Don't own Chuck
The chopper the General sent finally showed up to pick Casey and Sarah up. They piled in but Sarah was particularly anxious so when she got on board she told the pilot to fly straight to the hotel Negresco. But he told her there wasn't any place to set the bird down nearby and he couldn't hover over the boardwalk.
"You just get us back there on the double. We'll worry about the rest," said Sarah. Then she sat down and buckled herself in.
"Chill out and sit down," said Casey. "We'll be back soon enough and with this bird we should be able to catch up with Chuck. He and I are going to…"
"I'd strongly recommend you keep your trap shut if you don't want to be jettisoned out the hatch. I'm no longer concerned about getting back before Chuck but where the drop off is going down at. And for your information that happens to be the hotel we're staying in. Emma and the girls are there," said Sarah as she tried to call Emma.
"You mean of all the hotels and places in Nice these idiots could choose from they picked the hotel you guys are staying in. What are the odds of that?"
"I think I told you to keep your trap shut and your thoughts to yourself," snapped Sarah as she kept trying to call Emma but she had her phone switched off. "You know this is your fault. If you'd pulled over like Chuck wanted you too we'd avoided that ambush and we'd be almost at Nice right now."
"I don't see how this is all my fault. There was someone in the car who agreed with my plan and it was a good one…"
"That almost got us killed but that's the only reason I haven't tossed you out that door yet. I'm as much to fault as you are… but if you and Chuck would put aside your masculine pride for a moment…"
"That's right he killed our car remember. What kind of guy goes around and shoots up another guys ride like that. Respect the man, respect his car is what I always say."
"John, you ran him off the road. What kind of respect is that? I really don't want to get into this with you because I'll just get mad. I need to think about I can do now not what we did."
"If Emma's not picking up why don't you call the hotel and have them call the room or better send someone up and tell her to turn her phone on.."
"That's the first piece of good advice you've given me," said Sarah as she dialled the front desk. "Hello, hotel Negresco this is Mrs. Carmichael. … What? You've done as my husband asked. Do you mind repeating to me what he asked you to do?" she said as she put the call on speaker.
"Oui, he told me to call a certain number and give the person who answered a code number then he told me to tell her Sugar Bear needs her help."
"Crap he's Ilsa… I mean he's called the DSGE in on this of course. The General is going to have a fit when she finds out," said Casey. Sarah gave him a look then turned back to her phone.
"Good, now can you tell me where my husband is? Then could you put me through to our room. I need to check on something."
"I think I know what you need to check on. After your husband gave me those instructions he pulled a pistol then went into the bar after a group of gentlemen. He had me evacuate the bar quietly but I'm afraid your daughter and her little friend are in there with them. Do you still want me to patch you through?"
"No we're almost there. My husband must trust you very much to give you the task he's given you. So I'm going to ask something of you too. Could you send someone up to our room and tell the woman who's there not to leave the room. As a matter of fact, it would be best if you cleared your lobby and told your guests to stay in their rooms until further notice."
"Consider it done," said the man. Sarah hung up and put away her phone. She heard Casey grumbling next to her. She looked over at him and he was fifty shades of pissed off.
"Why did he have to call Ilsa?" he grunted. "Of all the people he could call why her. If Kat finds out about this I'll never hear the end of it."
"I'd be more concerned about what Ilsa is going to say when she sees you in that get up," said Sarah then She radioed up to the pilot. "Captain, can you bring us down then hover."
"Geez, I forgot about what I'm wearing. I can't let her see me like this," said Casey as he looked down at what he had on touching the makeup he still had on his face. Just then the pilot radioed back they were stationary over the target site.
"Well it's too late to change now. I just hope those shoes make good flippers," said Sarah as she popped his harness then shoved him out of the chopper. She dove out after him.
They jumped from the chopper and landed in the la Baie des Anges, the bay of angels, then made their way to the beach. Casey got quite a few stares and laughs as the angry clown became the wet clown and he found that his make-up was water proof.
