table. "Before you two try your method let me talk first. Remember if you know all the cons…"
"You'll never be a sucker and Mommy is certainly no sucker," said Sam. Both girls nodded. "Okay you've got a point we'll let you try first."
[Meantime back in Nice]
Sarah and Emma were sitting comfortably under the umbrella in their beach chairs with Bunny in her stroller between them. There was a gentle breeze blowing that carried the smell of sea and salt. The sky was a clear blue without a cloud in sight. It was late afternoon and on the French Rivera it was siesta time the only sound they heard was the sound of the sea lapping up on the beach.
"Oh this is nice," said Sarah as she relaxed. "You can almost doze off here." She waved for one of the waiters to come over. "Okay I got his attention do you want anything?"
"Maybe a sparkling water with a twist of lemon," said Emma as she leaned her chair back. "Oh the sun feels really good."
"Yes it does," said Sarah. "We'll have two sparkling waters with a twist of lemon and tell the bartender not to be stingy with the ice. It's like you pay for it by the cube." The waiter took down their order and room number then left. "The sun is nice but I hope you've got plenty of sunblock on. It may feel nice now but it can play havoc with your skin."
"Yes, mother," said Emma as she laughed then she got serious. "You should've gone with Chuck and the girls. They're your family and the ones you should be thinking about."
"And so are you," said Sarah as the waiter came back and sat the two ice waters on the table under their umbrella."
"Would you like anything else? There is a… how do you say Macédoine de fruits en Anglais? It is in the bar if you'd like some."
"We say 'fruit salad' and yes bring us two. Put it on the room tab," said Sarah. "The beach, fresh fruit Chuck is right Europe is brilliant."
"Getting back to what I was saying before," said Emma. "You should be with your husband and daughter right now not with me. They're your family and they need you."
"And I told you that you are too."
"I don't know if what your father, you and I have can be called a family. Maybe but it would be more like the Manson family."
"Okay, we have a different kind of family not all families are the same. But I care for you and Jack and I at least hope you care for me and my family."
"Oh sweetie of course I do and I think you hit the jackpot when you met Chuck. That boy loves you and will never hurt you. You should hold him tight and never let go of him. You should be with him right now not sitting under an umbrella with me."
"Oh Mom, I'm where I need to be and Chuck knows that. He believes in family and you're right I did win the lottery when I found him."
They spent the rest of the afternoon sitting under the umbrella with only a short break to take care of Bunny's physiological needs.
"What time is it," asked Emma yawning as she woke up realizing she'd been asleep for a while. "Judging from the position of the sun I think I've been asleep for a while."
"You haven't been asleep for that long. But Chuck did call while you were asleep, he's on his way back with the girls and from the sounds they were making in the background they had a good time."
"What's the matter? You sound like there's something else going on," said Emma. Sarah seem a little strange the way she told her what had happened. If Emma had to label it she would say Sarah sounded distracted or preoccupied like she was thinking something over.
"I heard the girls yelling in the background if Chuck'd asked me about going to see the circus. You know how I feel about circuses and especially clowns."
"Sometimes life is about compromise and suck it up."
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When they heard the sirens growing louder Raul spring into action but that was over a half an hour ago. Now Rita was keeping watch from the balcony looking down below as an ambulance pulled up. Marco and Raul took turns walking out in the hallway to try to figure out what was going on. But shortly after the police arrived they turned everything over to the gendarme. Needless to say all the law enforcement officers being in the building made the Zorros nervous.
"An ambulance just pulled up and they pulled out two stretchers," yelled Rita as she ducked inside the room before going back outside.
"Raul hear that," said Marco as he walked back outside to see what was going on. By now there was a good number of people standing out in the corridor to see what was going on.
"Marco," waved Raul. "I'm over here. What is it?" He went over to Raul to tell him about the ambulance but as he was making his way over four men stepped off the elevator pushing two gurneys.
"That's what I wanted to tell you," said Marco as he pointed at the gurneys. "Rita saw the ambulance pull up. Have you been able to find out what happened?"
"No, not yet. Pierre is still inside and hasn't… wait here he comes now. Follow me and my lead," said Raul as they cut through the crowd jumping on the elevator with Pierre going down.
"Oh Raul… Marco, it's you guys. Listen don't ask me anything. The gendarme told me I wasn't supposed to say anything to anyone."
