CHAPTER 48

Beneath the Costa Gravas Consulate, Casey sat in a wooden chair with a cloth stuffed in his mouth and leather straps around his wrist. Looking them over, he realized it was pretty typical shoddy, Costa Gravan construction.

Just as he was contemplating how easy it would be to escape he heard the door open and in walked the gaunt assassin, Jack Artman. After his successful poisoning of Goya's cigar earlier, he was smug as he walked over to Casey, snatching the rag from his mouth. "Hello, John Casey. NSA assassin."

Spitting out the stale cloth taste, Casey asked, "Who are you?"

"The man who's going to kill you."

"Obviously," Casey said rolling his eyes. "Who do you work for? Professional courtesy. One assassin to another."

Without hesitation he answered, "I work for an organization known as the Ring."

Casey was almost shocked at how easily he gave it up. He was either colossally stupid or confident, though the later tended to lead to the former. Either way worked for him, as now Casey had new intel since he'd never even heard of the Ring. "So what does this so-called Ring have against the premier?"

"Nothing personal. I suppose I could explain our overarching goals… but this might tax the brain of an aging NSA agent. Let's just say the Ring wishes to preserve Costa Gravas' status quo. The premier must die. So must you." Uncrossing his arms, he reached into a belt pouch for a syringe, "On a personal note, I must say, I've studied your work. Some of your kills in the nineties weren't bad." Coming to Casey he tapped the agent's throat. "Unfortunately in our game you're only as good as your last kill."

Smirking, Casey leaned forward slightly. "Bring it on, tough guy. A thousand Costa Gravas pesos says I walk out of here."

Artman grabbed Casey's neck, holding the syringe to it. "There's enough poison in this needle to kill an army platoon."

"Well," began Casey, "Lucky for me I'm a marine."

He made his point by headbutting Artman, knocking him back as Casey stood up and backed the chair into the wall behind him, smashing it. When he went in to punch Artman, the assassin swung his needle toward him, but Casey caught his wrist and twisted it so the needle was pointed at Artmen himself. He then thrust his right palm into the syringe, pressing down on it and pushing it into Artman's stomach, releasing the poison into his intestines.

As Artman gasped, Casey threw his right arm back and swung the broken chair arm down on his head, smashing the cheap wood to splinters. Stumbling back, Artman ripped the syringe from himself and tried to stab at Casey, who knocked it away. But that opened the agent to a left jab from Artman, catching him in the side of the neck.

With a choke, Casey reached up, snatching Artman's retreating arm and twisting it until he heard the shoulder pop out of place. A swift tug to the left pulled Artman off balance and nearly turned him around, giving Casey plenty of time to throw his left arm to his right and bring it up, slamming it into Artman's elbow as he suddenly forced the assassin's arm back, snapping it at the elbow and making the man scream in pain.

A stomp to the man's knee made him buckle as Casey wrapped his hands around the Ring assassin's head telling him, "I'll let you owe me 15 American cents." With that he twisted Artman's head, snapping his neck as he yanked back as if to rip it from his neck, ensuring he wasn't left paralyzed.

With a grunt he threw Artman's corpse to the ground and let out a breath just before a gunshot rang out, hitting him in the leg. In the doorway stood a guard who muttered in fear, "Angel de la Muerte."

Before he could fire another shot the butt of a rifle slammed into the guard's face, knocking him out. Sarah then stepped into the doorway wearing a nurses outfit with a guards gun followed by Chuck in blue scrubs. "Let's get out of this stinking banana republic," Casey said hobbling to the stairs.

"First we got to get Awesome," said Chuck.

"You brought Frat Boy MD?" Casey asked through grit teeth. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"We were thinking about helping you," Chuck said making his past Sarah to help Casey up the stairs. "You're welcome, by the way." With a glance back to Artman he asked, "Is the assassin dead?"

"Job hazard," Casey grunted, putting an arm around Chuck and following Sarah down the hall.

Their escape ended briefly as Devon refused to leave Goya. The guards returned and Chuck tried to plea with them. "Look, look, he's not here as the Angel of Death right now. He's here to protect your boss. We all are."

"The real killer's a corpse in my cell," Casey said swaying slightly before galling to the floor.

"Can't you see he's bleeding to death?" Chuck exclaimed, moving to help Casey until one of the guards aimed a gun at him. "Please! He's just killed the man who came to kill your boss! He's a hero! And right now he needs a doctor."

"He has a doctor," said the head of the guards.

"Little busy right now," Devon said incredulously.

"Not you," said the guard, turning to Chuck, "him."