"Hurry up and come on," yelled Sarah as she ran ahead. "The hotel is right up here. Get the lead out and move it."
"I'm running with lead. I need to dump the water out of my shoes. You go ahead I'm right behind you," said Casey as he looked around.
"Get your butt in gear and move it. I don't see Ilsa anywhere so you've got nothing to worry about her seeing you in that outfit. Chuck and everyone needs us." Sarah pulled her Smith and Wesson then held it down by her side. But as she crossed the Promenade des Anglais heading for the hotel she noticed all the lights inside flickered then went out.
"I hope this is your doing Chuck."
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[Earlier in the Bar]
Chuck walked into the bar. The dark walnut woodwork and its exceptional tapestry dating back to 1683 gave it a touch of elegance equal to none. The bar now was quiet but one of the reasons Chuck chose the hotel was the jazz music that could be heard in the evenings. They could listen to all the major artists along with Chuck and Sarah's favourite, Nina Simone. But that wasn't why he was here and that was underscored when he heard his name called. He walked over towards the voice and found everyone sitting there.
"Chuck, long time no see," said the man sitting in the middle of the booth. Chuck looked around then spied Sam and Molly. He wanted to yell at them to leave but that would've only drawn attention to them so he just turned back hoping they would hurry up and leave.
"Well, well Ettore, you know for me it could've been longer and I wouldn't have cared. You're letting everyone down they think you're dead. But can you answer me this do you get discounts on shoes? I mean since you only use one you should get half off."
"Funny man there Chuck. You can put the piece on the table. My men have you surrounded and if you so much as twitch… well I don't have to go into details."
"I figured it had to be someone like you behind this," said Chuck as he laid the weapon on the table then slid it over to Ettore. "You were the only one beside your buddy Mr. Big who had the resources and gall to break into a government lab. But Mr. Big I think is still licking his wounds after our last run in."
"True but he sends his love to you and Sarah. He wants you two to know he's thinking of you. Where is Sarah by the way? You two usually come together along with Casey and my lookalike. Oh and Alex how is she? I do relish the time she and I spent together."
"I don't think she feels the same. You can tell Mr. Big I haven't given a thought about him. You asked where everyone is? Well, Casey and Sarah had car problems on the road here so they can't join us and Morgan didn't come with us. As a matter of fact, we're on vacation or at least we were taking some time off. And we still would be if you hadn't used the le chat and they broke into one of our clients in Orléans."
"I guess that's my good luck because I'm glad you're here so I can use this time to explain my nefarious plans…"
"Hey, those are his kids over there leaving," said Don Rodrigo as he pointed out Sam and Molly. "He brought them to the circus last night." Chuck reached for a knife on the table but a man standing behind him put a pistol barrel to the back on his head.
"So you really are on holiday," said Ettore. He turned to one of his goons. "You go over and escort them back to a seat. As long as we have them with us Mr. Carmichael will play nicely. Don Rodrigo I'm afraid you've made Chuck's list which means your life expectancy has just diminished considerably. Right Chuck or am I wrong?"
"It depends on the outcome of today's events. What have you two done with your sons? I promised Raul and Rita I'd bring them back unharmed."
"There over in the corner booth," said Ettore as he pointed to them. I've got three of my men keeping them company. You know you really ought to stop making promises you can't keep."
"Oh, I intend to keep it but first things first. I want to hear about this nefarious plan you're hatching. You are a busy beaver. I don't know if you know this but it was my father who invented the intersect and that's why I wanted to get rid of it."
"I know your father invented it with a group of other researchers but I didn't know you wanted to destroy it. I thought you might be one of the researchers on the project now?"
