Don't own Chuck

Chuck looked at his watch then flashed on the different routes to Monte Carlo. One would take them along the coast through Villafranche-sur-Mer or they could go inland and take the A-8 both directions would take about a half an hour. However, the costal road would be trafficked more, but more panoramic. He made sure the girls were in and Bunny was strapped into her car seat then went around to hop in the driver's seat to find Sarah already sitting there.

"Get in the other side you've got shotgun. You've already driven there this time it's my turn," said Sarah. Chuck smiled as he walked around the car then hopped inside.

"You do know where we're going, don't you?" said Chuck as Sarah floored the gas pedal laying rubber as she took off. "I'll take that as a yes."

Sarah drove the scenic route along the coast. Chuck smiled over at her as she drove down the windy road as the sun set on the Mediterranean. This was perfect he thought. It had taken them a long time to get here but now he really thought they'd made it.

"What," said Sarah as she glanced over at him. "What are you thinking about over there? I can hear cogs turning from over here?"

"Cogs, really," said Chuck as he heaved a sigh. "I was thinking how lucky I was. I've got the girl and now we have our family, our life together. Then there's the sunset and I never thought I'd be here let alone with someone as beautiful and gorgeous as you. It's perfect," he said but he was thinking maybe too perfect. This was usually the time really threw a zinger their way.

"I've been here before just this time no one is trying to run me off the road or shoot at me," she said as she looked over at him. "This time I get to enjoy the view and from where I'm sitting I have to admit I like it."

"Yuck, please I want to be able to hold my dinner down," said Sam from the back. "How much longer before we get there. Are we there yet? Molly and I are hungry."

"Just hold your horses back there we'll be there when we get there," said Chuck. "I don't remember being like this when I was little." They crossed over into Monaco then made their way past the palace driving towards the casino.

"Ellie told me you were worse," said Sarah as they pulled up. At the casino-spa they got out and handed the car keys to the valet then they entered.

"So you and my sister regularly talk… and talk about me," said Chuck. "I'm not sure I like that. You two conspiring together."

"What are you talking about? There's no conspiring. She's the only person I can talk to about how a normal family is supposed to function."

"I don't know if Ellie is the right person to talk to about normal. Between mom and my crazy old dad normal never hung his hat in our house. Let's go inside and stand by to be impressed," said Chuck as he walked in with Sarah. Emma pushed the baby stroller along with the two girls.

"I have to confess this isn't the first time I've been here. I'm on the blacklist for the casino because of a small misunderstanding when I was here before with Jack."

"And when did this take place," asked Emma. "The only time I knew you were out of the country was the time you went on that school trip. Your granny told me you won an art prize and first place was a trip to the Louvre."

"Yeah that was how Jack and I agreed we should spin it. And it was a sort of school trip just I was attending a different kind of school, Jack's school of life."

"I guess I can figure out what you did for you summer vacation," said Chuck as he led them to the Limun. There they were escorted to their table by the hostess. Then the waiter came over and served them water and placed bread on their table.

"Here is our menu," he said. "I'll give you a few minutes to look it over and decide what you want to eat then I'll be back to take your orders. Thank you for dinning with us."

"Wait up one moment," said Chuck. "Can I get a glass of prosecco for the adults and fresh orange juice for the girls." Chuck looked at Sarah then something clicked he froze for a moment looking at her.

"Oh no, what is it?" said Sarah as the waiter brought the glasses of prosecco and orange juice. She looked around. "Who or what did you flash on? I don't see anyone or anything."

"I'll be right back. Order me the Filet de loup cuit sur peau avec sauce vierge et de frites. I'll be right back I need to take care of something," said Chuck. He say Sarah's look. "I promise I won't be long. Everyone order and start eating if I'm not back by the time you get served." He got up and start to leave.

"Hold up, you are coming back? Do I need to worry? I can come with you for back up," said Sarah as she took the napkin from her lap then grabbed the table knife.

