Chuck vs The Bracelet
Chapter 4: Secrets
Chuck and Sarah are the first ones to arrive at Laz's safe house, while Casey and Morgan go to pick up Alex. Laz actually goes with them, Casey and Morgan, because he's the one driving.
"Wow." says Chuck as he enters.
"Some place." says Sarah. "Dusty though."
"Yeah, Laz did say that it's been a long time since he's been back here." says Chuck.
They continue to look around until they come to a window with a great view.
"Look at that." says Chuck. "Hey. I think I see the beach down there."
"You mean... our beach?" asks Sarah.
"The very same. When this whole mess gets sorted out, how about you, me, and little Stephen go for a walk or something there. Sound good?" asks Chuck.
"Sounds really good." says Sarah. "Speaking of the baby. I'm gonna try to put him to sleep. I'll be in the living room, okay."
"Okay, sweetheart." says Chuck.
While Chuck and Sarah get settled in. Casey and Morgan try handle being in the same car with Laz.
"So... do you wanna hear some music or, what?" asks Laz, trying to make smalltalk.
"When this is over, I'm going to kill you." says Casey.
"So is that a song or some talk radio station?" Jokes Laz.
"You know what the best part about sitting in the back is? Its a lot easier to choke you out." says Casey.
"Okay I have to say this." says Morgan. "This is kinda weird, right?"
"Well... I kidnapped your girlfriend, who is also Casey's daughter. Who also happens to be the person we're on our way to pick up. I also played a part in kidnapping your girlfriend too, Casey. Which, by now you probably know we had, 'relations' with each other in the past. What else?... I almost helped Chuck become a vegetable with the whole, 'Intersect extraction'... thing. Oh and of course, you and the lovey, 'Carmichael's' chasing me around the world for a solid month. So.. yeah. You can call this weird."
When they reach Morgan's and Alex's apartment, She is waiting for them in the living room.
"Hey, whats going on?" She asks.
"Bad guys, impending doom, you know, the usual." says Morgan.
"Enough talk. Lets go!" says Casey.
"I gotta say, I really do like that fountain. By the way you guys are paying for gas, right?" says Laz as he enters the apartment.
"Whats he doing here?" asks Alex, in shock to see him.
"I'm here to kidnap you." says Laz. He proceeds to laughs and says. "I'm kidding, relax. Too soon I guess?"
As they leave, they are stopped, by Spider. "Mr. Casey. You, your daughter and her fiancee will come with me."
"I like to see you try." says Casey.
"Hello, Spider. How's being Edgar's lap dog feel?" Says Laz.
"Laz, Fulcrum has you on the top of their list. Bringing you in along with them will please Edgar very much." says Spider.
"Does anyone like you?" asks Alex.
"Not many, no." says Laz. He hands over his car keys to Casey and says. "Get them out of here. I'll take care of this."
"The hell you are! I don't run." says Casey.
"What's more important, saving them, or you damn pride?" asks Laz.
Casey, reluctantly, agrees. "Fine."
"Just think of it this way. If he kills me, I'm out of your hair and you get another shot at him later." says Laz.
Spider tries to stop them, but Laz intercepts him. As they fight, Casey, Morgan and Alex drive off in the car to join up with Chuck and Sarah.
"Hey, Casey." Chuck says as they all enter the house. "Where's, Laz?"
"That freak-show, Spider showed up. He fought him off so we could get out of there."
"Do you know if he made it?" asks Chuck.
"Who cares." says Casey.
"You know he still has to tell us whats going with Fulcrum, right?" says Chuck.
Casey kind of shrugs it off by saying. "We'll figure it out."
A few minutes go by before Laz comes in through a back door, holding a bag.
"How did you make it out?" asks Casey. Sounding a little dissapointed.
"Well thank you for asking, Casey. I know you must have been so concerned." He jokes. "Me and good old Spider fought for a little bit. He eventually took off. I had to steal someones motorbike to get here. By the way I hope you didn't scratch up my car."
"Geez. 'Spider', 'Lazarus', where do you nut jobs come up with these names?" asks Casey
"We have a convention once a year and brain storm ideas." Laz Jokes. "And I didn't pick the name, 'Lazarus'. It was given to me. But, that is a story for another time."
"That's all great Laz, but how about you tell us about the bracelet already." says Chuck. "And what's in the bag?"
"Oh! I got some food. I actually wanted some Subway. But the one I went to was closed. Hope you guys like... Bamboo Dragon. I heard its good." says Laz.
"Bamboo Dragon!" says an excited Morgan. "Tell me you got sizzling shrimp."
"Of course." says Laz. He then turns to Chuck. "Lets get everyone in the living room, and I'll explain everything."
With everybody seated, Morgan stuffing his face with shrimp, and Laz drinking some scotch, They begin their meeting.
"Now that's some good stuff. You all really need to get some of this for your place. Especially when you have company over." Laz says as he drinks. He gets ready to fully explain the story on the bracelet. But first, he tells Morgan. "Dude, at least save me a couple of shrimps."
Sarah quickly says. "Hey. You know what I just realized? What about Ellie and Awesome? And Clara?"
