Don't own Chuck
Alfredo was on his way back to the clown's trailer. He stopped off after his talk with Giovanni to grab a quick drink at the local watering hole where no one knew him. He wanted and needed anonymity. Inside he took a seat in a booth away from the door and ordered a couple whiskeys straight up. He downed one then the other.
"I'll take two more," said Alfredo. He caught the waitress' look. "Haven't you every heard not to let the right hand know what the left hand is doing? Now be a doll and go back to the bar and bring me two more."
"Mister, if your goal is to get yourself hammered then you've come to the right place," said the waitress as she pointed to a guy passed out at the bar. "In a few minutes the bartender will have two guys toss him in the alley with the trash but not before they lift the guy's wallet and all his valuables."
"So what is this, a heads up? Just bring me what I ordered," said Alfredo when a man walked in then sat across from him. "Oh it's you. How did you find me here? Are you having me followed?"
"That's for me to know and to keep you on your toes. I heard about the new clown coming in. Don't you think it's rather suspicious this guy shows up at this exact moment."
"I thought the same thing but I read his resume and I did some checking. Everything he wrote in his resume checked out. He's supposed to be here tomorrow for an interview I plan on being there to ask him some questions and test his skills. If he is who he says he is then everything will be fine but if he isn't… well the circus can be a dangerous place."
"Very good then and how is our guest doing? We need to hold onto him until after we get the data device then pass it on. If anything goes wrong, he can be our ticket out of here."
"Do you think that's a possibility," asked Alfredo as the barmaid brought over his drinks. She put one in front of Alfredo and one in front to the other man. "Hold up these two are mine. He can order his own if he wants a drink."
"I'll have a bourbon and branch water in a clean glass if possible," said the man. He waited until the waitress was out of earshot. "I don't know, but I want to be prepared for anything that might go down. You need to contact the Zorros and make arrangements for another drop. Do whatever you have to do but we need that data device and we need it now."
"I will make contact during tomorrow night's show and retrieve the goods in Monte Carlo after the show. I need someplace that Raul won't be able to set up like he did back in Alexandria."
"Well that was your fault you should've anticipated the cat would have a way out. And you picked a place he was used to."
"I'm hearing a lot of criticism from you but I'm not hearing any constructive solutions. Do you have any suggestions where?"
"Yes I do. Cats don't like water. Here take this," said the man as he passed Alfredo a set of keys. "These are for a boat in the Marina. Do the drop onboard. In the Marina there are no high rises for them to run a rope over to in order to escape. Once we get them onboard they're ours because they'll have no place to go."
"Ingenious," said Alfredo as he sat listening to the man explain his strategy. "I hate to admit it but that's an excellent idea I should've thought of this."
"Yes you should've," said the man. Then he went silent again when the waiter came over with his drink. The waitress sat it in front of him along with the bill. The man looked at it then handed the barmaid two fifty euro notes. "I covered your bar tab too. Do I need to warn you this if things go south and you screw up this time your body will wash ashore in Liguria?"
"I think you just did and I don't like threats… no I don't like them at all," said Alfredo as he downed his second glass of rotgut.
"I think you've gotten what I said all wrong. That was no threat Alfredo that was a promise. No more screw-ups and if you don't like it… well too bad get over it. I'm leaving now wait a few minutes then leave too you've got a lot to do and tomorrow is already here," he said looking at his watch.
"If I'm waiting for you to leave then I'll have time for another round," said Alfredo as he waved for the waitress to set him up again. The man across the table grew visibly angry.
"For God's sake pull yourself together man and get the job done," he said as he stood up. He tossed another fifty euro note on the table. "Don't make me regret coming to you."
The man got up looked around to make sure no one was looking then he left. Once he was outside the door he took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hey it's me. … I know you don't like me contacting you like this but I think we might have a problem with Alfredo. … What is my recommendation? Well I'd say let's give him this last shot. If he doesn't come through, then I'll step up and take a more active role in the operation. … What do we do with Alfredo? I don't think his service will be needed going forward even if he does come through. He's the only one that can tie us to this. … Yes, I've got a plan that involves a boating accident. Let me explain."
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After the perfect evening Sarah and Chuck drove back to their hotel in Nice. It was late when they pulled in Emma pushed Bunny in while Chuck and Sarah had a child each to carry in. Both girls were dead tired after the day's activities and somewhere on the drive back dozed off. Now they were dead to the world and dead weight. Both had to be carried in.
"Just take their shoes off and let them sleep in their dresses. If you try to change them they're going to fight so at this time of night it's just best to let it go," said Emma as she yawned too.
"I think someone else had a long day and needs to go to sleep," said Chuck. "I thought you guys sleep on the beach today? You should be rested."
"Actually we chatted away the afternoon and I think it's the sea air that's making me sleepy," said Emma as she yawned again. "Oh I'm out of here. Good night to one and all." She gave Sarah a kiss on the forehead then turned in for the night.