"I know we heard the same thing," said Raul. Marco gave him a look but Raul signaled for him to be quiet. "This is a real mess isn't it?"
"You can say that again… so they talked to you too? Sure you guys were on the same floor. You must've seen the bodies before I did. I told them I didn't hear any gunfire…"
"We thought it was someone playing with firecrackers or something like that," said Raul as he looked back at Marco. He nudged him to get him to speak.
"That's right then when we walked out in the hallway… well I'd really like not talk about it," said Marco as he looked down at the floor.
"I know what you mean. I've never seen a dead body before and now I've seen two. What I don't understand is neither of them is the guy who took the room," said Pierre as the doors to the elevator opened and they got off. "I need a drink. If you guys want one on the house, follow me."
Rita watched as two gurneys were wheeled out of the hotel and onto the ambulance. The driver put on the lights turned around then pulled away.
"Did you guys find out anything," asked Rita as she walked back into the room but she found it empty. She stepped back out in the hallway but they were nowhere to be found.
"The excitement is over," said one of the men from the Gendarme. "You all can go back into your rooms and go on about your normal routine. There's nothing to see here."
Rita started to go back inside their room when the bell on the elevator rang and the doors opened up. Raul and Marco walked off. She looked back at them then walked into the room.
"Where were you guys at? I walked back in and you were gone and I didn't know what to think with all the police floating around in the building…."
"What? That we'd do something stupid and get ourselves arrested. We were down below with Pierre in the bar trying to find out what went on down the hall," said Raul as he went back outside on the balcony.
"So did you," asked Rita. "Why do you always have to make things difficult? Just tell me what you two found out. I saw the two gurneys with body bags being wheeled out to the ambulance. So what else do you guys know?"
"How about that the two guys were Alfredo's goons. Pierre was there when the policemen found their IDs and he heard their names. By the way he thinks that we saw the bodies in the room and that the police questioned us here in our room…"
"You're supposed to be very distraught from the experience and are staying in here until you feel better. But I told him you'd be back in the spotlight under the big top… you know the show must go on and all that."
"But who took out Alfredo's goons and more importantly we need to make sure he doesn't think it's one of us. The last thing we need is for him to take this out on Papa. We should probably try to make contact with him just so he knows we didn't. There's a rehearsal tomorrow morning before the evening show."
"Do you think this will change our schedule? Giovanni might not want to hang around here any more than necessary."
"I'm meeting him later on this evening for dinner and finalizing the last of our schedule but we're only going to be performing here tomorrow night then we move on to Monaco. This was his decision but we looked through the books and we had better ticket sales in Monaco than here so he decided to cut it short here."
"Yes but we didn't go out last night and with the cops floating around the hotel we're not going to be able to go out tonight either so our extra cash flow is down."
"You know how I feel about that extra cash flow," said Rita as she heaved a sigh. "Well there's nothing to do about it here anyway and Giovanni has made up his mind as well as printed flyers."
"And that's that," said Raul.
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Chuck pulled up at the hotel and parked. Afterwards he walked the girls over to the beach where they met up with Sarah and Emma with Bunny who'd been waiting for them. Chuck handed Sarah the stuffed turtle they'd brought back for Bunny while the girls went on about the visit.
"There was a skeleton of a whale this big," said Sam as she threw her arms wide. "Chuck said I could end up like Pinocchio but I told him Pinocchio was a boy and that was his problem."
"Because if you know all the cons you'll never be a sucker," said Molly. Sam nodded her head then they both looked at Chuck.
"I think Chuck has something to say," said Sam. "Chuck isn't there something you wanted to say that we talked about. Something about going out."
"That's right, yes I was going to suggest we all go out to eat dinner in a restaurant this evening. The hotel is nice but they cater to tourists. We need to find some place that is authentically French."
There are some very nice French places close to the hotel. But first we all need to go back to the room and get cleaned up."
"That's it," said Sam. She and Molly both gave him an evil look. "Are you sure there's nothing else you want to ask something else we mentioned."
"Let me think for a moment," said Chuck but as he was talking his phone rang. He held up a finger to tell them to wait. It was a text message from Castle sending him back the result of his input request it had glean from the official records. He was reading the SMS when the girls pulled the flyer out of his pocket and gave it to Sarah.
"What's this," asked Sarah as she took the piece of paper from them then looked at it turning it over. "I used to know a Circus by the same named back in the day… Grimaldi," said Sarah as she remembered the handsy clown Alfredo.