Don't own Chuck
Chuck and the team listened to Devon describe what had happened on board the Chenxing. Chuck was especially attentive to every detail that Devon said looking for something that they could use to try to get a clue as to what was going on and where they could go next. There had to be more than just Ettore trying to fix his intersect. What was the Central Government's angle in this? He was afraid he knew and if he were right it made it that much more imperative to stop him.
"I'm sorry Chuck," said Devon. He looked like he'd been run through the wringer and then some. "I wish I could've done more for Ellie and Alex. But I don't know what more I could've done."
"Devon, you did everything you could've done and then some given the circumstances you were in. Don't beat yourself up over this I don't think I would've been able to do more."
"See, I told you everyone would understand," said the Admiral. "Son you're a hero. You save a lot of lives today and there's nothing to be ashamed about that."
"Admiral, I need to tell you that our General is enroute to you to pick my brother-in-law up. But I'd like you to confirm something. Devon mention a Shang class sub… a Chinese Type 093, can you confirm that?"
"Yes, I was the one who told him about what kind of submarine it was," said the Admiral as he looked over at Devon. "Your boy is good but for him one sub is like another."
"I kind of figured that out. But Chinese subs don't usually operate this far out in the pacific or am I wrong? I thought they hung closer to the coastline."
"No, you're right but the Dewey confirmed it. They picked her up on their sonar as they got close to the freighter but then the sub vanished during the melee on board the freighter. We were more concerned about securing the target then watching the sub. But even if we had known your people were onboard there wouldn't have been a lot we could've done."
"I understand what you're saying. From our satellite images, we have in fact three Type 093s in your vicinity. I will send you their coordinates but I think this is a version of shell game they're playing with us which one has the pea under it or in this case Ettore and our people."
"I don't think we should be talking about this over this net and with civilians present," said the Admiral looking at Devon. "But short of firing depth charges to bring her up, which I don't think you want us to do with your people onboard, they could stay down and wait us out before returning to port."
"You're right this isn't the right place to be talking about this. Thank you for the assist and for rescuing my brother-in-law. There's a little girl I need to get who would like two words with her father before we sign off."
"I'll go get her," said Sarah then she got up and went back to get Clara who was asleep with Sam in one of the detention cells.
"Don't mention it. We were happy to be of assistance. These guys who working in human trafficking are the worst scum there is. If it were me I'd bring back public hanging like they used to do for pirates. Hang them in cages at the entrance to ports so the crows and gulls can peck at their molding flesh."
"That would be sight all right," said Chuck trying to put the image out of his mind before he'd have nightmares the next time he went to sleep. As they finished talking, Sarah came back with Clara. She was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes but her eyes brightened up when she saw Devon on the monitor.
"Dad, you're all right," yelled Clara as she ran over. Chuck got up and lifted her up putting her in front of the monitor so she could talk to Devon. He motioned Sarah and Casey over to the side so they could talk.
"What the Admiral said isn't exactly right. Did you pick up what Devon said about the way Ettore was acting and the things Ellie said to him. Ettore can't wait it out on the ocean bottom. His intersect is starting to fry his brain and soon he's going to reach a point of no return."
"Is that a good or bad thing?" asked Casey as he glanced over at Clara making sure she couldn't hear them. None of them wanted her to hear about how unstable Ettore was becoming.
"It's a little bit of both," said Sarah. "He's going to become more erratic which will make him dangerous. I know you're not going to like this but we're lucky Alex is with him. She seems to be able to calm him down…"
"At least she used to be able to, but now I'm not so sure anymore, not with what Devon's said. The long-term effect will be he'll spiral out until he goes into one long flash and never comes out of it but before that happens… well we need to put him down before that…"
"I never thought I'd hear you say that," said Casey. "What happened this morning did you put your big boy pants on?"
"No, it's the reason the Central Government is helping Ettore," said Chuck but before he could say anymore the lights in Castle flickered then they went out.