"Who 'him'? Me 'him?" Chuck motioned to himself.

"If you wish to prove you're not an assassin… save him," the guard said motioning to Casey on the floor.

Once they moved him to the couch and gloved up, Sarah felt helpless. She'd felt so good about things when she took out the guards earlier to escape the room and go to Casey's cell. She was needed, and everything went perfectly, but now there was nothing she could do. She couldn't take over for Chuck, and even if she could she wouldn't know how to help Casey. Devon was busy with the premier, so Chuck was on his own trying to operate without anesthesia.

"Chuck," Devon said from behind them, "you've got the hands of a surgeon, bro. Don't think about the guns. He's not your friend. He's your patient."

"Chuck, you can do this," Sarah said quietly. "Just relax."

Glancing at her he saw she somehow thought he could pull it off. She believed in him. He glanced at Casey and found a similar expression. His life was in Chuck's hand and he believed in Chuck.

When he took a breath, Chuck felt a valve open and a flash flood of medical information came to mind. With surety he said, "Nurse, suction."

Sarah did all he said, marveling at how he swiftly and safely removed the bullet from Casey's leg. She was so proud of him, but also fought of a frown as it felt like a preview of what was to come once he got his combat upgrade.

When Goya's monitors started to beep and Devon asked what his blood type was, it was Casey who answered them. And when Devon asked if anyone had a matching type, it was Chuck who checked Casey's dog tags to find he was a match.

"Give me that," Casey said yanking them back. "You take one drop of blood from me-"

"It can help us," chuck said quickly. "He'll talk to us."

"I swear…" Casey groaned, sitting up and grabbing the front of Chuck's scrubs, "This had better work or else."

Chuck managed to help Devon set up a transfer, handling Casey's side while Devon handled Goya's, and before long Casey's blood was flowing into the Premier. However it turned out to be a bit much for Casey, who after losing a lot of blood from his wound passed out by the time they finished the transfer. Thankfully he wasn't in danger, just in need of rest and time to get his color back.

While they waited for the ambulance to arrive for Casey, Goya started to come to consciousness. "Doctor," he said with a laugh, reaching over to pat Devon's arm. "You have saved my life once again."

"I think Casey deserves the credit," Devon said motioning to the unconscious NSA agent on the couch.

"You can't be serious?" Goya said with a groan, sitting up slightly.

"We are," Chuck said turning to the Premier. Sarah shot the guards a glare when they reached for their guns, but Goya motioned for them to stop. "The man who wanted to kill you is dead in Casey's cell, and Casey's blood flows through your veins. Without him you'd be dead and your killer would be on the loose."

Goya looked to his guards, who nodded to confirm his story. "Then I owe him my life."

"And he owes me his," Chuck said before taking a breath, "which is why I'm asking for a moment alone with you to ask a favor."

The guards all looked displeased while Goya smirked. "Ask it."

Chuck looked around the room, sliding closer to Devon beside the bed to say quietly, "It might be the kind of thing only those you trust should hear."

"Hm, I see." Goya took a breath. "Ask it."

Looking around the room he saw Sarah and Devon shrug while the guards wore proud smiles. Turning back to Goya, Chuck nodded. "Okay. Well… I know in the past you dealt with Alexei Volkoff."

The air in the room thinned as the guards sucked a breath and Goya frowned. "That is a grave charge to make."

"There's no charge," Chuck said shaking his head. "Just a thing I know. I saw records of bank transfers between Volkoff accounts and those belonging to… certain Costa Gravan citizens. I'm not asking you to testify against him or anything. All I want is any information you have on him, his organization or anyone involved."

Goya stared at him for a moment. "These are dangerous people. The kind you don't want to find. Once they know you're looking for them they won't take it kindly."

"I know." Chuck nodded. "But I'm not alone. We can figure out some way to take the fight to them if we have to. I just need to know what to expect, where to aim."

Goya examined him for a moment, then smiled. "You've a formidable family, Doctor."

"Don't I know it," Devon said having been staring at Chuck with a proud smile.

"I'll get you what I can on my dealings with him, but proceed with caution." Goya gave Chuck a firm nod.

After their trip to the hospital Chuck and Sarah brought Casey back to his apartment. He was out of it for most of the day, missing when Devon returned with not only a box of cigars for Casey with a note from the Premier, but a box of files for Chuck.

"You did it," Sarah said stroking his arm.

"Now we just need to hope any of it is useful," he said opening the box and looking at the folders within.

