CHAPTER 39

"Are you sure these are the best choices?" asked Deputy Director Edgar Copeland.

Graham looked to the younger man who was his height though with a leaner build, his jaw covered in sandy stubble matching his hair, which not long ago fell to his shoulders. Edgar had been his partner for a time and was one of the few people he trusted.

"They're what I want in a Human Intersect," Graham said looking over the files of the agents he'd chosen. "They're all stable young men who have shown potential. They'll want to earn their place, prove themselves worthy of the gift we give them. It will make them hungry, which will give us better weapons in the war with Fulcrum." It was all said with the usual underlying message of 'they're loyal'.

"Even Quinn?" asked Edgar, tossing Nicholas Quinn's file on the table. "Dreyfus says he's obsessed with the Intersect. Thinks it's owed to him and is angry that someone else got it. Who knows what he'd do if he ever met Larkin on assignment or even this Bartowski kid."

"Well he's not wrong. I promised him a place among those to host the Intersect and Larkin stole it from him, but don't worry about him meeting them," Graham assured with a wave of his hand. "Once he has the Intersect installed he'll be read in on Larkin like the rest."

"And Bartowski?"

"Beckman will have Casey clean it up," Graham said looking through another file.

Edgar shook his head. "You sure that's best, Langston? I've read the reports… The team there is doing good work. Shouldn't we make use of them?"

"I won't let Walker waste more time than necessary," Graham said looking to Edgar. "We've already wasted enough on Bartowski, and no matter how good he is he isn't one of ours. He isn't an agent. It's too risky having him out there with our secrets, and Walker is too valuable to waste on someone like him."

"Then why not assign another agent?"

"You don't know him," Graham said drolly. "The asset is a child. He acts out and misbehaves more than a two year old, and is infatuated with Walker. The moment we pull her from him he'll close off."

"I don't know," Edgar said sitting back with his arms crossed. "His file said he's the type whose desperate to help. Didn't even ask us for money when we thought he had us over a barrel. Plus reports indicate he's close enough to Casey."

"So what, leave him in the care of the NSA?" Graham scoffed. "I'd rather put the bullet in him myself."

"Well then why not have Walker handle it," asked Edgar.

At that, Graham frowned. "She thinks he's a good guy. She seems to care about him some. I won't put her through that."

Edgar smiled solemnly at the older man before him. He didn't agree with him, but he couldn't do much about it either. "If you think it's best, then I'll back whatever you decide."

"I've decided to give you this," Casey said turned in his seat, holding his tranq pistol and spare clip out for Chuck in the back of the Crown Vic, "but that does not mean I want you to use it, understand? This doesn't mean you're allowed to leave the car and help us. This is only to be used if someone rips the door of the car to get you. Are we clear?"

"So run in ahead of you and take everyone out myself," Chuck said with a nod, "got it."

"Was English not included in that Orion upgrade?" he asked, pulling the gun away when Chuck reached for it.

"Come on, Casey," Sarah said turning to Chuck. "You know the drill, right?"

"Stay in the car until something inevitably happens to make me leave it."

Casey handed chuck the pistol and exited the car, Sarah using the chance to met his gaze and plead, "Stay safe."

"You too," he said, offering a smile as she left the car, tossing Chuck the keys from the ignition.

Watching them enter the factory he heard them do quick mic checks which he confirmed before they disappeared inside the factory. Outside there wasn't much to see beyond the brick walls, at least not until he noticed two black ropes hanging from the roof.

"Uh, guys, there's these ropes hanging off the roof. These guys wouldn't have needed to climb up to break in, right?"

"They could be an escape route," said Casey. "You see anyone watching them?"

Chuck climbed over to the dashboard, peeking through the windshield to try and look at the roof. "I can't see anyone, sorry, guys." Sinking into the back seat he asked, "Could it be in case a hand off goes south? They could be here as a neutral location to sell it."

"Chuck, stay low," Sarah told him over the radio. "Let us know if the buyers show up."

It wasn't another car that caught his attention but a light sweeping across the grounds ahead of him on the right side of the building.

"Uh, guys, someone's waving a flashlight around. It's getting closer," he said into his watch mic.

"Hide behind the seats," Casey told him.

Chuck saw the light growing larger and realized there was no way they made it in time. Not before the guy got to the car and found him inside it. Telling himself that was a good enough reason, Chuck quickly got out of the car and gently closed the back door, pocketing the keys and drawing his tranq gun as he ran over to the left corner of the building.

Kneeling in the gravel, Chuck pressed himself against the wall, leaning over just enough so one eye peeked around the corner. There he saw an olive skinned man with a shaved head aim his flashlight over at the car, raising his pistol as he hurried over to it, ready to fire on whoever might be inside.

I knew it wouldn't be safe, Chuck thought, watching the man peering into the car. As he came around the side Chuck realized he would have his back to him in a moment as he went around the back. Here's a chance, he thought, taking the tranq gun in both hands as he watched the guard stop at the trunk of the car.

The man had just knocked on it twice when the dart stuck in his back, his third knock on the trunk coming from his head slamming into it as he slumped forward and slid to the ground.

