A/N: Here it is: the first of the two penultimate chapters of this story! Hope you enjoy it!
The first thing Sarah Walker felt was pain. Her head was throbbing, worse than any headache, migraine, or hangover she'd ever experienced. She reached up, intending to massage her temples and hopefully alleviate some of the excruciating pain. That was when she discovered she couldn't reach up. Slowly, in spite of the pounding inside her head, Sarah began to get a sense of her current situation. She felt something wrapped around her wrists, which were behind her back. She was sitting in a chair, and her arms were wrapped around the back of it. She opened her eyes, preparing for the pain in her head to increase as her eyes adjusted to light, but everything remained dark. The reason was soon clear as Sarah became aware of something smooth bound over her eyes and wrapped around her head.
A blindfold, she thought to herself.
She had another unpleasant revelation when she tried to moan and barely any noise came out. Something had been tied in her mouth, the ends of which she could feel knotted snugly around the back of her head. As she explored the object with her tongue, she quickly realized there was no chance of working it out of her mouth, as another band of smooth material had been tied tightly over her mouth. It felt like silk but she wasn't certain.
Ok, so blindfolded AND gagged. Someone wants to make sure I'm not going anywhere.
Sarah intentionally struggled a little, which revealed that each of her legs were tied to a leg of the chair, both around her ankles and just below her knees. She was also further secured to the chair around her waist, where a band of what Sarah could tell was rope had been looped around her waist, and around the back of the chair. By tugging on her wrists, Sarah could tell they were connected to the rope around her waist, limiting how far she could raise her wrists, and ensuring she couldn't lift them high enough to free her arms from the back of the chair.
Ok, whoever did this knows what they're doing, she thought. Unless I can loosen a knot somewhere, I'm stuck here.
Sarah now switched her focus from her current predicament, to trying to figure out how she'd ended up as a prisoner in the first place. The last thing she remembered was sitting in Castle with Carina. She frowned. No, that wasn't the last thing she remembered. As the fog in her mind cleared, she remembered leaving Castle, exiting out through Buy More, and walking to her car. After that...
Sarah struggled to remember what had happened next. It slowly came to her. She was just reaching her vehicle when she'd sensed someone coming up behind her. As she'd turned to face the person, she'd been caught off-guard when they suddenly sprayed something in her face. It must have been some kind of paralytic because she recalled losing control of her muscles and collapsing to the ground. Whoever it was then injected a syringe filled with some kind of chemical into her arm, which had quickly rendered her unconscious.
That explains the headache. I've been drugged. So how long have I been out for?
Sarah struggled against her bonds, hoping to loosen her blindfold, in the hope that wherever she was had a window, or maybe even a clock, so she could get a sense of the current time. But the blindfold wouldn't budge, and none of the other bindings had loosened at all either. She remained firmly secured to the chair. Sarah sagged, feeling defeated, at least for the moment. She wondered who her abductor was. A chilling thought then entered her mind. Had Shaw somehow escaped and captured her again? Sarah felt a wave of panic.
"I see you're awake. Good."
Sarah was actually relieved to hear a woman's voice. She had almost expected to hear Shaw's deep unnerving tone. Then she sat up suddenly, realizing she recognized the woman's voice.
She felt her blindfold being untied, and as it was pulled away from her face, Sarah had to squint her eyes and blink as they adjusted to the light. Her headache, which had slowly been improving, flared back up, causing a moan to escape her lips. Once she adjusted to being able to see again, she looked up. Staring at her, a smug look on her face, was Jill Roberts.
"Surprised?" Jill asked, a taunting tone in her voice. "I bet you're wondering what you're doing here. You actually have a very important part to play Sarah."
Sarah didn't react, she just looked at Jill, trying to look as emotionless as possible.
"You might be shocked to hear this, but Daniel Shaw is dead. How do you feel about that? No wait, don't answer. Not that you can say anything anyway" Jill said with a smirk, running a finger across Sarah's gagged mouth.