"No, you stay here. It's nothing like that you can stand down and no, you don't need to worry. I just need to talk to a man in the casino. You trust me don't you?" He said as he looked into her eyes. "I love you and nothing will keep me from coming back to you," said Chuck as he kissed her then hurried off.

"Chuck's up to something if you haven't figured that out," said Sam. But Sarah didn't have to be told that to understand Chuck something was going on but she had no idea what that something was and that was what made her worry.

They placed their orders then the waiter left. It wasn't long before he was back with their food but still there was no Chuck. Molly and Sam dug into their Hamburger de bœuf Bio ou Cheeseburger et pommes de frites. Sarah ordered the same as Chuck. She took small bites as she looked over her shoulder to see if she could see him but there was no Chuck.

"Well this is ridiculous," said Sarah. "Guys wait here I'm going to find Chuck. I'll be right back. When you're done you can order dessert."

"Yuppie ice cream," said Sam. Molly started to tell them that they already had ice cream for lunch but Sam looked at her and shook her head. However, Chuck reappeared.

"What ice cream," said Chuck as he appeared. "You two had ice cream for lunch. If you want dessert you can have a fruit salad." Sam growled. "Now, I'm sure you've been around Casey too much."

"Chuck, where have you been?" said Sarah. "Your food is probably cold by now and I was about ready to launch a search and rescue mission to find you."

"I'm sorry but it took longer than I thought it would. Now that I'm back the fish looks delicious. You've eaten yours how is it? Did you like it?" said Chuck as he took a bite of his. "Oh this is good."

"Yes, the fish is good and yes I liked it but I would've preferred to eat mine with my husband. Chuck, you where the one who wanted to make this a family outing then you disappeared. Don't you see the irony in this?"

"I know you're upset," said Chuck. "I'm sorry but I'm sure if you let me explain you'll see that I had only the best of intentions."

"You know they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions," said Sarah. "But go ahead explain to me what you've been up to."

"Well, my plan I put together after you told me that story about you, Jack and being placed on the blacklist. I had an idea and so I ran with it. This fish really is good," said Chuck as he took another bite.

"If you don't finish explaining you're going to be wearing that fish. Continue… please," said Sarah. Chuck laughed then he saw fire in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I really am if you got worried. Here you'll need these," said Chuck as he handed her two ten-thousand-euro chips.

"I don't understand," said Sarah as she held up the two chips. "I can't go into the casino if I could I would've come after you when you took off."

"I went to into the casino and talked with the pit boss then the casino manager. I told him that I… we owned the Casino in Montenegro then once he verified my credentials with Hannah I asked to see their blacklist. I saw your name and I informed him there had to be a mistake…"

"What mistake? I'm guilty as charged I was card counting for Jack and I got caught… I wouldn't have been caught if Jack hadn't gotten greedy and started doubling down which caught the pit boss' attention."

"Well you might have been guilty of card counting but you shouldn't have been allowed in the casino to begin with because at the time you were a minor. I pointed that out and I told him I thought the casino had better security. Something like this wouldn't help in Montenegro and the next time we're talking to the other owners we'd be remiss not to mention it to them…"

"What did he say to that? I can't image he was very happy," said Sarah. She was starting to feel silly about being angry with Chuck.

"No not really but we both agree a mistake that was made. We came to an understand that a mistake made in youth shouldn't haunt a person for the rest of their life. The long and the short of this is story is you're not longer on their blacklist and if you want to go gambling while I finish my fish go for it. I heard someone wanted dessert."

"Me!" yelled both Molly and Sam. "Glaces et sorbets maison."

"Let's rethink this but I know the dessert that will make you like French food," said Chuck. Molly and Sam looked at each other. "Oh come on live a little. Garson, please bring them dessert… crêpes suzette."

"Well, it looks like you've got things in hand here so I think I will got play a few hands of blackjack." Chuck gave her a look.

"Maybe you'll want to change games considering your history here with blackjack. But go and have fun we'll be here."

"Okay if you insist a few hands of poker then put everything on black and let it ride. I would put it on red but Casey would never let me forget it if he found out."