"I took care of that." says Casey. "Gertrude and some of her best men from Verbanski Corp. are watching after them. They'll contact us if anything happens."
"Now that that's out of the way..." Before Laz can finish, his phone rings. "Geez!" When he looks at it he says. "About time." He walks away, and comes back with another person.
"Mom?" says Chuck.
"Hello, everyone." says Mary.
"Okay, now barring anymore interruptions, let me explain." says Laz. "That bracelet around Sarah's pretty little wrist holds very valuable, intimate, and dangerous secrets. Information that's not even in the Intersect. That's what Edgar wants. By this point the Intel is pretty old. But its still valuable. Edgar can sell it, use it for things like blackmail, whatever he wants."
"How? How can this hold anything?" asks Chuck.
"Your Dad never got that far in telling me." says Laz.
"Why... would my Dad, tell you these things? And Mom, did you know anything about this? It was your bracelet first." asks Chuck.
"Your Father only told me that it was more than just a simple gift. That it was important. But I had just given birth to Ellie, so I was a little too tired to really ask anything." says Mary.
"The reason he told me is actually a funny story. I kind of don't wanna tell it." says Laz.
"Laz." says Chuck,
"Okay, fine. Me and your dad were in Istanbul, at a bar. And, if you don't know this already, Stephen could not hold his liquor. After a couple a couple shots, the guy was singing. He told me how he gave the love of his life this very important bracelet. Containing information that can be found nowhere else. And how he gave it to her because it was the safest place he knew. That's all I got because he passed out soon after." Laz jokes a little bit by saying. "Funny though. It was meant as a good luck charm, and a lot of luck its bringing you right now, isn't it?"
"You told me that you only met him that once. In Tokyo." says Chuck.
"Yeah, well... there's actually more to that. After Tokyo, he and I traveled together for a bit. Kind of a, you watch my back I'll watch yours, type thing. Istanbul falls towards the end of that. We eventually parted ways, obviously."
"No. No my dad wouldn't be friends with someone like you." says Chuck.
"Well... he was my friend at least. Hell if I know if he ever considered me his." says Laz.
"Okay forget that for now. How does Fulcrum know about this?" asks Chuck.
"As you know, Ted Roark stole ideas and information from your Dad, years ago. Some stuff alluding to the bracelet included. Now with so much already there, high-tech computer plans, etc., Roark never really saw it. The whole bracelet thing got buried under a bunch of crap. After so much time had passed, it was assumed that it had been long forgotten about. Until, Edgar took over that is. It doesn't matter how deep you bury something. Or try to. Someone always finds it. And Edgar dug and dug until he put everything together. It took him a while, but now that Fulcrum is back to full power and he's in charge, everything is now being put into motion."
"Mom. How do you fall into this?" asks Chuck.
"I went to Beckman some months ago. I asked her to assign me Laz. From what you told me about him, it sounded like he knew a lot, I needed to find out exactly how much." says Mary. "I found him in Switzerland and he told me everything."
"You mean I let you find me." says Laz.
"Shut up." says Mary.
"Fulcrum has been on my tail for awhile now. I captured and tortured one their guys and he told me all he knew." says Laz.
"With little to no time, I asked Laz to come back here and look after you while I investegated further into the matter." says Mary.
Chuck takes a second to take everything in. "I can't believe this." He says.
Laz puts his drink down and tells him. "Chuck, your father... he was a good man. A great man who did amazing things. I mean, that super computer in your head is proof of that. He loved his family... and he was a good friend. But... he wasn't perfect. He made mistakes. Now normally, your fathers sins would be his own. But since he's gone, and you're his son, you have the misfortune of inheriting them. You've had to... clean them up. The Intersect, finding your mother, Volkoff, not to mention everything else that came before and after that. This, along with looking after your family, is what he left you. This is his... legacy. Yeah, Chuck. Your father made mistakes. And unfortunately for you... there's just one more you have to clean up."
Chuck takes another few seconds to process. "So what now?" He asks.
"Well, with your permission, I would like to run some tests on the bracelet. Find out exactly what it is. You, Sarah and your mother can overlook of course. I have the equipment here to do it. And then, we'll figure out this whole, Fulcrum situation." says Laz.
Chuck doesn't say anything at first. But looks to Sarah. "What do wanna do?" He asks her.
"Do you wanna maybe talk about it somewhere else. More... private?" asks Sarah.
"The master bedroom is up stairs. Its the one with the light blue door. Talk amongst yourselves there, let me know what you want to do, and when you're done I'll even give you all the tour of the place. I don't want you tripping anything." says Laz.
Chuck and Sarah agree, and go off to talk. Leaving the baby with Mary.
"You see. Give me the right kind of alcohol and I'm much more mellow." says Laz. "But Geez, did I have to explain a lot."
The rest of Team B deiced to eat until Chuck and Sarah return. When Laz goes into get some for himself, he's very upset at what he finds. "Damn it, Morgan! You ate all the shrimp!"
"My bad, dude."
End of Chapter
Next Chapter to be called, "Breaking The Code "
Author's note- Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you for reading.