Sarah did her best to look stoic, but inside she was stunned. Is Shaw really dead? she wondered. Or is Jill just trying to mess with me?
Jill was clearly enjoying herself. The arrogant, condescending smile on her face was proof of that. She eagerly continued her one-way conversation.
"I shot him myself. Thanks to the Overseer, I was able to hack into your computer and get your access codes and schematics for your base of operations. After I grabbed you and stored you safely in my car, I broke in. I made my way to his cell and shot him right between the eyes. Added one to the chest for good measure. Killing the guards was no problem either. No one was expecting a break-in, and the Overseer was able to take out your cameras so no one saw me coming or going. I will admit that your friend, the red-head, nearly messed everything up. She spotted me as I was making my way to the cells. Fortunately, I was able to get her out of the way with a nice knife slash right up her leg, using one of your own knives. UN-fortunately, she still managed to follow me to the cells, so I had to shoot her too. Think of it as a trade-off. You lost a friend but you also lost an enemy. Oh, but that's not even the best part Sarah darling. The Overseer is good at what he does. Really good. He discovered a second isolated network of cameras had been installed that he couldn't deactivate, so we came up with a fun plan. I wore a ski mask the entire time I was there, right up until it was time for me to go out the emergency exit. If it went the way we planned, your remaining friends, even your husband, probably think you're the one who killed Daniel Shaw. Right before I went out the door, I took the mask off. One of those isolated cameras was facing the exit. Based on where it was placed, I revealed only my backside, and the back of my head. You see I was wearing a customized wig. It was customized to perfectly match your hair, both the color and style. When they go back and check the footage, they'll have no choice but to believe you lost your mind, killed Daniel, and made a break for it. It's perfectly logical given the trauma you've gone through, both with your mind, and with Daniel. It'll throw them all off their game. Sure, eventually they'll probably figure it out, but by then it won't matter. The Overseer will have completed his plan, and you'll either be dead, or working for him."
Sarah was aghast. She felt tears trickling down her face. Carina's dead? Does everyone I care about actually think I'm a murderer? Oh God, Chuck. Please don't believe it. You've been through so much already... It was overwhelming. She could only hope Jill was lying, trying to upset her. But deep in her gut, Sarah had the awful feeling that everything Jill had said was true. She barely noticed Jill pick up the blindfold, and didn't react at all as Jill firmly tied it back over her eyes.
"I think that's enough for now" she heard Jill say. "I'll leave you alone with your thoughts. I look forward to our next chat. I'll be telling you exactly what the Overseer has planned for you."
Sarah found herself actually grateful for the blindfold. It kept Jill from being able to see her tears. As she felt a needle prick her arm, followed by a sudden uncontrollable drowsiness, she found herself clinging to one thought as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Find me Chuck.
Chuck was facing a storm of emotions. He was scared and worried because he had no idea where Sarah was, and was still wrestling with the possibility she might have killed Shaw. He was angry, because Jill had escaped, and he wondered if she'd bailed on them. He was also anxious, because he was going to be meeting the Overseer soon. The other emotion he was dealing with was frustration. He was frustrated because Carina was in a hospital and there was nothing he could do to help her, and he was frustrated because he didn't want to face the Overseer alone without some sort of plan, or at least a fully functional Intersect. Given the Overseer's ability to somehow remain a step ahead of everyone, Chuck couldn't come up with a plan that he felt confident would elude detection by the Overseer, and he didn't know what would happen if he defied the instructions he was given. He had a feeling he didn't want to find out.
Chuck slammed his suitcase shut. He was meeting the Overseer in less than 36 hours now, at what appeared to be an office building, located in northern Virginia. He had packed clothes for several days, not knowing how long he was expected to stay. He wanted to get all of the packing out of the way so he could have almost a full day to try to come up with some kind of plan. He picked up his phone and speed dialed Sarah's number again. Maddeningly, it went straight to her voicemail, just as it had been doing ever since Shaw had been killed. Chuck's stomach felt like it was in knots.