"Worse would be if you won on red," said Chuck as the maître came over pushing a carte and setting up next to their table to prepare the crêpes. "Speaking of Casey I wonder how things went in Mexico. We should send the guys a postcard from here."

"John is probably bored to tears and going on about his itchy trigger finger. Well, I'm going to run and I'll be right back. Mom, do you want to come with me or do you want to stay?"

"I'll stay I'll get my fill of casinos very shortly when we go home which is something we need to discuss soon…"

"But not tonight," said Chuck. "No tonight." The waiter put a crêpe in front of each of the girls then one in front of Emma.

"I'll take one of those when I get back," said Sarah.

"You heard the lady Pierre," said Chuck reading the waiter's name off the nametag on his jacket.

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Otto was trying Casey's patience and putting him through his paces as Otto tried to make Casey a master clown in less than twenty-four hours. Otto first got Casey suited up in his clown outfit complete with a red-haired wig, red nose and big red shoes. Then he sat him down at the make-up table and put the light on him.

"Hey, is this supposed to be an interrogation or something," said John as Otto shined the light into his eyes. "Can you point that somewhere else?"

"You need to see what you're doing. Remember a clown is a regular guy but what sets him apart is that everything he or she does is exaggerated. People walk," said Otto as he demonstrated. "But as a clown you double the stride and swing your arms. Now we have to work on your make-up. You need to figure out what's comfortable for you. No two clowns paint their face the same so I want you to look in the mirror and image what your clown face would look like."

"I have no idea what I should look like as a clown because I'm not a clown… this was a bad idea," said Casey as he started to get up. "I can't do this."

"Hold on a minute," said Otto as he pushed him back into the chair. "I've got an idea. Turn to me and let me do your first face then if you don't like it you can go to your boss and admit to him or her you failed."

"I failed? How do you see that? I've never fail at anything," said Casey as Otto drew an outline then filled it in with white base using a makeup sponge.

"Well I don't know what do you call this, a success? I haven't seen you really trying that hard to make this work. We haven't even gotten into juggling, magic or any of the other things that go into the art of being a clown."

"Art? You call this an art acting like an idiot? All you have to do is go around and act like a fool. That doesn't seem like much of an art to me."

"Not to you maybe because that's what you think. I hate to correct you but the art of being a clown goes back centuries to the middle ages when every royal court had a court jester. His job was to provide levity and humor to the sovereign so the ruler wouldn't become too gloomy over his job…"

"It's good to be the king," said Casey as Otto held his face to keep him from moving. "Well let's face it the king could decide who lives and dies with no impunity."

"Let's face it being a ruler back then was one day your head was on your shoulders the next it was on the gate post. The court jester was there to help distract the monarch by amusing him. However, even if the jester was good that was no guarantee of success. He was just as liable to have his head on a gate post if he was good or bad."

"I hear you talking but I just can't see myself as a clown," said Casey as Otto finished up working on his makeup. "You must enjoy acting like an idiot…"

"I don't act like an idiot I simply act what you would consider normal but exaggerate that's what I do. We'll get to that but for now say hello to Johann Casey, the angry clown."

"Wow is that me? What's wrong with my smile… It doesn't look like a smile," said Casey as he looked at the white face with a big frown and angry eyes. Everything Otto had said he put in the exaggerate face he painted on Casey.

"This is you… the angry clown," said Otto. "Now let's get started with juggling. Imagine there's a square in front you that extends up from your arms. Let's start with one bean bag, we're using bean bags because when you drop them they won't roll away. Here try it," said Otto as he tossed the one to Casey. "You aim at the opposite corner of you square then let it drop into your hand."

Casey started tossing the bag to the right corner then caught in his right hand then he tossed it to the left corner letting it drop in the left hand.

"Okay now that you've got the one down let's add another bean bag and see what happens," said Otto as he tossed John another bean bag which made him dropped both. "Pick them up and let's try it again." Casey did but dropped them again which got John frustrated and angry.

