Don't own Chuck

Margo got on the elevator in the Dungeon then rode it up. Her mind was racing trying to figure out what was going on. Chuck and Sarah were supposed to be on vacation. Then a thought hit her like a brick wall what if this was Razib's relatives coming after him or trying to take him or even the toy maker's relative come to reclaim property. Razib's father had kidnapped him and taken him back to North Africa when he was an infant. What if this was all them together? Well, she wasn't the scared young girl her sister was and if it was them and they wanted war... war they'd have. They'd have him over her dead body. By the time the elevator doors opened up she was steaming ready to go to go to town. Jack saw fire in Margo's eyes when she got off the elevator.

"Do you still have them in your office? Have they said anything about what happened," said Margo. "Where's Chuck? Does Razib know where his relatives went?"

"Hold up and take a breath," said Jack. "The kids are pretty shaken up and you're not going to help the situation acting like this. Now calm down. No Chuck isn't with them. I was just getting them calmed down but do I have to do the same for you? What's this about Razib's relatives anyway?"

"Nothing," said Margo as they made their way to Jack's office. "I need to see him and the other kids. Chuck activated his emergency beacon so I've also got Langley calling asking what's going on. On the police band they're chatting about a shootout in the street with one man dead and a description of a person of interest that matches Chuck."

"Well it's nice to see your concerned about Razib," said Jack. Margo gave him a look and he could see she wasn't in the mood. "Okay that was a cheap shot and I'm the last one who should give parenting advice. But that being said you should focus on Razib and not on the mission."

"What mission? There was not mission. Chuck was just supposed to go out with Razib to have a talk. Not get into a gunfire like this was Deadwood," said Margo as they walked up to the door to Jack's office. She stood outside for a moment taking a deep breath before going in. "Jack, if you want, you can come inside with me but you're there like a fly on the wall. Remember that... you have to leave the interrogating to the professional."

"Interrogating? Remember they're just scared kids and not your usual scumbags you're going to water board or electrocute and one of them is yours," said Jack as they both went inside.

Margo gave him a look then turned to the kids. Jack was right they were scared she could smell it in the air when she walked in. She knew she had to get answers and quickly. Chuck was still out in the streets. But Jack was right they were just scared kids.

"Okay I don't know if you know who I am and there's no time for formal introductions but I'm Razib's foster mother. Maybe one of you would like something to drink to calm your nerves down," said Margo. Jack gave her a puzzled look.

"Margo, we're all Muslim... well most of us are and underage," said Razib as he looked over at Drago then he turned back to her. "There was a guy I'd never seen before in the street. He pointed a gun at me... if it hadn't been for Chuck I'd be dead."

Margo felt a lot of things at once that overwhelmed her. She hadn't realized how difficult this was going to be. She didn't know whether to be grateful to Chuck for saving Razib or knock him on his can for getting Razib caught up in whatever this was.

"I saw the other man before. The one that was holding his arm standing next to guy that got wasted," said Drago. Everyone looked at him. "I did I swear. He was outside back of the pub with Razib's father in a gunfight like in the old west. I walked out as they drew and fired at each other. I thought I was a goner for sure... the guy fired at us but Chuck pushed me back inside the Pub."

"Okay then what happened," asked Margo. Relieved and pissed at the same time. Razib's relatives weren't involved but this was some of Chuck's crap come back on him.

"There were these other two guys inside the pub near the bathroom. They were there like they were waiting for us," said Drago as he talked his voice went up a few octaves and he started speaking faster throwing in Serbian words without realizing it. However, Margo understood she was going to kill Chuck when she got her hands on him.

"Razib, your dad was great. He was like that guy from Hitman... agent 47. You should've seen it it was like that movie Skyfall where James Bond causes a smoke screen in the courtroom with those fire extinguishers except once he blinded the two goons he took them out with the bottle. In the white haze all I heard was ping ping then when it cleared he was grabbing their weapons. That was when he told me to get everyone then leave the pub and come back here which is what I did. There was that thing outside the pub but Razib told you about that."

"Razib's father?" said Margo as she looked over at Razib. She didn't know what to think or which caused her more concern that Razib telling his friends that Chuck was his father or that the dark-haired girl sitting next to him seemed to be giving him way too much attention.

"Yes Razib's father," said Jack as he jumped in to save the day for Razib. Being a fly on the wall really wasn't his thing but he could smell a con a mile away. "Yes, his father is an amazing man but you guys need to keep everything on the down low. People like him have enemies and if they found out about Razib then he'd be in danger. I don't think Chuck would like it either and probably wouldn't be happy with the person who blabbed. Some secrets need to be taken to the grave."

"No we won't breath a word," said Drago. Then he continued with explaining what happened. "I swear it was like being in one of those American movies the way he moved. He wounded the man in the alley behind the pub. I guess that was my fault because he was trying to get me out of there so he couldn't get off a clean shot. But the guy in front of the pub... wow no one touch Razib. Your dad emptied his whole clip into him without batting an eye..."

"Drago, you should remember that," said one of his friends who'd followed him in the bathroom. "If you recall that pistol was yours he took away from you."