It was night when Casey woke and they began their brief with Beckman, who commended him on his extraordinary sacrifice. While Casey marveled at his pre-revolutionary Costa Gravan double coronas, Beckman told them, "I want a report on whatever is in those files ASAP." She looked at Casey, then declared, "I'm ending the requirement of round the clock protection given Agent Casey's injury."

Casey glanced to them and though neither Sarah nor Chuck's expression changed much he could sense the flicker of disappointment in them, so looked to the camera. "General perhaps we should keep to the schedule we worked out, at least until the offices are open."

"What schedule is that?" asked Beckman.

"Walker secures the asset during the mornings and night, and during the afternoons we work out of my apartment," he explains evenly. "I think there's a risk of further questioning from the sister and fiancee if the two were to suddenly go from days together to as separate as they were previously. It doesn't have to be here, but I believe abandoning the pattern suddenly could cause a problem."

Beckman's brow arched, but then she noticed the shock on Sarah and Chuck's face and the teasing smile on Casey's. While the General thought it was him busting their chops over having to continue a fake relationship Casey thought to himself, That's for not letting me send Alex away when you were here. Chuck seemed to pick up on, cocking his head slightly.

"I suppose that's true," Beckman said with a nod. "Perhaps this has forced our hand a bit, requiring more effort to maintain the cover. Once the apartment is ready that should ease things for you, Agent Walker."

Sarah looked to Beckman with her usual even expression and nodded. "Whatever's necessary, General. Chuck's been perfectly amenable."

"Uh, General," Casey said sitting up, setting the box of cigars aside. "I came upon new intel I believe needs to be brought to your attention."

"While you were passed out?" asked Chuck.

"While I was single-handedly fending off an assassin," Casey said with a grunt before turning back to Beckman. "The assassin-"

"Jack Artman," Chuck swiftly informed.

"-said he worked for an organization known as the Ring."

Chuck suddenly felt a sharp tear down the back of his mind that made him flinch as information bled into his consciousness. All three government employees looked to him as he let out a shaky breath.

"They're-they work with Fulcrum. They're all controlled by the same people, I think."

"What do you mean?" asked Beckman.

"I saw a dark room with people at a desk, five of them, but they were all back lit or something. I could barely make out their silhouettes. But I think they're the ones in charge."

"So you were right about them not being led by one person," Sarah said frowning. "What did you mean they work with Fulcrum?"

"I mean they're like, an off shoot or maybe just another branch of the leading group's forces. It's like, if Fulcrum is their army inside the CIA then the Ring is their private army everywhere. It's not just government agents its-it's everyone. Businesses, assassins, mafias, cartels, anyone else they need."

"God," Beckman gasped, sitting back.

Casey glanced at Chuck, who still hadn't looked up from when he flashed. "I'm guessing they work in cells as well?"

Chuck was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Y-Yeah, I-I think so. Kinda like Fulcrum does. I don't think all of them even know they're Ring. Part of their agenda seems to be remaining hidden."

"Then they won't like us knowing they exist." Beckman sighed. "I'll need to be careful who I bring in on this."

"Should I keep it out of my report?" asked Casey.

Beckman spent a moment debating it, and f or the first time Chuck saw some of the strain that must come with being in her position. At least when s he actually cares about the people she's dealing with. "No," she answered with a sigh. "If we're going to out them then we'll need records. But you understand-"

"I know the risks, General," Casey nodded.

"Risks?" Chuck asked feeling as dumb as he acted earlier.

"They're trying to keep quiet," Casey said with a shrug, "if they know I know they'll come for me."

"For us," Sarah corrected. "They'll assume we know as well."

Casey winced, leaning back. "Then maybe I shouldn't-"

"I accept the risks," Chuck said before he could finish. Sarah turned her frown on him as Beckman arched her brow. "If it outs them and gives us a chance then we need to do this, don't we? It's the right thing to do. And soon I'll be Charles Carmichael living in my own apartment next to Ellie Bartowski, so she'll be safer."

"Keep it in the report," Beckman said with a nod. "Until Major Casey is healed I'm putting you all on light duty, so focus on those files."

Once the call ended Sarah turned to Chuck. "What else did you see in the flash?"

When Chuck gave her a questioning look it was Casey who answered, "You worried about something afterward. What was it?"

"I saw people I put away," he said with a gulp. "Cartels the Piranha broke up. It-that means they're probably already after me, but as him. Even without the Intersect they were probably trying to find me."

"You've only flashed on yourself in Stanford right," Casey asked turning his chair to Chuck, "not on the Piranha?"