Letting out a sigh or relief, Chuck started to tell the others when he heard a voice approaching from behind him and saw another light on the back side of the building. Cursing to himself, Chuck ran over to the car and started kicking the unconscious guard under the car. Getting on his knees on the side of the Crown Vic, he pulled the guard further under it, dragging him against the ground until he was hidden from sight.

Hearing the voices grow louder, the light swinging around the corner and now on the side of the building, Chuck turned off the flash light the guard dropped, rolled it into the man's side and took off for the doors Casey and Sarah went through. Immediately he found an unconscious guard leaning against a table, and for good measure fired a dart into his leg before heading further into the factory.

"Knocked out guard is under the car," Chuck said into his mic, "another guard is approaching the Vic. I'm in the building now."

"Of course you are," Casey groaned.

Chuck spotted two more guards knocked out in a room and fired darts into them before heading for the nearby stairs. He skipped the second floor, instead making his way up to the third where he heard a few voices in a nearby room and hurried over to the wall, pressing his back to it while making his way to the doors. Inside he saw a pair of guards helping a third sat on a desk holding his head, which had a large purple bump.

"There were two of them," the bruised man said.

"We need to find them," the woman guard turned to leave. "They must be here for the case."

The bruised guard watched them leave the room, only to see both fall back unconscious in the doorway. "Guys?" He asked, brow knit until he saw Chuck step over them turning his tranq gun on him. "Oh sh-" The dart hit his chest and he slumped back unconscious yet again.

Turning around, Chuck hurried through the hall searching for a case. He checked the next door, then the one where he found a set of cases on a desk, including an open one housing the Cipher. "Seriously?" He asked entering the empty room. Picking up the Cipher he tucked it in his pocket and laughed. "Wow this stuff really is easy. Just walk in, walk out, bingo-bango-bongo, day saved, go home and-"

Chuck stopped short as he left the room and turned straight into the stout black man he'd seen punching in a federal agent's face. "Hello," he said in his booming voice.

"Hi," Chuck said, but when he went to aim the tranq gun at him Colt swung his hand, knocking it from his grip. After a wince, Chuck went wide eyed looking around the wider man. "Wait, no!"

The man turned around to find the hall empty, and when he looked back found Chuck running down the hall full tilt. His chest puffed, Colt took off after him as Chuck yelled into his mic, "Help! Help on the third floor! Chased by the face puncher!"

As long as his legs were, Chuck didn't have the muscle propelling his strides that Colt did, so he barely made it halfway down the hall back a glance back revealed the man was right behind him. Turning into the next room, Chuck found it was the one with the busted window leading to the pair of ropes hanging off the side of the building. He briefly contemplated leaping for the ropes but after missing the pool at the hotel he was wary if he could make it, and he'd let Sarah and Casey know where he was.

Turning to the door he saw Colt close it and click the door. "Now it's just us," Colt said turning on him. "Why don't you do the smart thing and hand over the Cipher? That way I can just kill you."

"Wow you're really bad at negotiating, aren't you?" Chuck backed away from him.

"I'm more about imposing," he admitted. "I'm going for imposing."

"Well you've got it. Problem is intimidation is only one method of negotiation."

"I think it's good enough," Colt said, his knuckles cracking as he dramatically rolled his right hand into a fist.

"Wait!" Chuck held up his right hand, stopping as he felt the wind on his back and found himself inches from the open window. "Wait, wait. Why don't you just try asking nicely?"

"Nicely?" Colt blinked as Chuck nodded. With a sigh he asked, "Why don't you give me the Cipher?" Chuck raised his brow imploringly, so Colt added, "Please."

"There we go!" Chuck laughed. "Now I'm going to reach into my pocket and take out the Cipher, okay?"

"Good." Colt crossed his arms, watching Chuck reach into his pocket.

Of course the Cipher was in his front pocket, not the back pocket Chuck reached for. That was where he had the spare tranq clip which he pulled a dart from. Then in a flourish of movement he threw the dart at Colt with a loud, "Ha!"

Both men watched the dart bounce off his jacket and fall to the floor. A solid two seconds passed with both staring at the dart before looking to each other. After an awkward silence, Colt frowned. "I'm disappointed."

"So am I," chuck shared. "I tried though. I have that at least."

"Maybe, but how about we try this my way?" Colt stepped forward, grabbing Chuck and lifting him off the ground with one hand, his left grabbing his ankle while the right threw him out the window. Chuck yelled as he fell back, hanging by his feet as Colt grabbed his other ankle with his right hand.

Chuck quickly put his hands in his pockets, his left hand holding the Cipher while he pulled another dart from the magazine with his right. "This is not smart!" Chuck tried to look down, or up, toward Colt. "Smart move is bringing me back inside! Better hurry up! If you don't you'll probably die!"

Colt laughed, reaching down to grab the front of his shirt and pull him back up. The moment Chuck was back on his feet his right hand swung into Colt's neck, forcing the needle into it. That was just when a shotgun blast blew open the doors, letting Casey and Sarah rush inside, Sarah having picked a shotgun off one of the guards. Colt clutched at the dart in his neck with one hand, stumbling back after his right pushed Chuck out the window.