"My father invented the really cool parts of the intersect but no I'm not working on it. That thing has brought nothing but grief and bad things to my family. It transformed my father's friend into his enemy and my mother went after him then went missing. My father spent his whole life looking for my mother abandoning both me and my sister. Then when I finally understood what was going on with him an agent with a screwed up version of the intersect killed him. I joined the agency to find my mother and bring her in from the cold. I finally did but she's not the same. If anything she's still out there chasing my father's ghost."
"Wow that's some story and it explains a little as to why you're almost as screwed up as I am. But you've got my foot…. Can I say you pulled my leg?"
"I think you did but I keep it like a rabbit's foot. You know I thought it might bring good luck and keep away evil trolls," said Chuck as he smiled at him. "Joking aside you can see I have no desire to have anything to do with the intersect. I didn't even know they were still working on it."
"You know what I believe you. But you see I've got special plans of this baby," said Ettore as he tapped his jacket pocket. "Have you ever heard of the Arabic word 'Hashashin' and who they were?"
"Certainly 'Hashashin' is where we get our word 'assassin' and it belonged to 'those faithful to the foundation'. A group of men who organized and executed political assassinations for hire and profit. But they died out during the medieval ages."
"Or did they? Can you imagine an army of hashashins each with the intersect? They would be unstoppable and all under my control. Before you ask how I could guarantee their loyalty through their programing."
"You're mad Ettore. The intersect doesn't work like that," said Chuck as he looked over at the girls. Sam smiled back to him. He understood from her the smile she was up to something. He had a moment of panic but he had to play it off. His mind was racing on what he could do while Ettore continued to pontificate.
"Oh but it could or that's what my people are betting their lives on. All I need now is to get this back to my lab for my people to examine what I've got here," said Ettore as he placed his hand in his pocket.
"I'm sorry you said what? You have to forgive me I was distracted by your ego… never mind. Ettore let's cut to the chase this is the deal. You let me, my girls and the two men you're holding walk out of here and I will let you go. If that isn't good enough, I'll even stay with you until you get away as a sign of good faith."
"Why should we do that," said Luigi. "We've got all the cards and what do you have nothing? I don't hardly think so…"
"Who told you to open your mouth? Both of you just sit there and keep quiet or I just might give you up to him. Now where were we," said Ettore. But he was interrupted again by one of his men who ran over and whispered in his ear.
"Ettore, he's telling you there are agents from the French Secret Service on their way here. I admit I called them before I walked in here. That's just one of my cards. You know if we could hang around here longer they have vinyl parties and we could get our groove on. But I'm afraid you're going to have to go before then."
"That doesn't mean I can't shoot you and everyone here before they get arrive," said Ettore as he picked up Chuck's piece from the table.
"No, it doesn't," said Chuck as he touched his forearm. Then a couple of things happened one was with Sam and the other the electricity went out in the whole hotel.
[While Chuck and Ettore were talking Sam was busy at their table]
Sam looked at the goon watching them then shook her head. As they sat there she continued to stare at the man doing the same thing shaking her head until the man couldn't take it anymore.
"Tell your little friend to stop staring at me. It's not going to work I'm not going to feel sorry for you two rugrats. So you can tell her to stop it."
"You know mister you don't look too well," said Sam. "You look a little… well unwell. Have you been eating properly and getting enough sleep? Mister in my opinion you look like your about to suffer from a myocardial infarction."
"A what?" said the man as they all sat there at the table across from each other. "What's that? Are you some sort of Doogie Howser?"
"Well let me try to explain. In your case you look like you're about to suffer from a cardiac ischemia," said Sam but the man still looked puzzled at her. "Okay that means portions of your heart are being deprived of oxygen enriched blood and are dying off which will lead to as laymen call it a heart attack. I think you can understand that."
"Yeah and now that you mention it I have been feeling a little sick lately," said the Man as he looked back and forth at the two girls. "But how can you be certain?"
"Let me as you a few questions and we can take it from there. Do you feel tired after over exertion? Maybe you break out in a sweat and your pulse rate increases. You feel thirsty and you want to drink."