"This is crazy why am I even trying," said John as he tossed them at Otto who immediately started juggling them. Then he grabbed an apple to throw it in the mix and began eating it as he juggled it too.

"Okay this doesn't prove anything. So you're better than me… you've been at acting like an idiot long enough," grunted Casey as he watched Otto juggling.

"Think fast," said Otto as he tossed the bean bags to Casey but kept the apple. "If you want an apple get your own this one is mine." Casey growled as he caught them then juggled them without dropping them.

"You know you're really start to piss me off," said Casey as he had the bags crossing from one point to another without dropping them. Otto grabbed an apple then tossed it to him. Casey growled again but he didn't drop any of them. Actually he juggled all three without thinking about it.

"You know I think you've got it," said Otto as he leaned back on a table yawning watching him. "Yes by Jove, I think you've got it."

"Got what? What are you talking about? Holy crap, I'm doing it. Look at this I really am," said John as he realized he'd mastered juggling. "What do I do next?"

"Drop your pants," said Otto. "Remember juggling is normal so a clown exaggerates everything so if you do something 'normal' you add a clown touch to it. Take my word for it you'll have everyone busting a gut. Now let's make this easier what are some of your other natural skills? I don't think assassin would go over that well but you've got to be able to do something else."

"Well I'm really good at shooting people and right now I've got an itchy trigger finger," said John as he pulled out his Sig 9 laying it on the table. "Are you volunteering?"

"We can use this all we have to do is replace the pistol with BB gun and something with balloons, filled with tickertape confetti," said Otto as he looked over Casey. John can see Otto was thinking. "Yes, BB pistol we can make this work."

"How degrading, this can't get any worse," said John. The monitor flashed in the room and the General appeared on the screen. John was decked out like a clown when Beckman and the Major came on for a brief. He wanted to crawl under a rock and hide.

"Colonel, I wanted to check on your progress. I was concerned you might not take this mission to heart but I can see I was wrong. Colonel, remember we've got a man down and we need to extract him."

"Yes Ma'am I know what I have to do," said Casey. Otto walked over behind him. "Heir Gesundheit is teaching me all the tricks of the trade."

"Bless you," said Otto then he slapped Casey on the back causing his suspenders to automatically release and his pants fell down around his ankles. The General held her hand over her mouth not to laugh but the Major broke out in a chuckle. "See I told you it works every time."

"I so want to kill you," said Casey as he pulled his pants up. "Ma'am request permission to kill a clown."

"Denied."

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Roan was hauled into the clown trailer and unceremoniously plopped into a chair then his captures tied him to it. Alfredo came in checked on him then left. He told his men that he had to go talk to Giovanni to inform him they'd be shorthanded the first couple of shows. That was over an hour ago and he still hadn't returned.

"Hey you guys, what does a guy have to do around here to get a drink?" said Roan. "My throat is getting a little parched. I won't be picky I'll take anything you've got."

"Here you go," said one of the men. They put a straw in a bottle then pushed him close to a table where he wouldn't have to use his hands.

"Thanks, but I was looking for something a little stronger. If you have a little gin and some vermouth, I'll teach you how to make the perfect Martini."

"You're staying put," said another one of the men. "Our orders were to ignore you and not to talk to you so we've already blown that. Don't push your luck."

"No… No wouldn't want to do that and I'm grateful for the water. I truly am and besides I don't think you've got the skills to master making the perfect Martini. It requires some sensory perception that I doubt you possess."

"Oh really and just what would that sensory perception be?" said the one. "You don't know anything about us or what it takes to do what we do."

"True but to make the perfect Martini you have to be able to judge volume by eyesight and have a gentle stirring arm. You do realize the perfect Martini is stirred not shaken. Unlike what Daniel Craig said as James Bond you shake a Martini and you'll end up with a glassful of ice water. But you guys aren't interested."

"Wait a minute," said the one. "I think I make a good Martini…"

"Then let me try it," said Roan.