I can't lose her, not again he thought to himself.
Suddenly Chuck was struck with an idea. It seemed improbable, but if Sarah was somehow caught up in Shaw's murder, she wouldn't just abandon him. She'd go somewhere he could find her. Somewhere no one else would think to look. Chuck practically sprinted to his car, grabbing his keys as he went out the door.
Chuck didn't want to get pulled over by police, but as he drove out of his spot and on to the roads of Burbank, he pushed his vehicle's speed to the limit of what he felt he could get away with. He chanced driving even faster when he hit areas where he was certain there would be no police running radar. After what seemed like twice the driving time it normally took, but was in fact actually a new record based on his car's clock, Chuck arrived at his destination. He jumped out almost before he'd come to a full stop, and ran up onto the beach he'd come to know so well. He was flooded with a mix of emotions as he scanned the beach with his eyes, looking for Sarah. He felt a lump in his throat as looked at the exact spot where Sarah had failed to recover her memories, and announced she was leaving Burbank. He thought back further, remembering the first time they'd been on that beach, when she had told him to trust her.
Chuck had been planning to call out her name, hoping she would appear and explain what had happened. But that memory of their first conversation here was having a powerful effect on him. Chuck suddenly felt like slapping himself for being such a fool. Sarah wasn't here, she hadn't snapped mentally, and she certainly hadn't killed Shaw.
Trust me Chuck. He heard her voice in his mind, but it was as if she were speaking to him again, now. She hadn't just wanted him to trust her that one time, or simply to trust her as his handler, she meant he could always trust her. But here he was, expecting to find her hiding out, allowing himself to doubt her innocence. Chuck didn't know what was going on, but he knew one thing: he trusted Sarah. He pulled out his phone and hit the button to call her again. Up until now, he hadn't left any messages. He had been hoping she would pick up and explain things. He hadn't wanted to leave a message. Now, as the phone call immediately went to her voicemail once again, he stayed on the line, hand slightly shaking. Sarah's voicemail message played, and he took a deep breath just before the beep.
"Sarah, it's Chuck. I don't know where you are right now, and I'm worried about you, but I wanted you to know I trust you. I don't know if you even know about Shaw's death or not, but it doesn't matter. People think it might have been you that killed him. I know it wasn't. I'm sorry it took me this long to get my head on straight, I know I should've never let myself doubt you. I don't know why you haven't contacted me, or why your phone seems to be off. I don't know, maybe you're mad at me for not leaving you a message sooner, or were worried I wouldn't believe you or something, but please, please get in touch with me as soon as you can. Let me know you're okay. Okay, I guess that's...that's all. I love you Sarah. More than I can ever say."
Chuck felt himself choking up as he ended the call. He truly hoped Sarah was just in hiding, that she'd somehow found out she was being framed for murder. If she was checking her messages, he hoped she'd listen to his soon and call him, or even better, show up in person. On the other hand, there was a chance that something had happened to her. Up until now Chuck hadn't considered that possibility. Sarah knew how to take care of herself, but if she'd run into whoever had broken into Castle...
Chuck suddenly felt his blood run cold. Sarah had been with Carina at Castle not long before the attack. Almost as if reading his mind, his phone rang. It was Casey.
"Chuck, I don't care where you are or what you're doing right now, get to the Buy More. There's something you need to see."
"I'm glad you called me."
"Well, the way I see it, you're far enough off the radar that you'd be able to help me if I need backup."
"You know you can always count on me."
She hung up the phone, a determined look on her face, and went to her closet to grab supplies, and her trusty 9mm Berretta.
