Don't own Chuck
Chuck and Zondra followed the Paolo's man into the study room and there standing around with drinks in their hands were the agency's top ten most wanted. Zondra smiled as she walked past Chuck both knew if Beckman had known who was going be at this meeting she would've sent in a drone strike. Chuck went over to the bar with Zondra and picked up the decanters taking a whiff from each before picking one.
"Here try this," he said to her in Russian. "It's a Macallan fifty-five it goes for about twelve grand a bottle." Zondra smiled as she took it.
"Not bad," she said as she tried it. "I have to apologize for the scene in the car. I don't know what happened I usually don't let people get to me."
"Apology accepted but are you sure you don't know what happened? You don't think it might have been a little jealousy. Don't answer our host is heading this way." He could tell she wanted to say something but it probably wasn't very polite.
"I see you've found the good stuff," said Ettore. "Ettore La Barba and you must be Kolonel Juri Sheshenov. Somehow I feel as though we've met before?"
"Well let's see have you ever been to Leningrad," said Chuck as Zondra cleared her throat. "Oh sorry, right Saint Petersburg is the politically correct name now or maybe Moscow. How about Chechnya or the Caucasus mountains have you ever been there?"
"No I don't think so oh whatever but if you follow me I've got a Macallan sixty-four that we can share. Bring you assistant along with you if you want. I keep it aside for special guests," said Ettore as he gave Zondra the once over. "And you my dear do look special."
"I just need to do one thing first," said Chuck as he yanked on Ettore's beard.
"Ouch!" said Ettore as he rubbed his face. "What the crap was that all about?" Ettore's men started to move towards them but he waved them away.
"I'm sorry but Ms. Swanson told us a wild story that you told her you were a double so I had to make sure we were talking to the real La Barba. I've... we've got too much riding on this for me to take the risk. And her story wasn't that farfetched. Josef Stalin had a double and others who've inhabited the Kremlin had one too."
"Follow me," said Ettore as he led them out. Bob kept looking at his watch and to see where Ettore was. He tried to follow him when he stepped out but the doorway was blocked by armed guards so he turned around and looked for his associate that he finally found with a water glass full of bourbon.
"Shouldn't you slow up on that firewater Cochise. We're going to be busy here very soon. I just saw Ettore leave with that Russian and his friend out the far end of the room. I tried to follow but got turned around."
"Don't worry about it. Isn't he supposed to be talking to you guys about something so far all we've been doing is drinking? Don't get me wrong it's one of my favorite pastimes but..."
"Some people are smoking Cubans out on the balcony," said Bob as he point to the smoke cloud that was bellowing in from the outside.
"Where'd they get them," asked Bob's associate. He scanned the room until he found the humidor. "Hold that thought," he said as he made a beeline. He grabbed a handful putting them in his pocket then went outside with one in his mouth.
"I hope the rest of Mr. Big's men don't stop for a smoke break on the way up," mumbled Bob as he went to refresh his drink.
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Outside Casey and Morgan pulled up in their golf cart. They parked away from the house in the dark. Casey got out first to make sure the coast was clear. He could hear the sound of music and people talking then he waved for Morgan to get out. Once they were both out they took off their coveralls revealing their tuxes underneath. Morgan straightened his tie then smile at Casey.
"What are you looking at," said Casey. "And next time learn how to tie your tie. I'm not your mother or you bring a clip-on. You can find a good one in the boys department."
"Funny John, I was going to say thank you for bringing me along but we need to get a move on it and find Alex. I just checked our GPS position Alex should be over there," said Morgan as he pointed through the house.
"Yes Einstein like we're going to just strut right through," said Casey. "You might have Ettore's face but he's got it too and he's in the house also. You run into him and its game over. Let's go around from the outside and try to make it in from the back. Chuck and Zondra have Ettore just off the study so if we run into any guards just keep on walking past them.
"Roger that Big Guy," said Morgan as they went around the house. They hadn't gone halfway when they ran into a group of men who came up on them in a golf cart.