"Not yet, but it's not like I've been trying. The name's just a word so probably isn't enough of a hook for whatever information they have." Seeing the agents arch their brows at him he was confused until he thought on what he'd said and smirked, "Pardon the pun."

After getting Casey blanket and pillows so he could sleep on his couch instead of having to go up and down stairs, Chuck and Sarah returned to Ellie's. After having spent the night before going over their plan and preparing Devon for the day that followed they were exhausted. After quick showers they laid down, skipping their routines and settling into their usual positions against each other.

They laid there in silence until Chuck glanced down to see if she was asleep and she looked up to smile at him. After kissing the crown of her head Chuck said, "Did I tell you Alex visited Casey?"

"She did?" Sarah turned more onto her side, looking at him as he rolled onto his, keeping his arm around her shoulders and rubbing her back lightly.

"Yeah. Right before I caught the Costa Gravan thing in Volkoff's files. They talked for a while."

"Did you listen in?"

"Only mostly," he said with a grin.

With a click of her tongue she swatted his side. "Look at you acting like a real spy."

Chuck watched her wince afterward, but reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. Seeing her features soften as she looked to him, he leaned forward to press his lips to hers, silently letting her know it was fine. When they parted she stroked his cheek and sighed in relief, glad it wasn't such a sore spot for him anymore.

"I was actually really proud of him, and a bit envious of her in a way."

"You're jealous of her?" Sarah snickered.

"Well she got to talk to her dad again," Chuck said quietly.

"Oh," she sighed, rubbing his chest.

"I'm glad he went through with it though. I was worried he'd turn her down because I was there but he didn't. He pushed through and I think things are going to be okay between them."

"I'm glad too," she assured, letting her hand go still as she met his eyes. "Do you… Do you want to talk to your parents again? To see them like she did?"

He thought about it, shaking his head slightly. "I don't know. I go back and forth a lot. Sometimes I think I do, just to know, as if they'd even tell me, but other times I just don't want to bother with them. They didn't care enough to tell us why they left or even if they're alive or anything really. Why should I let myself care for them, you know? But then…" Chuck sighed. "I know Ellie would want to be walked down the aisle by Dad. I think she could forgive him easier than she could Mom."

Noting his words and tone Sarah asked, "But not you? It would be harder for you to forgive him?"

"I don't know." Chuck frowned. "They were both important but… All the anger I feel for my Mom is buried under all this other stuff. Like, I still remember how she'd read me stories. How good her food was, especially her brownies and cupcakes. Or just how cool and smart I thought she was. She was this amazing person who loved me unconditionally, but then she left me. She left us all." Taking a breath he continued, "One time I-I snuck out of my room and found my dad crying. It felt like this incredible revelation because it meant he was like me. He was just as sad as I was. He missed her missed her as much as I did, lost as much as I did when she left us."

Sarah reached up to wipe the stray tear that slipped from his glassy eyes. "I'm so sorry she did that to you, Chuck."

"But I still loved her. It hurt so much but there's times where it feels like if I saw her again I'd go right back to being the kid she left behind. It's so pathetic to even think about it because I feel like I should be angry, but I know it would be buried under all this relief and childish stuff. I'd go right back to the kid who snuck into their room just to look at her charm bracelet she left behind even though it hurt because she left it behind just like she did us. It was like the sign telling us she never cared and would never be back, but I still wanted to see it.

"And then with my Dad. I remember thinking I was special just because I think he told me once that I was and I believed him. I didn't how or why, I just knew he was smart so he probably knew something I didn't. After I saw him in his office when she left I felt like maybe I could be like him. He was so smart, a genius, he could fix anything he touched and knew so much about computers... But he was barely there. It was so rare he got involved with us I clung to stuff when he did. Part of the reason I still have that," he said motioning to his Tron poster, "is because he gave it to me and showed interest in it. It was this ember in a void.

"But for Ellie he was like this… relief. He put so much on her even when he was there, so when he did something it was like he was a savior taking away the trouble of dealing with the bills or food or anything. The one thing she could rely on to relief the stress he placed on her... sometimes. I think she'd go back to that like I would with Mom, but sometimes all I see is how he already put so much of a burden on her when he was with us and then he left and put it all on her, even me. He could have been there just to handle the bills or something while I took care of myself so at least Ellie could have gone off and had her own life without worrying about me, but he couldn't even do that."

A bitter laugh escaped Chuck, his eyes much drier now. "I think I was just so used to him not being around much I'd be fine if I never saw him again. Even if he returned and then disappeared I wouldn't care as much as I probably should. I wouldn't go out of my way to keep in touch with him, but Ellie might. She'd probably want him around, some way to talk to him."