Chuck had to fight every urge to keep from running full speed into the Buy More. Whatever Casey needed to show him, it sounded serious. At least his mind was clearer now. He had been so worked up after seeing the footage of the shooter, that he hadn't been able to think straight since. But that moment of clarity on the beach had worked wonders, and the mind of Chuck Bartowski had been hard at work on the drive to the Buy More, coming up with a plan for the Overseer. A big part of that plan was that he had decided not to rush off to Virginia. Playing the Overseer's game on his terms would likely not end well. Chuck wanted to take some control back. He would wait an extra day or two and go when he was ready, on his schedule. He wanted to see what the Overseer would do when he didn't show up at the assigned time. He was gambling that the Overseer wouldn't risk ruining whatever he'd planned by disappearing. As for the threat in the note, Chuck hoped the Overseer would either be forced to reveal more about it, or have it exposed as a bluff. Either way, he was hoping the Overseer would tip his hand, just a little. It was a calculated risk, but now that he was thinking more clearly, Chuck saw that he'd been playing almost all defense, waiting on the Overseer to make the moves. It was time to make a move of his own.
Casey was waiting for Chuck in the Buy More security office. The look on his face was grave. Gertrude was sitting in front of the computer that accessed and controlled the store's security cameras. Morgan was there as well, and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone. Almost as soon as Chuck entered the office, Casey cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.
"Chuck, I'm not gonna beat around the bush here. We have good news and bad news."
Chuck glanced at Morgan, hoping for some clue as to what Casey was about to say, but Morgan just stared at the floor.
"Good news is Walker didn't kill Shaw."
"I knew that already" Chuck replied calmly.
"How?" Gertrude asked, looking up from the computer in surprise.
Chuck shrugged.
"I know Sarah. I trust her. The question is, how did you find out it wasn't her?"
"The answer to that brings us to the bad news" Casey responded. He nodded towards the computer monitor. "Play it."
Gertrude turned her attention back to the computer and clicked a few keys. As Chuck watched, one of the exterior cameras that faced the parking lots was pulled up. As the recorded footage was played, he was mildly surprised to see Sarah, who was walking towards all the parked cars. The time stamp showed the footage was taken several hours before the attack on Castle. As Chuck continued to watch, Sarah walked around a large U-Haul vehicle, which blocked her from the camera's view. A few moments later, a figure dressed in black darted from a hiding spot between two cars that were parked one row over, disappearing behind the same truck. Neither Sarah, nor the mysterious person in black reappeared. About two minutes later, Sarah's car could be seen backing up out of the parking space next to the U-Haul. The giant vehicle had blocked everything that had happened.
Chuck shrugged in confusion, not sure what he was supposed to make of what he'd seen. Casey nodded to Gertrude, who digitally zoomed in on the car as it drove towards the camera. The picture became grainy the more Gertrude zoomed in, but it was still clear enough that Chuck gasped at what he saw. Sarah was clearly not the one driving the car. As the car turned at the end of the row, just before it exited the camera's view, the image showed someone lying in the back seat. The grainy picture might not have been clear enough for a random person to tell who the person in the back seat was, but everyone in that room could tell it was definitely Sarah Walker.
"We found Walker's car abandoned about five miles east of here" Casey stated, as Gertrude closed the recording and restored the live view from all of the store cameras.
Chuck shook his head in disbelief as Casey continued.
"There wasn't much evidence left in the car, but we found a few synthetic blonde hair fibers, clearly from a wig. We also found this."
Casey tossed what looked like a small perfume bottle to Chuck.
"I wouldn't smell that if I were you. We had it tested. It's a paralytic agent. Spray that in someone's face and they'll drop like a stone. We found one other item as well. It was an empty syringe with the needle still attached. I disposed of it as a safety precaution after testing. We found traces of one of the most powerful sedatives available on the black market. We also checked the entire thing for any DNA. The only DNA we found was at the end of the needle where it had penetrated into the victim's skin. The DNA was Sarah's."
Chuck's mind was reeling. Casey finished by stating exactly what Chuck was dreading to hear.
"Sarah's been kidnapped."