"Halt, stop! Where are you two headed," yelled one of the men then Morgan turned around. "Oh I'm sorry but I thought you were inside Sir."
"If I'm inside then I'm not here but I'm here so I can't be inside. You can't have both now can you?" said Morgan. All the men in the cart nodded their heads.
"I'm sorry we just came back in after searching for the prisoner. She's nowhere to be found so we thought we'd regroup and..."
"You thought is that what you're telling me," said Morgan. The men remembered what Paolo did to the last guy who told him he thought.
"No I didn't mean I thought because I don't or I try not to. Thinking's not for me. No way, not me I heard it could lead to sudden heart disease and is almost always lethal."
"Well if you want to know what I think, I think you should get some of the men together and take them outside and look again. As a matter of fact you should take everyone except the ones around the study and have them all march into the jungle looking for the prisoner and don't come back until you find her."
"Everyone? But Señor Paolo told us we were to..."
"Who's in charge Paolo or me now get to it," said Morgan as he and Casey watched them turn around then disappearing into the dark. "How I do John? Smart wasn't I this way we won't have to worry about the guards for a while."
"Yeah Brainiac, until either Paolo or the real Ettore wonders where all their men are. Not to mention if the wet team Bob brought in figures out there's nothing between them and Ettore they might go for it. Either way we need to hurry up and find Alex then get out of here."
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Ettore took Juri and Natasha upstairs to another study. This one was more personalized with books that actually looked like they'd been read and there were photos in frames of Ettore taken all around the world. The one thing Chuck noticed was in every photo was a different woman but there wasn't one photo of Paolo, Ettore's trusted friend.
"Here's that Scotch I promised you," said Ettore and true to his word he pulled out a bottle and poured then all a glass. "You know during the day you can see out over the gardens and the jungle beyond the wall. I like to come in here at sunset take in the last rays of light then listen to the animals as they start to come out to hunt. Do you like to hunt Miss?"
"Natasha, it sounds like some sort of primordial instinct," said Zondra. "I like primordial," she said as they made eye contact."
"I bet you do. I'd also bet we have a lot in common," said Ettore as he smiled back at her and looked into her eyes.
"So Mr. La Barba are you the real La Barba our are we talking to his double?" said Chuck as he went back and filled his glass with more of Ettore's Scotch.
"I admit I told Ms. Swanson that story you have to forgive me but I was lining players up. I don't know if you know but..."
"That there's a contract out on you. Yes we know that and my dear friend I believe some of your party guests are here to collect on it as a matter of fact."
"I figured as much too but if I'm right I've arranged for a little diversion that will keep them busy. If you want me to help you arrange that coup I'm going to need a safe haven for a little while."
"You know that I still have to organize it and we're only in the planning stages now but if you don't mind roughing it something can be arranged."
"Good I don't mind camping," said Ettore as he looked out his window. "What the crap," he said as he looked out at the jungle and saw flashes of light.
"Is something wrong," asked Chuck as he went over to the window and looked out too. "It looks like what we saw when we pulled up. How long are you going to be doing this exercise?"
"Exercise? What exercise are you talking about?" said Ettore as he sat his drink down. "I need to find out what's going on. For now stay here..."
"We'll keep your Macallan's company," said Chuck as Ettore hurried off. Zondra went to the door and signaled the coast was clear. "Casey if you can hear me you guys need to hurry up and get out of here. Whatever you did with Ettore's men he just left to find out. Casey, can you read me? You guys need to get out now Ettore is expecting you to show up."
"Yeah I can hear you just keep it in your pants. What's this about going camping anyway? What are you thinking about doing?"
"It's called plan B if I have to but I need to make sure you guys get out okay," said Chuck then he went to the window. John I've got hostel forces moving up from the parking area. "I think Bob's men are moving in from below. Do you hear that," asked Chuck.
"Yeah it sounds like suppressed gunfire. I think you're right," said Zondra. Suddenly the lights went out then came back on then went out again. "What was that?"
"They cut the electricity then took out the emergency backup generator. We need to go we're sitting ducks in here."
