Don't own Chuck
Chuck was taken around the island to what looked like a cavern accessible by the sea. The launch proceeded inside then tied up to a landing and they all disembarked. Getting out of the boat Chuck was struck by a chill from a sudden temperature drop then he heard the plop, plop of water that was seeping through the overhead falling in sea. As they got out of the boat Chuck looked around and flashed. He had to steady himself by placing his hand on the wall.
"Yes, that is man-made, a retaining wall to prevent the cave from collapsing when they enlarged it..."
"I'm guessing world war two... built by the Nazis when they occupied Bulgaria. This was probably supposed to house a couple of U-boats to attack relief convoys heading for Russia."
"Very good, but we've had to enlarge it even more for our purposes. But I've come to think of it as home. You're looking at the only entrance and exit if you're thinking about escaping. This way please," said Abu.
"What a perfect home for a sewer rat," thought Chuck as he followed Abu down a passageway carved into the stone. He could see the chisel marks let in the stone.
"You have to admire this handiwork," said Abu as he ran his hand over the wall. "I haven't seen anything like this since I visited Derinkuyu in Cappadocia."
"You're talking about the underground city in Turkey. I've heard about it but I've never visited it yet. Is it all they say it is?"
"And more... houses, shops, churches carved out of volcanic stone. It's much the same as us... that is my people hiding in the dark but soon all that will change. Now come along Ettore I see what you've gotten done. You've had people busy I can see that laying this cable."
"Yes all that conduit is new. I had a little trouble with the workers but nothing I couldn't handle. The job got done and we'll be ready as soon as the people back on the pier radio that they've connected the cable to the ship..."
"So back there isn't the only exit," said Chuck to himself. "I didn't see any conduit or cables running back there so you they had to made another exit to pass the cables which made sense. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Running the cable back through the mouth of the cave would've required a lot more cable and a booster station somewhere along the line." Chuck began to lag behind as he was thinking.
"Chuck, will you keep up," said Abu. "I can see the cogs turning in your head. If you keep up, I'll show you what you're thinking about."
"You will... I can hardly wait so what are we standing around for let's press on," said Chuck. "Please lead the way." Chuck was wondering what it was that Abu wanted him to see but he was afraid he knew.
As they made their way through the tunnel passageway they passed workers and for every group of workers there seemed to be an armed guard or someone who was supervising the operation. He started listening to bits and pieces of conversation he heard as they made their way then he realized what was going on. He was about to say something when they suddenly stopped in front of a door.
"We're here," said Abu. "Chuck come inside and have a look around. I want your opinion what do you think." Chuck followed Abu into the room Chuck was without words. He was in an intersect room like the one his father had helped to build and the one he'd helped destroy that almost destroyed him and Sarah.
"So I'm waiting Chuck does this look familiar?" said Abu. "Tell me if I have this right all I have to do is place my hand on this scanner and presto I receive a download directly to my brain," he said as he went near to pedestal.
"No stop, you don't want to do that. If you activate that everyone in the room will receive the download. Listen not every brain can handle that much data. Where did you get this?"
"That's good to know, thank you. Where did I get this? Well you really need to ask Ettore about that. He's our procurement guy."
"This is the intersect the Ring put together. It was dismantled and put into storage unit before they became defunct. I tracked down the last keeper of the key and persuaded him to hand it over. It's amazing how cooperative people become when you threaten to toss them out of a helicopter."
"You can't use this. I'm telling you it's flawed. Okay you want me to put your missile together I will you just have to dismantle this thing and I will do it for you."
"No, you will assemble our missile anyway. I might have missed your wife in Batumi but I've got a wet team sitting in your casino hotel in Montenegro. One word from me and... well we don't want to go there."
"No we don't if you know what's good for you. Abu this is my last warning don't use this machine or you'll regret it."
"Take him away he's starting to sound like a broken record. I want him fed then it's straight to bed. As soon as the containers arrive you'll be busy so you need to get your rest now. I would join you but I have to check in and find out how things are going."