Sarah was jerked awake by a sudden stinging pain. At first, she was disoriented and instinctively tried to jump to her feet. When her body failed to move, her mind quickly caught up to her current situation. She was still secured to the chair, and after a moment, she realized her cheek hurt. She'd been woken up by someone slapping her across the face. As her blindfold was untied, Sarah already knew who had done it.
"Morning sleepyhead" Jill said, an icy tone in her voice. "Today is going to be a big day for you, and a fun one for me."
As if to enunciate her point, Jill grabbed a fistful of Sarah's hair and pulled hard. Sarah grunted into her gag from the pain, but otherwise didn't react.
I can handle pain, she thought to herself. If Jill's hoping to get me to react, that bitch is gonna be pretty disappointed.
Jill circled Sarah, eyeing her like a predator stalking its prey. She stopped directly behind Sarah, and after a moment Sarah felt the knots holding her stifling gag in place being loosened. As soon as her mouth was free, Sarah realized how dry it had gotten as she almost instantly started coughing uncontrollably after taking a breath. Eventually she got her coughing under control, but she was still left with a very dry mouth, and she wasn't about to give Jill the satisfaction of hearing her ask for some water.
"What do you want with me?" Sarah asked, her voice raspy.
Speaking gave her another urge to cough, but Sarah fought it off, determined not to look weak.
Jill smiled, but it was a cold smile. Malicious, even.
"The first thing I want is for you to tell me if the Intersect inside your husband's head has been acting differently lately."
Sarah gaped and Jill didn't miss a beat.
"Oh yes, that's right, I know about Chuck's secret."
"How long have you..." Sarah's question was cut off as Jill backhanded her across the face, knocking her head sideways. Sarah didn't make a sound, she just turned to face Jill again.
"I'm the one asking questions here!" Jill shouted. "You say nothing unless you're answering me!" Her voice lowered a bit. "The sooner you realize I'm in control here the better. The more you fight me, the more painful I will make this for you. I may not be allowed to kill you Sarah, but I can make you wish you were dead. So, I suggest you answer my questions, and do EXACTLY what I tell you to do. Am I making myself clear?"
"I'm sorry, I only answer questions provided in written form, and all responses will take 7 to 10 business days to arrive."
That remark earned Sarah another backhand across the face.
"No games" Jill spat. "Have you noticed any changes in your husbands Intersect or his abilities in the last few days?"
"Yeah" Sarah replied, a smug look on her face now. "His ability to give me an orgasm is off the charts."
The look of rage on Jill's face actually caused Sarah to smile. She continued smiling despite getting the strongest backhand Jill could manage. Sarah tasted blood, and could feel where her lip had been cut. Nevertheless, she continued to goad Jill further.
"What's the matter, Jill? Can't handle a little anger? Or just the fact Chuck wants me and not you?"
"Alright Sarah" Jill seethed. "You wanna keep playing around? I'll go get some toys."
Chuck sat in Morgan's office, his face covered by his hands. Morgan sat behind his desk, looking sullen. For a long time, there was only silence. Finally, Morgan spoke.
"This is all my fault" he muttered dejectedly.
Chuck removed his hands from his face as his eyebrows rose in surprise.
"What's your fault?"
"Sarah. She was taken from right outside the store, right out there" he said, gesturing in the direction of the parking lot. "I was sitting right here the whole time."
"Buddy, unless you developed x-ray vision without telling me, there's absolutely no way you could've known what was going on."
"She was right outside, Chuck! If I'd been looking at the cameras, or even just looking out the front of the store I could've stopped it."
"Or been grabbed as well, or worse" Chuck responded. "Besides, how often do you look at the cameras or stare out at the parking lot anyway?"
"Not enough, apparently"
"Morgan, it's not your fault."
"Then whose fault is it, Sarah's?"
"It's no one's fault except the person who kidnapped her" Chuck answered, his voice suddenly sharp. "I've been beating myself up for not trusting her, it's not going to help anything if you start moping around too."
"So what exactly are we supposed to do then?
"We find her."