Chuck and Sarah said their goodnights to Emma then went to their room in the suite. Sarah checked on Bunny then got ready for bed by the time she got back Chuck was waiting for her sitting up in bed.
"Thank you," she said as she climbed in and rolled over to give him a kiss. "The day was perfect and that's thanks to you. You need to be careful I could get used to being pampered like this."
"Well, hold on to that thought for a moment," said Chuck. "We still have to talk about taking the girls to the circus and before you accuse me of buttering you up first there's…"
"That's what it kind of feels like now," said Sarah as cut him off. She rolled back over to her side then propped herself up on her pillow and looked at him. "But I willing to give you the benefit of the doubt," she said with heaved a sigh. "Okay give it to me."
"Well I need to tell you that I wrote that algorithm to track down 'le chat' and I got a hit but you're not going to like the data output," said Chuck.
"Geez," said Sarah as she rolled over on her back looking up at the ceiling. "Oh crap I'm not going to like where this is heading," said Sarah. Chuck reached over and brush her hair out of her eyes then rolled over and kissed her. "Just tell me Chuck. Rip the band aid off."
"Okay, but only because I don't think there's any other way to tell you," said Chuck as he looked into her eyes. "God are you beautiful."
"Chuck, please get on with it… but thanks," she said. "What's going on and do we have to be the ones to investigate this? Can't we turn this over to the police or any other competent authority?"
"Let me explain. It seems the Grimaldi Circus was on their European tour and in every city where the cat was active. I've opened the search window to the U.S. now to look at the cities they were in when they were touring the States. I'm waiting now on those results to be processed by the mainframe but I expect that I'll get confirmation soon that the cat is in the circus."
"Why of all the circuses in the world did it have to be the Grimaldi but considering what Jack and I did before for them it was to be expected. However, there are only a few people under the big top that could pull something like this off…"
"Does that mean you want to go see the circus? I can understand if you want to turn this over to the police but I promised the girls I would take them but if you want to sit this out… well that would be all right. What I'm trying to say poorly is no one is making you go."
"Oh Chuck and just how are you going to turn this over to the police that will make them believe you or that we won't get implicated? No, I think the only way to handle this is to go there and look around ourselves."
"So I guess the next question is do we take the girls with us?" said Chuck as he sat up in bed. "It will be hard not to take them… it's just they really want to go."
"Oh Chuck I don't know. We suspect them then there's… well I don't want to meet Alfredo and I don't want the girls to run into him either. I can still hear his stupid chuckle in my head."
"I think I can handle Alfredo," said Chuck. "A tranq dart then he wakes up after we're gone or a little X-13 gas and he won't remember us ever being there."
"I thought you were the one who didn't like using X-13 gas," said Sarah as she snuggled up close to him. "Are we having a change of heart?"
"No… no, I've not changed my mind I still think that stuff has to cause brain damage but considering what you've told me about this Alfredo the sad clown… well it can't do him any harm and maybe a good lobotomy might actually do him and society some good."
"Chuck you really don't mean that," said Sarah as she rolled over on top of him and looked him in the eyes. "I love you," she said as she kissed him. "I know it took me a long time to say that but I really do."
"And I love you… Yes, I guess I wouldn't gas Alfredo. But if he tries anything he'll meet Charles Carmichael and he won't like it.
"So I guess we're taking the girls with us," said Sarah. She kissed him then laid her head on his chest listening to his heart beat. "When is the circus due here?"
"The flyer says the day after tomorrow. I figure we all go to the circus together then afterwards we send Emma with Bunny and the girls back here by taxi while we stay there to find out what's going on."
"Okay let's turn the lights off. I think you can figure out what's going to happen next," she said with a coy smile.
"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about," asked Chuck as he smiled back at her.
"Why don't you turn out the lights and let's see."
The room went dark and all that could be heard was laughter and giggling.
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Alfredo was feeling no pain when he left the bar staggering back to the circus grounds. He was thinking on the way back that they were going to have to find some other place to stash their guest with this new clown coming in the morning. He walked by the trailers where the troupe had already started moving back in leaving the comfort of the Carlton. It was nice to have a few nights sleep in a real bed and enjoy the comforts of hot running water but that wasn't their life this was. Then he heard Giovanni ranting.
"How did these things get shipped here," he heard Giovanni yelling. "We left the animals behind so there was no need for shipping the cages over. I'm trying to cut costs then someone does this."
"Okay you're right someone made a mistake," he heard Rita answer. From the tone of her voice it sounded as if she was trying to calm him down. "Here, I've got the shipping documents and the person who made the mistake was… oh Giovanni you might want to hold your voice down."
"Why? Who was the idiot? I'll their dock pay for this mistake. Do you have any idea how much this mistake cost us to ship these things here and we don't need them? Crap, crap, crap!"
"Yes I do," said Rita using the same tone of voice. "I've got the invoices right here. But Giovanni look whose name is on them before you yell anymore."
"Geez, oh crap no just shoot me in the head and it's not like I haven't told him we need to count our pennies," Alfredo heard Giovanni say then he watched Giovanni storm off with Rita following behind him. She looked like she was trying to calm him down but he kept on walking heading back to his trailer.