"You should really check on Abram," said Chuck as he was being pushed out. "I don't think anyone has heard from him in a while. Maybe he's had a change of heart."
"I intend to check on him as well as my team in Montenegro. Those are the people you should keep in mind when you're working on my missile. You've got a lot riding on the tables there."
"One moment," said Chuck as he shook off his guards. "So do you have the warhead here? I'm going to need to examine the couplers to make sure I can attach it to the missile and make it work. If not, I'm going to need to adapt something. But surely you've thought of that."
"We'll arrange something. Now go and eat while your food is hot," said Abu. He waited for Chuck to be led out then turned to Ettore. "Tell me you did think about that."
"Well I had an idea but I couldn't do anything about it until I had both together," he said but he kept looking over at the pedestal and the forbidden fruit. "If what Chuck said is true you realize we both could test the intersect together. What I'm saying is I'm game if you are? Just say the word."
"You aren't in the least bit concerned about what he said might happen?" asked Abu as he looked over at the pedestal too.
"No not at all I think he was bluffing... not wanting us to use it but there's only one way to find out," said Ettore as they moved over closer to it.
"I was thinking the same thing. This was one of his CIA tricks trying to get into head to make us scared but we're not, are we?" Ettore shook his head. "Okay I want everyone out of the room. Ettore, let's go for it."
Chuck was being led down one of the passageways. He hadn't gone very far when the lights started to flicker. There was a massive power drain then lights went out and the emergency lighting kicked in.
"Crap, they didn't listen to me. Now what am I going to do. I'm going to have two people like me to fight but they don't know everything I do."
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Sarah and Morgan were in the control room monitoring what was going on outside their panic room. Search parties had passed them more than once looking for Morgan. One even stopped but after examining the hatch they gave up. They must've figured it was impossible to open so they moved on looking elsewhere.
"What's going on here," said Morgan as they looked at what was going on in engineering control room. "It looks like something has got them jumping."
"You're right Morgan. Maybe we can get a better idea if we zoom in on their instrument panel," said Sarah as she worked the controls. "Whatever they're doing it's taking a lot of energy. Just look at those indicators."
"I've got an idea," said Morgan as he smiled. "Do you have complete control of their ship… and does that include the energy output?"
"I think I know where you're going to with this and the answer is yes. Okay let's have another ConEdison incident."
"Ho, ho, ho Merry Christmas," said Morgan as Sarah gave him a look. "What I'm getting in the mood."
[Meanwhile in Engineering]
"Okay we're producing what they asked for," said the Machinist on watch. "Yell down to the plant and tell them to keep it coming until we tell them otherwise." The other man on watch relayed the message while the Machinist monitored the gauges. Suddenly all the needles started to drop.
"What the heck… did you relay my message about maintaining our output? Everything is dropping. Call down and see if they took the plant of line and if they did who authorized it. Never mind that tell them we need to restore power now or they'll be taking a long walk off a short pier. These people don't tolerate screw ups."
"I've got them screaming in my ear asking me what we did. They say they haven't got a clue as to what's going on. They just lost power and don't know where it went. What the heck's going on?"
"I don't know it's got to have gone somewhere. Wait a minute it's coming back the needles are rising… No, no, no, yell down to the power plant too much, too fast," yelled the Machinist but it was too late to do anything.
"They say they don't know what's going on. It's like the plant has a mind of its own and they can't control it."
"Tell them to cut the power... I don't care if they have to take an axe to the cables in order to cut the connection. They need to do something," yelled the man with his hands in his hair put the damage was done.
"Geez, I wonder what kind of damage that power surge did," said the other guy on the horn with power plant. "Hey where are you going?" The Machinist was heading for the hatch.
"If I were you I'd be coming with me or do you want to end up like our radioman and become fish food?"
"I'm with you but how are we going to get off this rock? Have you thought about that? We need a boat or something... a plan."