Sarah tried to hold back the scream that exploded out of her mouth, but the pain was too much. Jill had ramped up her techniques. She had attached several electrodes to Sarah's arms, chest, back, and legs, after drugging her to make the process easier. They were all wired into a device that Jill was holding. With the press of different buttons, Jill could send a direct non-lethal electric shock to different parts of Sarah's body, or send a stimulating pulse to her spine that caused Sarah to feel like parts of her body had been set on fire, simulated the pain of a broken bone, or made Sarah feel like she was being stung by a swarm of bees simultaneously all over her body. Each sensation was designed to be unique enough that Sarah couldn't brace herself against the pain.
"FULCRUM might be gone, but I managed to hang on to a few of their creations. This one was always one of my favorites. I'm sure you can tell why" Jill gloated, pressing a button and sending Sarah into a fresh wave of agony. "I told you I had no tolerance for games. Now it's time for you to talk."
"I'm not telling y-AAAAAHHHHHHH!" Sarah's response turned into another scream of pain as Jill pressed another button."
"You'd be amazed at all the ways agents have succumbed to this device, even those specifically trained to resist torture and interrogation. It's your choice Sarah. You can endure wave after wave of excruciating pain until you're literally begging for the sweet release of death, or you can tell me what I want to know."
Sarah was sweating now, and trembling slightly from the torment she had endured. Before she could respond, she heard a beeping sound. Whatever it was, it immediately attracted all of Jill's attention.
"I'll be right back" Jill said threateningly, giving Sarah a menacing look.
With Jill out of the room, Sarah finally had a chance to survey her surroundings. The room wasn't particularly big, roughly the size of two car garage. The chair she was tied to was almost in the center of the room. There were no windows, the walls were bare, and the only exit was the door Jill had gone through. The room was lit by several recessed lights in the tiled ceiling. There were no clues to tell Sarah where she was. The only other furniture in the room was a table, which was covered with various items Jill had brought in. Sarah saw several filled syringes, extra rope, some silky cloth that had been used to blindfold and gag her, an empty sheath for a small knife, a few bottles of water, some snacks, and a couple of ammo clips for a handgun. But what really caught Sarah's attention was the controller for the torture device Jill was using. For a moment, Sarah thought she might be able to get her hands on it, but a few seconds of struggling revealed she couldn't budge the chair she was in. It was either too heavy for her because of how she was tied, or else it was bolted to the floor.
Sarah's eyes began to fill with tears. She missed Chuck so much it hurt. The thought of possibly never seeing him again was too much, and Sarah couldn't stop the sobs from coming out. She was tired, frustrated, angry, lonely, and in pain. She didn't want to let Jill get the best of her, but her strength was failing. Sarah honestly didn't know how much more she could take.
After a few minutes, Sarah heard the sound of Jill returning. She did her best to hide the fact she'd been crying, and mentally prepared herself to face Jill again.
"Miss me?" Jill asked sarcastically as she entered the room. Sarah didn't answer, she just stared back blankly.
Jill had a device in her hands that looked like either a small tablet or a large phone.
"You're in luck Sarah. You get a reprieve. Your husband apparently decided to ignore some instructions the Overseer sent him, so you get to make your big debut as a bargaining chip. This device I have was just sent to me by the Overseer himself. It's quite ingenious. It's essentially a viewscreen with a built-in camera, but it has a slot for a special wireless chip that the Overseer alone knows how to connect to. Your husband should be getting one of his own shortly, and then we are gonna have a little conference call. The Overseer will be the one making the call, but we won't see him. He'll be connected by audio only, and he's going to be using a modulator to disguise how his voice sounds. Oh, and the wireless chip? It's designed to automatically fry itself as soon as the connection is severed. Any time a new call needs to be made, the Overseer will send a new chip. So, unfortunately for you, if your husband or anyone else tries, they won't be able to trace the call. So now all we have to do is wait for the device to activate. Should be within the hour. Until then, I've been instructed to give you some water and something to eat. We want you presentable for the big show."