"Yeah, I've got all of that. Crap, I am about to have a heart attack," said the man. "I can feel it coming on now. What do I do?"
"You're lucky you bumped into me. Just sit there and relax I've got just what the doctor ordered for you. Now, just sit there close your eyes and think of happy thoughts," said Sam as she smiled over at Chuck. He looked back at her with a strange look that said he was worried about what she was up to but she gave him the okay back. He signalled back showing ten with hisfingers.
"Molly," whispered Sam. "Be ready in ten minutes something is about to go down. When it does jump under the table."
"But what are we going to do with him," said Molly. The man was sitting there with his eyes closed but he could hear them whispering.
"Are you two up to something?" said the man as he started to open his eyes and get up. "Because if you are…"
"Who us? No, listen we're just talking in low voices so we don't bother your meditation. You need to calm down your inner spirit. You've got way too much stress. If you get up now you're just going to aggravate your condition. I don't think you want that. You could go to the nearest hospital but I don't think that's possible right now. Here let me take your pulse," said Sam as she took the man's hand. "Good I can see you're already starting to calm down. I bet you feel better too."
"You're right I do. I feel more relax almost too relaxed," he said as he yawned. "I didn't get any sleep last night. We drove here from Monte Carlo none stop after the circus."
"Going without sleep isn't good for you either. If you feel like dozing off for a few minutes you should go for it…"
"I can't I'm supposed to be watching you two and if my boss catches me asleep there will be hell to pay. No, I can't go to sleep," he said as he yawned.
"Sorry but I'm afraid I have to insist," said Sam. She took her ball-peen hammer from her bag and whacked him hard over the head. The man slumped forward and as other men were about to run to him the lights went out. They instantly ducked under the table.
"What do you think is going on," asked Molly as they huddled together under the table. They heard men scream, the sound of gunfire, tables being turned over and chairs breaking.
"I don't know but let's play it safe and stay put," said Sam as someone came sailing across their table landing on the other side. "Wait here for a moment."
"No, you stay here. Where are you going? Come back. You shouldn't go anywhere," said Molly but Sam was already gone. Molly heard the sound of a loud whack followed by a low moan then another whack. Sam crawled back under the table carrying her hammer with her.
"I just wanted to make sure he didn't get back up," said Sam. They stayed put and waited for the fighting to stop. Finally, everything started to die down then she heard her mother's voice.
"Chuck, where are you? Sam, Molly please tell me you're okay?" said Sarah. Suddenly the lights came back on and Chuck was standing in the middle of the floor with Ettore's men strung around the room.
"Sam, Molly you can come out now," said Chuck. They both sprouted their heads and looked around. They ran over to him and hugged him.
"Ouch, I'm a little sore. Go hug you mother she wants some love," said Chuck. "Giovanni, Marco you can come out now too everyone is gone. You guys want a drink," he said as he went behind the counter. He sat up glasses then grabbed the bottle of forty-year-old Glenfiddich and set everyone up with a drink.
"I'm mad at you," said Sarah as she walked over with both girls hanging off her. "But you should be mad at me too so I guess we're even."
"I'm willing to call it even," said Chuck. He broke out laughing when he noticed Casey still dressed up like a clown dripping wet with a rubber chicken hanging out of his pocket. "Oh I've got to take a picture."
"You do and you die. Set me up one and shut up," said Casey as he walked up to the bar. The girls were laughing whispering pointing at him. "Yeah, yeah get it out of your system."
"Don't you have anything else to say like how about 'sorry Chuck for running you off the road'," said Chuck as he slid Casey a glass down the bar for him. "I don't know maybe a 'I'm sorry Chuck for not listening to you' or 'thanks Chuck for saving my bacon'."
"Why? That's what a partner's for after all," said Casey as he took a swallow. "Now that is fine and smooth," he said as he held up his glass. "Crap," he said as he saw Ilsa's reflection in his glass.