"I'll secure Clara and the girls," said Sarah. Casey was already on his way to the armory when the intruder alarm went off.
"Guys, just calm down. I expect this guest to drop in on us. Maybe she'll be able to confirm what I already suspect is behind this."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
On the Cathay flight to Shanghai, Morgan and Anna got settled in their seats. Morgan took the outside seat in case he had to make a break for the lavatory and so he wouldn't be tempted to look out the window. The last thing he wanted to see was how high they were.
"Is the economy in Taiwan that bad," asked Morgan. He got a look from Anna. "I was just wondering since we're sitting in coach with our knees in our chests."
"It's also easier to be spotted in first because there are fewer passengers. They'll be serving dinner soon and after that you can go to sleep and when you wake up we'll be there."
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you? There's no way I'm going to be able to go to sleep. If I'm asleep I'm not rooting and if I'm not rooting… well we don't want to get into that."
"You can do whatever you want but after I eat dinner I'm going to sleep. Don't even thing about waking me up until we get ready to land unless we're about to crash and even then, there's not a lot I can do about it."
"That's a comforting thought," said Morgan. He noticed the flight attendants had started wheeling carts of trays down through the aisles asking passengers their choices.
"Can I take your orders please," asked the flight attendant. "You have a choice of Szechuan chicken, pak choy, with steamed Jasmine rice or seared US beef steak, onion marmalade, roasted root vegetables, parsley potato mash, and mushroom jus."
"Just what?" said Morgan. The flight attendant gave him a look. "Sorry that was a joke. Of course I know what it is I studied at the Benihana culinary school in Hawaii."
"I'm sure you did. I'm sorry but we ran out of the beef so it looks like you're stuck with the chicken and you ma'am you ordered the special meal. You don't look Hindu?"
"What is a Hindu supposed to look like?" said Anna as she took her tray from the embarrassed flight attendant. Morgan got a whiff of her lamb as it passed by him. The lady hurriedly moved along.
"Sizzling Shrimp makes this better but it's not bad. We dated for how long and I never knew you were Hindu," said Morgan as he continued eating his chicken.
"I am when I fly," said Anna. "You order special meals so you're guaranteed the food is cooked properly. However, you still risk that it might've sat out somewhere too long but it's still better. How do you know that's chicken? You ever wonder what happens to the birds that get caught in the turbos. Think about it."
"I prefer not to," said Morgan as he looked down at his chicken. But he shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.
"Can I get you guys something to drink," said an attendant pushing another cart with drinks. "Coffee, tea or a soft drink. Wine and beer are free on this flight while spirits are seven dollars a drink."
"I'll take whatever red wine you have and Morgan what will you have? Maybe you should get something stronger so you can sleep?"
"We've already been over that. I know what I'd like but I don't think you have it," said Morgan. The flight attendant motioned for him to hurry up she still had over a half a plane to serve. "Sorry, right. Well you wouldn't happen to have a grape soda?"
"We've got grape crush," said the woman. Morgan's eye lit up. She gave him the can and cup of ice. "I'll just give you the whole thing I don't think anyone else will want any."
"Thanks," said Morgan. They finished eating then the attendants came by and picked up the trash. After that they got settled in put up their tray backs and got ready for the rest of the long flight. Morgan just sat there as everyone around him started to drift off to sleep.
"Geez, what's going on? What do these folks think they're doing? What do they think, this plane is going to fly itself," said Morgan. He looked over at Anna and she had her eyes closed too. "Et tu Brute."
"What are you mumbling about," said Anna with her eyes closed. "Shut up and let me get some sleep. You should do the same. When we land we're going to have to move."
"We've already gone over this," said Morgan as he continued to look around. "I'm going to use the lavatory that grape soda wants out and I need to stretch my legs."
"That's a little too much sharing," said Anna without opening her eyes. "You could've kept that little tidbit of information to yourself. When you come back if I'm not awake don't wake me up or I'll kill you."