Chuck glanced at his watch. He was supposed to be on the other side of the country, meeting with the Overseer, in less than an hour. Instead, he was sitting in his living room, working on his laptop. He'd been trying to find any leads as to the whereabouts of Jill or Sarah. So far, he'd tried tracing the license plate number of the car that had been used in Sarah's abduction, which the camera had gotten a decent image of. The plates were California plates but the license plate number was not actively registered. He'd tried all 50 states plus DC but it wasn't an active number in any state. After that dead-end, Chuck had tried tracing Sarah's various forms of identification like her driver's license and passport, bank accounts, credit cards, even her cell phone, but there was no activity on any of her accounts, her IDs hadn't been used, and her phone was still off. Based on the information Chuck was able to get access to, the last time it had been on was approximately the time she'd been taken, and it had been in the Buy More parking lot. Chuck had then tried what he knew was a longshot, looking up Jill Roberts, but as he had expected, it proved to be another dead-end.
Frustrated, Chuck slammed his laptop closed. He knew there were other things he could try, like looking up information on aliases Sarah had used in the past, but there were so many years of her life that he only knew parts of, so many names he never knew she went by, that it would almost certainly be a waste of time. Chuck wished, as he had several times before, that he knew more about Sarah's early spy life. He bitterly recalled Shaw finding out her real first name, Sam. Chuck hadn't ever followed up on it, so he didn't even know what her last name was. It hadn't bothered him until Shaw had brought it up again when he'd returned. He hadn't told Sarah, but Shaw's goading had sparked some resentment, knowing that Shaw knew something so intimate about Sarah that Chuck didn't. Now it absolutely ate at him.
A knock at the door interrupted Chuck's increasingly bitter thoughts.
"WHAT?" he yelled at the door, surprising himself with how much anger was in his voice.
"Just a package man, sorry if the timing's bad" came the response, partly muffled by the door.
Chuck swore, annoyed at himself for feeling the way he was, especially with Sarah missing. He got up and opened the door, and mumbled an apology to the delivery guy. After signing for the package, Chuck was about to go inside when he froze, recognizing the lack of a return address, and the printed delivery address. It was clearly from the Overseer.
"Hey!" he called out to the delivery guy, who was halfway across the courtyard on the way back to his truck. The guy stopped, and Chuck quickly walked over to him.
"There a problem?" the guy asked, his tone and body language clearly showing he didn't want any trouble.
"Just a question" Chuck assured him. "This is the second time I've gotten a package like this. Do you maybe know how these packages are dropped off? With no return address like this one, do they have to be brought straight to you guys in person?
"Honestly, we don't really care if there's a return address, just means if it's undeliverable, we get to keep it. Could be dropped off at one of our facilities, put in a drop box, or even picked up from the sender's house. Speed and convenience, that's what we do" the delivery guy replied with a shrug.
"Any way to find out exactly how this package was given to you guys for delivery?"
"Nah, they all get processed the same way. Sorry."
Another dead-end Chuck thought to himself.
Chuck began working on the package as he headed back inside, after thanking the delivery guy for his help. This package was a bit heavier than the first one. After carefully opening it, Chuck looked inside to find what looked like an undersized tablet. As soon as he picked it up, it turned on. The screen was dark, but a metallic voice came through clearly from the speaker on the back of the device.
"Greetings Charles Bartowski."
"Uh...hi random disguised voice."
"You know who this is."
"I'm sorry, I'm having trouble remembering. What was your name again?"
"A good try, though rather predictable" the voice responded with a laugh.
"As predictable as hiding behind voice altering technology"
"Good, very good. You have a quick wit. I like that" the voice responded, laughing again.
"Well, it is my first time talking directly to the Overseer, figured I'd try to make a good impression."
"Then you should not have ignored my invitation. Or my warning."
"No offense, but I prefer to set my own schedule. I'd be happy to meet you for coffee any day this week."