"For now let's just worry about getting off this ship. Leave everything behind and trash your phone if you don't want to get us caught."
[Back in the Intersect Room]
There was a small fire burning as lab assistants ran in to try to save what was savable but electrical panels were arching and sparking. There were flames shooting out of the consoles and the pedestal with the hand scanner was drooping to one side as it was going into critical melt down. Ettore and Abu had to be carried out but they soon recovered in the passageway outside.
"What happened? Where am I," said Ettore as he looked at his hands then touched his face. "I'm still alive. Abu, how are you?"
"What? How'd we get out here what's going on," he said as he fought to get up over the wishes of the medic standing over them. "Out of my way," he barked then delivered a spin back kick sending the man flying. "I know Kung Fu."
"And he won't be giving any house calls for a long time," said Ettore as they open the door to the intersect room but they couldn't go in. It was a raging inferno inside with men fighting the flames.
"I thought you said this was ready," said Abu. He locked hands with Ettore and went through a set of Tai chi pushing hands.
"Wow I know Kung Fu too... but the machine was ready if it wasn't I wouldn't have suggested we use it. There has to be another reason. Hey you come here," yelled Ettore to one of his techs that he recognized from helping him build the intersect that was running by. "Can you tell us what happened?"
"We're not sure but at one point it seemed we were losing power but both of you were in the matrix so we couldn't shut it down. Then all of sudden we received a huge surge that over loading all the circuits. The whole thing is fried now and this fire is cherry on the cake. I'm sorry but it's all gone."
"When you say all gone does that mean everything? Everything as in everything... nothing is salvageable not even the download."
"Nothing is left I'm afraid," said the man. He saw Adu reaching inside his jacket and suddenly he realized he was pointing the finger back at himself. "But this wasn't our fault. I was monitoring the equipment and everything was functioning within the norm. No, the surge came from the ship. I don't know what they were thinking. This reminds me of an incident I heard about that happened a few years back in Southern California with ConEdison. It left half the state in the dark."
"I want to know who on the ship was responsible and I want to see them in private. Maybe they can explain to me what the heck went on before I put a bullet in their head."
"It's easy," said Ettore as he flashed. Then he started explain how the power plant produced the electricity that was then used to power the intersect. "... see it's easy." Abu and the tech looked at Ettore strangely.
"Where did you learn all that," asked Abu. "But you're right that exactly how it works," he said then he flashed steadying himself on the tech. "Wow was that a rush. Don't you see Ettore these bursts of knowledge and abilities we have now they all came from the intersect. This is what Chuck didn't want us to have. We've got the power now and that's what he didn't want us to have. He lied to us."
"Yes he did and you know what I think we can build this missile on our own. We don't need Chuck's help anymore. I vote we get rid of him immediately."
"It certainly does seem that would be the smart play at this point," said Abu as he rubbed his chin thinking. "I've got an idea. Let's go ask him and at the end of our conversation we just might opt him out."
"Now you're speaking my language," said Ettore smiling. He was about to get even with Chuck and that made him want to sing he was so happy but instead he whistled and hum as they set off down the passageway to find Chuck.
"You know Ettore humming 'Whistle while you work' is kind of ironic coming from you."
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Casey, Banai and the Seal team made it down the hill side to the seashore. On the shoreline was a boathouse they intended to spend the rest of the day in then as soon as the sun went down they'd make it around the bay to the fishing boats and grab one. However, when they arrived at the boathouse they heard a noise coming from inside and not knowing if it was an enemy warning the rest of their presence they had to act. Casey couldn't let that happen so he kicked the door in then charged inside only to be greeted by the barrel of a Mauser kurz, a bolt action 7.92x57 but what was strange was there was a kid on the other end with his finger on the trigger.
"Hold up there for a moment kid put your weapon down," said Casey as he put his hands up in the air. Everyone else piled it after him and they pointed their weapons at the boy. "Everyone just take a deep breath. I've got this and there's no need for anyone to get hurt," said John as he sat his Sig slowly on the floor of the boathouse then kicked it away.