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A little while before at the front gate Bob's me watched as Ettore's men left the compound. They realized their chance was here early so they took it. Going to the back of their vehicles one of the men started passing out vests then handed out H&K MP5SD3s. They were passing out weapons when some over the other drivers came over to find out what they were up to.
"Hey what are you guys doing," said one. Bob's men started eliminating witnesses and they didn't bat an eye as they dropped them. Ettore's men on the gate didn't know what hit them either.
"Shut down the gate," one of the men said to another. "If we sabotage this the people outside won't be able to get back in to help."
"I'm ahead of you," said the man's friend. He took a bottle of coke and poured it into the control panel. It sparked and puttered then all the lights went out. "Who says everything goes better with coke?"
"Come on let's get up to the house before they realize what's going on," said the team leader. "Everyone pile on the golf cart and let's go!" They started up but halfway they met another cart coming down.
"Cut the lights and slow down," said the team leader as he tapped the driver on the back. "Bring us alongside slowly. Get ready back there."
"Hey where do you guys think you're going," yelled a man from the other cart. "Hey where's our driver? You're not supposed to be driving?"
"Señor, I need to get down to my car and get out of here," said a man sitting in the back but as he was speaking the wet team opened up dropping the driver and Ettore's man riding shotgun. The vehicle just stopped when the driver fell over.
"What the crap did you just do? Do you know who I am," yelled the man in the back. "I'm Chief Hernandez, Chief of police. I order you to stop and put down your weapons."
"You heard him boys he wants us to put down our weapons. Well Señor why don't we just hand them over to you? Let's start with the bullets," said the team leader as he fired a short suppressed burst.
"Hey boss he's not so mouthy now," said one his men as they went over and tossed the bodies out commandeering the vehicle.
"Okay we divide up now I'll take you three with me around the back. You three go in the front and joint up with Mr. Scoglione and Scotty. Remember the target is La Barba identify then take him out. The first person who gets him has his drinks covered for a week. Now let's head out.
The men put into action Mr. Big's plan and this time there was nothing standing between them and their target. The rabbit was trapped in its hole where they wanted it to be and the best thing was that it didn't know it was trapped or at least they didn't think it did.
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Paolo was with Sheila in the game room. He poured her a glass of wine and had a cheese and fruit platter brought in. They were sitting around chatting about nothing. He asked her how she liked her new job and she told him it really wasn't her cup of tea but she was making the best of it. Then she dropped the bomb on him.
"So how long was Martin in your pocket?" asked Sheila. She could tell she hit pay dirt by the way he squirmed and avoided answering the question.
"Martin who? We've got a lot of workers here on the farm but Martin let me see… hum, no I can't recall a Martin. Are you sure he works for us?"
"Worked would be the right tense. Martin's dead. I went to the morgue today and saw his body then I made arrangements to have it sent back to France. Don't tell me you didn't know?"
"I'm sorry but I still don't know who you're talking about?" said Paolo. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some more wine?"
"No I'm fine and your denying Martin worked for you is insulting. What harm is it if you admit it now? He's dead so nothing will come of it if you admit it."
"Well tell me this and I'm not admitting he was on our payroll but if he was does his demise mean you're open to taking over his place?"
"Don't flatter yourself I don't need the extra cash and I certainly don't have an ex that's looking to make money at my expense," said Sheila as she looked at her watch. "Well I guess you've given the police chief enough time to get out of Dodge."
"Again with these wild accusations, if I were you I'd be careful because if the wrong person hears you they might think about making sure that their secret stay secret."
"Well if they wanted it to stay secret they should've had the common sense to speak in a lower voice when they left the morgue. That is unless they wanted to be recorded. What is it exactly that the Chief does for you? I wonder if the next guy will be as accommodating."
"I guess we won't know until the old one leaves office. For some reason I think that was what your old chief was saying too right before he was gunned down in the middle of the street."
"Is that a veiled threat," asked Sheila as she finished her glass of wine then handed it to him for a refill.
"I don't think it was veiled at all," he said as he filled her glass then passed it back to her. "If I were you I'd drink a little slower or this might go to your head. Not everyone can hold their alcohol."