"How am I supposed to now if you're awake with your eyes closed?" said Morgan. But he got no answer. "Geez, maybe if shoot up a flare or send up a smoke signal that would help. Okay, so I just need to make it to the tail of the plane then back to my seat. No, problem and if I don't make in time I'll just feel warm for a little while. I can always use the hand dryer on my pants."
Morgan got up then started back. He kept his eyes on the prize as he walked back looking at the lavatory light that said vacant. He was almost there when the plane hit an air pocket and dropped suddenly.
"Crap, okay you're still okay," he told himself. "But there for a while I thought we were going to have to use the hand dryer. Now get a grip and get this over with then get back to your seat," he said as he started to open the door but as he did he felt someone shove him inside then close the door behind them.
"Hey dude, what's up with this? Wait your turn like everyone else. Can't you see there's no room in here for either one of us to do our business."
"Keep quiet Morgan and hold it down," said Mary. "Do you know what's going on yet. What has your girlfriend told you about what's going on?"
"She's not my girlfriend and no she hasn't said anything yet other than the obvious. Ettore has Alex and Ellie and we're going to free them but I don't know if I should be telling you anything? How did you know we were on this flight and how did you get on?"
"Morgan, this isn't my first rodeo. So, spit it out, what's going to happen when we land? Tell me she's got people who are going to meet you?"
"Well, yes I'm supposed to meet her family. But that isn't her real family but her cover family. See we're married," he said as he held up his ring. "That's our cover."
"You know that's got a tracker in it. Look back in the air terminal I saw some of Ettore's men and they saw you so don't be surprised if he's got a welcoming committee waiting to meet you. Let me see your ring," said Mary. She took a device out of her purse and held it near the tracker. "Good, now I can track you too. Go back to your seat and don't say anything about seeing me, talking to me or about what I just did. I'll keep my eyes on you."
"What are you trying to tell me. Oh, crap no," said Morgan as it sank in his head. "I'm the bullet magnet again. No, I'm the bait for the tiger trap… I'm the goat."
"What do you want me to tell you? No, you're not Morgan… but I'll take whatever I can get to rescue Ellie. I wasn't there for her as a kid growing up but I'm not going to let her become me. Ettore grabbed the wrong mother's daughter. You can go back to your seat now but remember mum's the word and you haven't seen me."
"Yeah, well about that I can't go right back because I came here for a reason and I still have to do it so do you mind stepping out so I can get a little privacy. I'm not good performing in public."
"What are you talking about? Oh… Oh, right sorry. I'll go right now just remember you didn't see me or talk to me."
"It would be easier to remember that if you'd leave and let me finish my business."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The emergency lighting kicked in Castle as the backup generator started up. Sarah wasn't taking any chances. She got Clara and took her back to detention where she could defend the girls. Casey wasn't going to risk it either he went to the armory. Chuck just shook his head and went to the conference room where he waited until he saw shadows moving along the walls.
"You can come out now," said Chuck. "It's just me and you," he said as a jade dart went sailing past his ear making a thud as it stuck in the wall. He caught glimpse of the next one and caught it in midflight. "Will you cut this out before someone gets hurt and that someone is usually me?"
"Why? I'm having fun," said a voice from the dark. Chuck saw a fist coming out of the dark and blocked it. He flashed then they engaged each other in the dark throwing kicks and blows as the other defended then counter.
"I hope you're still having fun," said Chuck as landed a side kick. But Rebecca dropped to the ground and swept his feet out from under him. He landed with a dull thud on his back then sprang back up to his feet.
"Always, I forgot how much fun you are to spar with. We should really do this more often," she said as part of the lights came on. Casey came running in with his Sig drawn and held at the ready. Rebecca grabbed a pencil off the conference table and threw it jamming it in Casey's barrel.
"John, don't fire," said Chuck. He kicked the weapon out of his hand then caught it before it fell to the ground. "Rebecca, cut it out. You could've hurt someone."