"That was nothing just a slight misunderstand. Actually if you think about it I lent it to him," he said the other two boys who were with him laughed and shook their head. "I'm not joking now. Let me warn all of you buttholes no one makes fun of my good friend Razib anymore. He's all right in my book. I don't know what you people had against him."

"But you said," one of the boys started to say but Drago gave him a death look. "I must've been mistaken. Razib, we'd like for you to come and hang with us whenever you want."

"I'd like that too," said the dark-haired girl as she looked at him with dreamy eyes. "I really mean it. That is if you want to hang together."

"You really would," said Razib. She nodded back timidly. He smiled like the cat who ate the canary with a smile stretched from ear to ear.

"Okay, that's enough for now," said Margo. "So we kind of understand what happened at the pub but the why and where's Chuck we're still missing.

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Sarah left Chuck in the dungeon working. She took the elevator up into the Casino where she found Sam and Molly waiting for her with Emma and baby Bunny. Emma had already picked up the picnic basket from the kitchen and they were just waiting on Chuck and her. Sam was fit to be tied sitting in the chair she was dangling her feet kicking the bottom of it trying to tell everyone she was bored.

"I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is I'm ready we can go and the bad news is Chuck's got work to finish so he won't be able to come with us."

"Well then I guess it's lady's day out," said Emma. Sam and Molly looked at each other and smiled. They hadn't thought about that.

"Okay let's blow this joint," said Sam. "I ready to go but what do you do here on a lady's day out? I know what we did in Chicago on lady's night but doing hair and nails here?"

"We can get that done in the Casino spa here and not have to go anywhere. It's a little anticlimactic, don't you think," said Molly as she heaved a sigh.

"Yeah," said Sam. "Maybe for lady's day out we can go on the picnic like we planned. There's that park on the other side of old town we could go there."

"You mean Slobode park. Sure I guess it would be as good a place as any to have a picnic," said Molly. "Or we could go to the beach and have it there."

"If you want to talk about a beach. Malibu has a beach," said Sam as she shook her head. "What you've got here is a little stretch of pebbles and rocks you call beach but it's not."

"Now girls no arguing or we won't go. I've got the idea we can split our time. We can go to the park sit at the tables and eat there then we can go to the beach. Sam you've been spoilt growing up in L.A. not all beaches at the same and there are better beaches than what we have," said Sarah. Sam just gave her a look like she didn't believe a word she said and continued to shake her head.

"Okay I can look for some shells for my collection so sure why not. To the rock pile we go," said Sam. Everyone gave her a look. "What? Did I say something? Why are we all still standing around? Let's go." Bunny started laughing and clapping her hands. "See Bunny wants to go too."

"I think she was commenting on what a little stinker her sister is," said Emma. Everyone laughed except Sam.

"I don't see what's so funny," said Sam. "This is supposed to be a lunch. If we wait much longer it's going to be a dinner. Can we get a move on it?"

"Come on miss grumpy," said Sarah. They all left the casino and grabbed one of the company vehilces. Sarah drove down to the park. There Emma and her prepared the picnic table while Molly and Sam watched Bunny.

"Where's Razib," asked Sam. "I just remembered we left him at the casino but if we brought him with us it wouldn't be lady's day anymore."

"He had English lesson anyway so he couldn't come with us. Besides he's got other friends he likes to hang out with. He doesn't' like hanging around with me anymore."

"That's mean to say and it's not true," said Emma overhearing the conversation. "Razib still likes to be with you."

"Wait a minute who are these other friends Razib is hanging around with. Are they his age? Are they from around here? Do you know who they are?"

"No, I don't know who they are just that some of them are older but yes I think they are from here. They go to that new pub in old town. I followed him out one evening and I made sure he didn't see me."

"Molly that wasn't a very nice thing to do," said Emma. She looked over to Sarah for some support but she just shrugged her shoulders. Then Emma cleared her through trying to prod Sarah into say something.

"Emma is right... normally," said Sarah which got her a frown from Emma. "But I have to ask what did you find out. Give me all the details and leave nothing out. I bet there's a girl involved. There usually is."

"Yes, she's got dark hair and is... well more developed. Every time he looks at her he looks like one of those sad looking little dogs with the long face," said Molly as she tried to make the face. Everyone laughed. "I think her name is Roberta or something like that. I don't know what he sees in her."

"Is that it," asked Sarah wondering if Molly wasn't just a wee bit jealous. "How often does he go and meet these friends?"

"I don't know usually when Margo is at work and after he finishes his homework. But I don't know if they're his friends or if he's theirs. Every time he's with them they have him get them things from the bar. I get so mad sometimes when I see them ordering him around I want to break something over their heads. He's too good for them to treat him like that. Roberta has a brother Drago, he's the worse of the bunch. One of these days I'm going to walk up to him and pop him in the mouth."

"Well hopefully all this will come out this afternoon and you won't have to pop him in the mouth. I think Chuck is going to talk with Razib and I'm sure this will all come up. Well, ladies it looks like we've got a choice between Chicken or Tuna salad sandwiches. But first we have to clean our hands and faces," said Sarah as she pulled out towelettes and cleaned up the girls while Emma took care of the sandwiches. Emma laughed watching her as she put the sandwiches with carrot sticks on plates then sat them in front of the girls.