"NO!" Sarah screamed watching Chuck fly back while Colt fell back onto the couch. A hand over her mouth, Sarah felt her insides go cold before rushing toward the window. She turned to press the barrel of the shotgun to Colt's head when she heard Chuck's voice, "HELP!"

"Chuck!" She spun around, leaving Colt to go unconscious as she turned and looked out the window to find Chuck clinging to one of the black ropes, rapping it around his arms, slowly sinking toward the ground.

"You have the Cipher?" Casey asked.

Chuck waved it in his left hand. "Yeah, yeah, just help me please."

"We need to secure everyone in here. Go to the car," Casey told him.

"I darted most of them on my way up!" Chuck told him. "Just help me!"

Sarah handed the shotgun off the Casey. "I'll cover him and we'll work our way up securing everyone."

Casey had barely tucked his pistol away and taken the shotgun when Sarah turned and leapt out the window, grabbing the second rope and sliding down it. She hit the mattress below and looked up to Chuck. "Come on. I'll catch you, Chuck!"

"Um, no offense, Sarah, but I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't mean jump to me," she said shaking her head. "Just let yourself slide down. I'll make sure you're safe."

With a sigh and memories of gym class, he loosened his grip and winced sliding down the rope. Thankfully it didn't tear his hands open. Sarah put her hands up to hold his back, helping slow him just before he reached the ground.

Safe on the ground, Chuck turned to her with a sigh of relief. "My hero."

Shaking her head, Sarah pulled the pistol from her waistband. "You still have your tranq gun?"

Chuck shook his head. "Big one knocked it out of my hand." After quickly looking around Chuck ran over to pick up the magazine of darts that had fallen from his pocket moments earlier. "I have these though!"

Sarah grinned, leading him into the building to take out the last few people still conscious and put them all in cuffs after calling for cleaners. Chuck helped by sticking darts in the guards she took out and cuffing them while she kept watch.

Once they went back to Casey's for the debrief, Chuck walked Sarah out to the courtyard where she asked, "Are you okay, Chuck?"

"Me? Yeah, sure. It-it's just, uh, a lot to take in," he said coming to a stop and turning to her. "So you really think this is it?"

"I don't know," she said glancing toward one of the cameras.

"If it is then I guess I'm just left jobless, huh? Not like they'll keep the Orange Orange around or give me an office building with a secret underground facility."

"Well the business is still yours," she said with a smirk. "If nothing else you'll always have that. You'd just be missing two employees."

Chuck nodded. "I guess either way we'll see tomorrow. Either they'll keep you stuck here with me until my data's all out of date, or it's back to a normal life for me.

Suddenly Sarah felt a knot in her stomach as she remembered Bryce telling her Chuck would want a normal life with a normal girl. There was a much longer talk they had to have, but they couldn't do it out here and they still had to seem a bit distant, so couldn't go into his apartment without some kind of excuse to deal with Ellie.

Then as usual he came to her rescue. "Why don't we all take tomorrow off. We can celebrate, take some time for our long goodbyes. I'll make you breakfast and hope that's enough of an apology for how much I've bugged you, and a thank you for keeping me alive."

"Breakfast," she said with a nod, turning to leave while Chuck went into Ellie's apartment.

In Casey's he was at his desk when his computer beeped and he watched Beckman appear on screen. "I thought you might call."

"Major Casey," she said stood with her arms crossed, "you understand the situation? We can't have another Intersect wandering around Los Angeles getting into trouble."

"General, Chuck may be a novice spy but the results speak for themselves, not to mention his execution of his own plan to rescue Walker and myself, or how well he did on the analyst testing while also having major roles in missions. Surely we can find another exit strategy."

"You have your orders, Major," she said leaning forward, her hands on the desk. "We don't have enough to remove Graham from the project, but either way we can't just leave Bartowski on his own out there."

"I'll stay with him then," said Casey. "You said yourself our team has done excellent work. Walker would agree to it too, I'm sure. She'd see how well we've done and know she'll do more here than she would off gallivanting with Larkin or any other CIA jabroni. We can use the asset like we have since the beginning."

"He can give us the same into in a secure facility far from danger," she said shaking her head. "I won't let you waste away in Burbank, Major. Tomorrow night when the Intersect comes on line you will eliminate Chuck Bartowski and we can remove Graham from power. After tomorrow the war with Fulcrum truly begins."

Watching the call end, Casey realized she was right about one thing. After tomorrow a war was going to start.

AN:

Edgar Copeland is straight up Adam Copeland/WWE's Edge, who is also an actor. Haven't seen him in much, but love him as wrestler, so figured why not. They had Stone Cold in two episodes. I needed a deputy director character for certain scenes later, and wanted to introduce them before then, so here he is. He won't be too important beyond being the person in charge of the CIA whenever it comes up.

Colt's done for now, no coming back to crash the second first date or anything.