"Oh I think I can hold my alcohol quite well," said Sheila. As they were sparring with words Ettore came walking in.
"Paolo, why did you send all the men outside the wall? I went around the house and the only men you kept here are around the study."
"I didn't send anyone anywhere I've been here keeping your guest company. What do you mean all the men are on the other side of the wall then who's here guarding? Hold one I'm going to find out," said Paolo. He pulled out a radio switched it on then went out of the room.
"So my dear is Paolo taking good care of you?" said Ettore as he looked back at the door. Sheila pulled the syringe from her bag then held it down by her side as she came near him.
"Oh we've been talking about a lot and talking about nothing. You know just chitchatting about life. Like I asked him about how long Martin was on your payroll but he refused to say. What do you say?"
"I say I talked with the Russian and he told me you told him that I was a double. Thank you, you're the first person to believe me. He said he was going to help me get out of here and I owe it all to you thank you."
"What? He said he was going to help you get out? I thought well never mind. I need to find this other Ettore. I've got this tranquillizer to use on him," she said as she showed him the syringe.
"Ettore, we've got a problem… what's going on here," said Paolo as he barge in looking at the two of them. Ettore grabbed her arm and pushed her hand inward making her give herself the injection.
"No! What are you do...," she said as she passed out in Ettore's arms.
"The story of my life, women are always falling at my feet. So what did you find out? Let me guess Morgan Grimes is here and he tricked my men into going outside the gate."
"Yes and worse there's a wet team looking for you too. They took out our people at the gate and blocked it closed. Our people are trying to scale the wall but the wet team is about to breach the house."
"Well we always knew this day would come so it's time to put our plan into action."
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Alex hid in the bathroom and waited but time seemed to be dragging on. She tried to leave again but again the cleaning ladies showed back up so she was stuck waiting for the women to leave. She heard them cleaning one of them had a vacuum cleaner running it across the floor. She heard the sound of her bed being made.
"I wonder what Señor Ettore saw in that American woman. She was so short and thin. I think she had one of those eating problems like those American movie stars. No one is that thin and healthy."
"You're probably right Carmella. I don't know if you noticed but she was awfully pale too and let's face it she didn't have what men like."
"I know what you mean and you're right. There we go the bed is made and the floor's clean. Let me throw out this water then we can leave.
"Crap," thought Alex they were going to come into the bathroom. Alex got into the bathtub and pulled the curtains closed. She'd just gotten hidden when the door opened and Carmella came in.
"As soon as we're done here we need to get down to the kitchen to help serve Señor Ettore's guests," yelled Carmella back. Suddenly they heard gunfire. "What was that?"
"Madre de Dios there are men coming and they're shooting everyone," said the other woman. She ran into the bathroom with Carmella and closed the door. "Shush they're outside," said the woman as they started to cry and pray.
"Look what I've found," said one of the mercs after he kicked in the door. "Maybe we can have some fun ladies before I kill you."
"Or I can kill you right now," said Alex as she put two in the man's body armor backing him out of the bathroom. He smiled at her but not for long she put one more between his eyes.
"Do you still think I'm skinny? Well this skinny little butt just saved your bacon," said Alex then she walked out of the bathroom.
"Alex, are you all right," said Morgan as he came running in. "John, I've got her she's standing in front of me right now," radioed Morgan.
"Nice try Ettore," said Alex as she pointed her weapons at him. "I'm not falling for that trick again. Drop the weapon and get down on your knees. There's no way my Dad would've given you a loaded weapon."
"And I didn't," said Casey as he came running in. "The Troll's weapon is empty."
"Oh John, I knew it felt light. And what was I doing running through the house. Oh I get it I was the bullet magnet. And you," said Morgan as he turned to Alex, "you're supposed to be my fiancée but another guy comes along with a pretty face and you go off with him plus you want to shoot me. What am I supposed to think? I'm disappointed in you."
"There he is," they heard someone yell from outside. John turned and dropped the man but the cat was out of the bag.
"Well you can be disappointed later right now we need to get out of here."