"You think you she'd have a harder time forgiving your mom?" Sarah asked quietly.

"I don't know." He frowned thinking back. "Ellie rarely talked about her. I think they were close but I was so young I barely remember my side of stuff. Like I remember one time Mom helped her do her hair and teased me by saying I was next,but I don't remember why she was doing it. Or the time she took us to the mall and while they were shopping for clothes I spent a half hour reading through the manual for a game she bought me wishing they'd hurry up so I could go home and play it.

"All the things I remember about her apart from her leaving are memories I cling to because they're all I have, and they're almost all good, but with Dad… I just have so many little bitter ones. Like the time a new kid in school invited me and Morgan over to play football with a few other kids. I had this crush on his sister so I accepted it even though I didn't know anything about football other than you throw a ball and hit people.

"I went to ask my dad but he just said he was busy, and I ended up trying to figure it out with Morgan. We got everything wrong and I made such an idiot of myself in front of all those kids I told myself I hated football, but I just hated how embarrassed I was the one time I played it. All because he couldn't spare five minutes to show me how to throw a spiral or what the rules were, or just tell me he didn't know either and help me figure it out, maybe help me try to impress the girl I liked. Hell, Ellie was the one who gave me the sex talk and it was one of the guys at the frat who taught me how to throw a football for the first time."

Unsure how to respond, Sarah pulled him into a hug like she wanted to. She felt out of her depth. This seemed like the kind of thing a normal girl would respond to differently, and she didn't know how to comfort him.

It was plenty for Chuck, who took a breath as he held her, feeling the storm in his stomach settle. It had been years since he'd talked about his parents for more than a second or two in passing.

However he also felt a bit self conscious about feeling like he needed to hold her afterward. That what he blamed for him pulling away asking without thinking, "What about you and your parents? Would you want to…" Oh shit, he thought upon realizing what he'd asked.

It was too surprising seeing her face drop, though her pulling her hand from his back left him feeling cold, or maybe it was just her tone as she answered, "No."

Oddly that left him feeling a little hopeful. Normally she just deflected or went quiet, but that was technically an answer. That would be what he blamed for him asking, "Why not?"

Her brow sank and she adjusted her self, turning onto her back. He saw her struggling but made himself wait a moment, giving her a chance to come to a decision before he shook his head.

"I guess I'm just waiting to find out that you're actually crafted and hatched," he said with a dry laugh. "Made in some lab by CIA scientist or something to take over the world."

Sarah sighed, rolling back over to him frowning. "I'm not trying to be…"

"I get it, Sarah, it's not easy." He slipped his arm back under her. "It's hard for me to talk about that. It's not like I tell everyone about that stuff. Honestly I didn't really want to say it. It's all kind of embarrassing, but it just sort of came out. So I get not wanting to talk about it and I'm not trying to force you to."

Sarah sighed. "They just… they don't matter anymore, Chuck. They're in my past and I can't do anything about it." She slid a bit closer, putting her hand on his cheek and gazing into his eyes as she said, "All I care about now is the future."

"I don't know if there's anything in the Intersect about the future, but I could help if you ever need it."

With a sly smile she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to need your help to get the future I want."

If he'd made a move she'd have gone with it, but was relieved that he just wrapped his arms around her, letting her rest her head on his chest again. It didn't tale long for sleep to come for them both.

AN:

It's kind of shocking how quickly Artman gave up the Ring in Angel of Death. Granted he assumed he was going to kill Casey, but it stood out so I decided to use it here as their introduction to the Ring. And since I have no plan for this to lead into anything like Operation Awesome I had Casey kill Artman to play into the Angel of Death thing that makes the guard shoot him.

I briefly considered going into part of Couch Lock from here, but I don't think it's necessary and I wanted to move onto the next bit which I've been anticipating.

I also can't remember Chuck ever flashing on the Ring as a group since when they're first mentioned he didn't have an Intersect, and after that is a time skip, but I figured it might at least be in the Fulcrum Intersect.

The absence of Orion in season 3 always felt a little weird. Neither him or his kids checking in felt off since they never said anything about it apart from Orion not knowing Chuck was in the CIA. I figure even though it most likely won't go down close to that given what I have in mind, this is a decent enough explanation of why that might happen at least from Chuck's side of things, and why he was so quick to trust his mom, etc.

The parent talk in general is pretty long but I want it to be, to make the difference between him opening up and her not more stark. Plus it's just kinda fun talking about that stuff and there's some aspects of the whole parent talk that play into things I have planned for later.