"Can someone explain to what the heck is going on here and who's been passing out tickets for down here? I want a cut. Now, can I have my weapon back? Crap look what you did. I'm going to have to field strip this to clean my barrel."
"I'm sorry but you're more the shoot first ask questions later kind of guy and I have no desire to be shot. Look, I don't have much time I disabled your internal cameras but they'll be back on line soon. No one can know I was ever here."
"Okay but your government is helping Ettore and I know why. It's because he promised them the recipe for our secret sauce. It that what you're here to tell me?"
"He's promised them all the secrets… original recipe, secret sauce and even the secret recipe for the original coke."
"And they bought it. I'm assuming he gave them a taste of what he had to offer so they could evaluate it. What did he give them?"
"He gave them the original recipe and now they're planning on coming out with a new fast food chain calling it the Chairman's Palace and one of its signature dishes will be nuggets that are going to be called the gang of four…"
"I can't believe it. They're going to come out with the commie colonel. What are they going to call it? CFC but that's already taken?"
"What are you talking about?" said Rebecca as she shook he head and gave Casey a look. "Chuck, you know what I'm talking about, don't you? Please tell me you do."
"Unfortunately, I do. I can read through the analogy. Don't worry about John. You freaked him out when you hurt his gun but he'll figure it out eventually. You just have to give him time. But is everyone in your government on board with this?"
"No, there are some who don't believe he can deliver everything he promised. But right now, they are in the minority. I don't trust Ettore either but I can't do anything about him. I tried to tell Anna to stay away from Ettore but she won't listen. I tried to tell her the more she goes after him the more she fuels the flames of those who believe him."
"I can understand how that might happen. But you're right, Ettore is not to be trusted under any circumstance. He's using your people to protect himself but once he doesn't need them anymore he will turn on you and turn fast."
"I'm not the one you have to convince. I believe you and I already figured that out. Look, I have to go. Your cameras will be back on line soon. But there's one last thing I need to tell you. I saw your mother boarding the plane for Shanghai right before it took off. Yes, I know what your mother looks like and believe me it was her. That's all I have to say other than see you in Guangzhou," she said. She leaped on the conference room table then disappeared down an air vent.
Chuck went over to a monitor and brought everything back up on line then brought up CCTV feed from the airport at LAX.
"What just happened," said Sarah as she walked in. Sticking in the wall was a jade dart with a red tassel. "Oh, don't tell me this was hers? Where's she at?"
"She's gone. But she confirmed what I thought and she gave us some intel to work with," said Chuck. "There she is… there's my Mom getting on the same flight as Morgan and Anna."
"What? How can you tell? You can't see her face," said Sarah. Then she noticed that the woman was smart she never showed her face in any of the security cameras before board. Even on the jet bridge she managed to keep her head turned or covered by someone else. "Okay by build that could be her and for the sake of argument we say that is her what does that do for us?"
"For us nothing maybe but it's nice to know Morgan's got back up. But Rebecca said before she ducked out that she'd see me in Guangzhou not Shanghai. That submarine is headed for Guangzhou or as we call it in the west Canton and I intend to meet it there."
"And you're going to get yourself thrown into a Chinese prison when they catch you. The General is never going to let you go."
"That's why I'm not going to ask. Sarah don't you see I've got no choice I've got to go. I've got to do this and I've got to do this alone."
"Hold up a second? Why do we care if the Chinese want to open another fast food franchise? How many people are going to want to eat that the Chairman's Palace or try his nuggets... the gang of four?"
"Quips, you're okay with but analogies, you don't have a clue. She was saying Ettore plans on giving them all the secrets he has from the intersect. Now do you understand why he needs to be stopped. I need to get there and stop him. Sarah, you need to stay here with the girls in case Ettore tries anything else. He lost Devon so I don't know if he'll try to grab Clara again to use against Ellie."
"Okay I'll stay here but on one condition and that is you take Casey with you. I'm not budging on this. If you don't want me to go you have to take John."