"What's so funny," asked Sam as she started to eat her sandwich. "Yummy this sandwich is really good."

"I was thinking about what your mother said about washing your hands and face before you eat. You don't know what I had to do to get her to wash her hands. Not to mention what I used to find in her pockets. If she could pick it up it went into her pocket. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

"What? I'm sorry were you talking to me?" said Sarah. "I was distracted for a moment. What were you talking about?"

"We weren't talking to you we were talking about you," said Sam as she laughed with a mayonnaises smile. Sarah laughed then reached over an wiped it which made Bunny laugh.

"What is it?" said Emma as she looked over where Sarah had been looking at but she didn't see anything other than a dark Mercedes SUV parked in the parking lot.

"That Mercedes was outside the casino when we left. They pulled in right behind us but no one got out. They're just sitting there. It makes me wonder what they want and are they following us."

"You don't think they're looking at us," said Sam. She stood up on the bench to get a better look. "I don't see any movement inside."

"Get down before you fall. You've got your shoes on the tablecloth," said Sarah as she got up and helped Sam down. "I don't want to hear anything about daughter like mother."

"If that SUV has you so on edge why don't you call it into Margo and have her run the license plate and see who it's registered to."

"Actually, that's not a half bad idea," said Sarah. She got her phone out of her bag. "Crap, I'm not getting a signal. Come on we can finish our picnic at the seaside. If we drive down the road along the beach, we should pick up a signal plus we can see if our friends come along with us."

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Banai made his way over to the motor pool but as he walked over he noticed the army guys at the base cleared away from him as soon as they saw him coming. He realized why they were scared of him but truthfully he didn't care. He was there to get a job done not to win a sympathy contest. Getting that job done meant he needed to know where the Colonel took the missile. On his way over to the motor pool he thought about what another war would mean. He thought about what the last one had done to him then he thought about his children. He had no intention of putting them through that hell and he swore to himself there he would move heaven and earth to make sure they stayed safe.

"Hey, private do you remember me," said Banai as he walked up behind the man who had driven them to the base. He was busy with his head under the hood of the transport vehicle similar to the one they rode in on

"Yes, sir. You're kind of hard to forget these days especially considering all the chatter going around the base about what happened in the tunnel... you're kind of let's say well known... I'd go so far as to say famous."

"I think more infamous would be the right word. Is that why everyone is avoiding me? However, you don't seem to be afraid to talk to me. Why is that?" asked Banai. He was starting to like this guy but he wasn't sure why. He kind of reminded him of himself when he was in the Army.

"I think maybe because I'm a private. When you're at the bottom of the totem pole you can afford to not give a crap about what the rest of higher ups think. I mean think about it what are they going to do to me? Send me to some remote location in the middle of nowhere, assign me to the motor pool and make me a grease monkey."

"I guess you've got a point there," said Banai as he smiled. Now he knew he liked him. The private was a lot like him than he wanted to admit.

"However, when they want their shiny vehicles to start up or someone to drive it around for them so they can ride in the back like they were the Shāhanshāh, the king of kings. I'm number one on the list. Sorry can I say that?"

"If you've already said it it's kind of hard to ask if you can afterwards," said Banai as he laughed. "Don't worry I won't say anything to anyone."

"Okay I've ranted enough for one day and I don't think you're here to talk to me about my philosophy on Army life, is it?"

"No it isn't, I need your help. I don't know when but some time ago the Colonel had to have had a couple trucks loaded up with something very large. I need to know if you remember anything about that and in particular where they took their cargo to. It probably was done at night and in secret. But I know bases like this it's hard to keep a secret."

"Yeah, you can say that again. I do remember something about that it was all hush-hush... about three or four days ago. I was told to prepare two big trucks and make sure they were all gassed up and ready to go. I thought it was kind of odd because I looked at the checkout log the next day and there was nothing about the trucks being taken out. I thought it was funny and a little concerned. I was the one who signed for the diesel they filled them up with so I went to ask my sergeant and he told me to mind my own business."

"Thanks, it sounds like I need to talk with this sergeant and see what he can tell me. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Yes but he isn't going to tell you much. He's in the morgue with the other guys who followed the crazy Colonel in the tunnel. I don't know what they were thinking."

"So I'm back to where I started from square one," said Banai as he started to walk away. He just wasn't getting anywhere and he knew time was running out for him.

"Hold up where are you going?" said the private. "I didn't say I was done. Remember I told you I gassed them up and when I did I wrote down their mileage. So when the sergeant told me to mind my own business I did a little cover my sixs," he said as he pulled out a small notebook from his shirt pocket. "This is the beginning mileage and this is the mileage they had on them when they came back in..."

"So if I subtract the one from the other I'll know how far they went then I just have to draw a circle from here and look for someplace on the outside of the circle. You know that was pretty smart thinking. I'll make sure you get mentioned in my report and the credit you deserve."

"Just make sure I don't get promoted. I wouldn't know what to do with it."