"I wonder what's going on with that," said Alfredo as he smiled. "It doesn't look like she's having much success now does it. Miss perfect isn't as perfect as she thought she was."
Alfredo was curious so he went to check on the cages and as he was looking at them he got an idea. He walked quickly to the clown trailer and opened the door. But he wasn't prepared for what he found inside.
"What the crap is going on here," he asked as he walked inside. Roan was free and was standing behind a make shift bar with bottles he was mixing from in front of him.
"What does it look like I'm doing," said Roan as he mixed another round of Martinis. "You're looking at your new barman. Remember the key is to stir but not too vigorously or you'll bruise your drink. Then you'll be drinking a watered down Martini." Roan poured one in a glass then skewered an olive with a tooth pick and drop it in the drink. "Here try this," said Roan as he offered it to Alfredo.
"Not bad," he said as he sipped it. "But you're not supposed to be up and around. Handcuff him then bring him along and follow me I know where we're going to stash you.
"Can I at least finish my drink off," said Roan. He turned up the glass then ate the olives out of it. "Okay now I'm ready. You know you people are quite incivil," he said as one of the Alfredo's men handcuffed him. "Is this any way to treat your bartender? I expect a good tip because of this.
"Wait one and let me check to make sure the coast is clear," said Alfredo as he held up his hand. He looked outside then waved for them to follow him.
"This way," said Alfredo as they took Roan to the animal cages that had been shipped by accident. "Put him inside the tiger cage but gag him first then make sure he's locked in."
"Now listen here," said Roan as they shoved a gag in his mouth. But that didn't stop Roan from mumbling and complaining as he tried to gesticulate with his hands handcuffed behind his back.
"If you don't pipe down I'll use an elephant dart on you again. Do you want that," asked Alfredo. Roan stood still and shook his head. "Good I didn't think so then keep it down and we'll get along. Put a tarp over the cage and I want two of you here to keep an eye on him. I'm calling it a night if anyone needs me I'll be in my bed."
The men put the plastic sheet over the cage with Roan locked inside. As soon as the cover went over he reached up his sleeve and took out the toothpick the olives for his Martini had been on. He played around with it hoping it was hard enough to act like shim. He shoved shards from the toothpick in between the teeth of the cuffs and in a few minutes he had them off.
"Roan, you old dog you, you've still got the touch," he said to himself he went to the door to the cage and looked at that lock. As he studied the lock he heard the men outside talking.
"Why does Alfredo get to go to sleep and we've got to stay here to watch this plastic tarp? The guy is locked up inside and can't get out we ought to be able to go to sleep too."
"I know but he's in charge so we've got to play along… at least for now. I overheard one of his phone conversations with some other guy and it didn't sound like they were too happy with Alfredo."
"Really, I'm not surprised the man is a big butthole. So what does this mean for us or does it change anything?"
"I don't know. But if he does see the handwriting on the wall we need to be extra careful because he is jerk enough to take it out on us. I guess I'm telling you not to give him any reason to take notice of you. I'm not buying the story that he sent the other guys on a mission and that they won't be back for a while."
"I agree that story stinks like week old fish. Even if he sent the guys away wouldn't they have come by and collected their things first. No something else happened to them but there is someone who might know what happened to them."
"You're not suggesting we ask the guy in the cage are you? How can we be sure anything he says is true? Besides if Alfred finds out we talked to him he'll be mad."
"Yeah, it was a bad idea. Besides he's gagged inside a locked cage and Alfredo took the key with him so there goes that idea."
Roan heard everything he needed to hear. There was dissention in Alfredo's camp and he could use that to his advantage.
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Back in Langley the General was playing off her concern for Roan by trying to do other work. However, she ended up doing little more than shuffling folders and moving them from one stack to another. Looking up at the clock on the wall she tried to figure out in her head what time it was in France. She'd talked with Casey logic told her all she could do now was wait and see how things panned out. But logic doesn't rule the heart. There was a knock on the door and when she looked up it was her Major coming in with a folder followed by Connie who brought another stack putting them on the General's desk.
"Major, I hope that's good news you've got there and Connie I saw you sneaking in and dropping those case folders off. It would be helpful if you tried to prioritize them for me from what I need to see right away to whenever I can get around to it."
"I don't know if it is or isn't. We did some digging into the Zorros and found that they've been with the circus for a long time. Their parents actually joined the circus with a family act," said the Major as he laid the folder out for the General. "It was made up of their father, mother and uncle. The uncle vanished or quit when the children started working the act. The mother passed away a few years ago and now the father seems to have disappeared. He vanished from the act a little before their show in Alexandria…"
"A little before Alexandria did you say?" The Major nodded and pointed it out in the report. "I wonder… stealing government secrets isn't in the M.O. but if someone held the father hostage…"
"He or she could have them use to apply their skills and break into the crystal palace."
"Yes, Major you need to use all our resources and find this father."