"Now put your weapon down," said John. "That's a mighty fine piece you've got there. It looks like you really take good care of it. As a matter of fact, it looks better than some I've seen in museums. Kriegsmodell Karabiner 98k circa 1940s. Something probably left behind by the Germans or... no taken by a relative as a war trophy." But still nothing, it was like the boy didn't understand him or pretended not to understand him.
"Let me try," said Banai as the started trying to speak Bulgarian to the boy. First he asked him his name then he told him to put down his weapon that no one wanted to hurt him.
"You're lying like the rest of your kind who came here," said the boy in English. "You people came here and took the men... my father. Now you want to take me but I'm not going anywhere without a fight."
"What do you mean they took your father," said Banai. "My people... you mean people like me who speak like me? When did they come and what did they do to your people?"
"Don't pretend you don't know. You just want me to put this down so you can grab me and put me to work for you like you did with all the other men on the island building you tunnels like the snakes you are."
"Forced labor... that's how Abu is getting his missile silo built by using slave labor. He's doing what the Nazis did back in the war. Whatever he's up to he has to be stopped."
"You're telling me brother but right now we have a more impending problem and that's Joe who's on the other end of this museum piece."
"My name isn't Joe it's Grigor and if you're not with the men who came here then who are you and what do you want?"
"Believe it or not kid we're on your side. We want to get rid of these people too and you know what they say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Look Grigor we can't stand around all day with our hands in our pockets. We've got a job to get done and that is getting into this base and stopping them from launching a missile that's going to hurt a lot of people... people like you on this island so put the museum piece down and let us help you," said John as he held his hand out
Grigor was still apprehensive but he was thinking which gave the Lieutenant time to work his way around behind Grigor. Then just when Grigor looked like he was going to give in Marsh jumped him. However, in the struggle a round went off.
"What the heck did you do that for," said Casey as he pulled the Lieutenant of Grigor. "The kid was going to hand over his weapon."
"I wasn't going to take any chances," said the Lieutenant as he cycled the bolt until the weapon was completely empty. "Here," said March as he handed the kid back the empty weapon. "Sorry kid but I couldn't let this drag out any longer we need to plan our next move and we don't have time to spin our tires with you."
"Maybe the kid can help us," said Banai. He rolled out a map of the island and placed it on the floor. "Okay we're here and the ship out there is here," he said as he laid coins on the spots. "We want to take one of the fishing boats to go to wherever these bad guys are holed up."
"Well you're going to have to find another way to get there because none of motors in the fishing boats work. Those people saw to that when they landed. They took over the island and cut all our contact with the mainland and severed all out lines of communication. There was a repeater here so we could use our mobile phones but they dynamited it..."
"And no one from the mainland has ever come to investigate what's going on here?" said the Lieutenant. "That's kind of hard to believe."
"Not really said Banai. We know these people have their fingers in just about every government. You don't know but they orchestrated a hit on your director inside of Langley and tried to do the same to mine in Tehran. Do not underestimate their reach if you do it could be fatal."
"So Grigor where are these people holed up and how do we get to them," said Casey as he handed the boy a quarter. "They have to be on the other side of the island."
"They're here," said the boy as he placed the quarter. "They have a stronghold inside a cavern that goes out to the sea and that's where they're holding all the men including my father."
"Okay without boats we could repel from the roof top then drop into the sea at the mouth of the cavern and from there we can swim inside."
"That won't work," said the boy. "There's a strong current that comes out of the cave into the sea and if that doesn't take you out into open water the cave is a nesting place for poisonous snakes..."
"You mean venomous not poisonous," said Casey. Everyone looked at him. "What? Poison you have to ingest while venom is injected into you. What? Doesn't everyone know that?"
"That sound like something Chuck would say," said Banai as he smiled at John. Casey growled back at him.
"Okay then we need to find another way inside," said the Lieutenant. But then one of his men called then to the door.