"I know you think you're clever, but you're not the one running this show. I am. I think you need a reminder."
As soon as the statement was made, the screen came to life. Chuck was horrified to see Sarah, tied up and looking like she'd been through hell.
"Sarah!" he yelled.
"Chuck!" she called out in response, her voice sounding a bit raspy and weak. "Chuck, Jill's working for the Overseer!"
Sarah was suddenly and viciously slapped by Jill as she entered into the camera's field of vision.
"Don't you DARE touch her, you fucking psychopath!" Chuck exploded in a white-hot rage.
"Temper, temper" came the heavily modulated voice of the Overseer. "I told you, I'm running this show. You want your wife to remain safe? You'd better start following my rules."
Chuck ignored the Overseer and focused his attention on Jill.
"Jill, how could you be working for this guy? After everything I've done for you, and with all our history...why?"
"Don't you dare start questioning me, Chuck. This is on your head. You chose to lie to me about being the Intersect, you lied about making a deal when I helped you infiltrate the FULCRUM training facility, even after I found out about Black Rock and told you about it, and you're the reason I've had to live as a fugitive the last few years! Hell Chuck, you put me in prison once already! Even after all that, I still gave you one last chance when I kissed you, and asked if you had any feelings for me. But you made it clear you were just using me. I literally risked everything for you, multiple times, and all you were interested in was using me to accomplish a mission, or to give you information for your Intersect!" she spat the last word in disgust.
"I think you're forgetting the part where we dated" Chuck replied, annoyed and angry.
"You really do think that little of me, don't you? Sure, we dated for a bit, but you were always undercover with that thing in your head, and it was obvious to everyone that even when you were supposed to be dating me, you really only had eyes for her" she answered, gesturing towards Sarah.
"Well I didn't join any corrupt organizations or evil megalomaniacs after you dumped me at Stanford" Chuck pressed.
"No, you were too busy begging me to take you back, and making a pathetic scene anywhere you went. Oh, and you decided to hide at your sister's house and live with her, and you're still there I might add."
"Hmmm... joining the forces of evil versus wallowing in depression. Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say the two aren't even remotely the same, and one is definitely much worse than the other" Chuck said sarcastically.
"That's enough" the Overseer interrupted. "As entertaining as this is for me, it's not the reason I set up this little call. We are going to reschedule our meeting Mr. Bartowski, and this time you WILL show up, or Ms. Roberts here will be given permission to make you a widower."
"You've made your point, now let Sarah go. I'll go wherever you want, whenever you want me to, you don't need her."
"Oh, I think I do. It's always good to have insurance. Not to mention it'll be a nice incentive for you to cooperate when we meet. But I will do you one favor, because I find you quite amusing, and I find I enjoy your quick wit. You can forget about going to Virginia, I cleaned out that location when I knew you weren't coming. Instead, we will meet somewhere a little more meaningful. I think the former Buy More corporate headquarters office building in San Diego will work out nicely. It's been vacant for over a year now since they relocated. You won't even have to leave the state! No need to thank me, just meet me there in three days. Let's say 4pm sharp? Oh, and Ms. Roberts, I will arrange a time and location for you to meet me so we can all be there together for the big show. This is exciting! So get excited!"
"Excited. Right." Chuck responded without enthusiasm.
"Sounds like a plan sir" Jill added.
Chuck could sense the call was about to come to an end, so he decided to take advantage of the moment.
"Sarah are you okay?" he asked quickly.
Sarah looked like she was trying to hold back tears as she responded.
"I'm managing. I'm so sorry I got us into this mess, Chuck. I miss you so much!"
"It's not your fault. Never ever think it's your fault for even one second Sarah. I miss you too. Everything's gonna be okay, I promise."
"Chuck, is Carina dead?"
"No, but she's in the hospital."
"Shaw?"
"He's dead."
"Did you all think I did it?"
"It's complicated, but I can tell you honestly that I trusted you."
"Alright, I think I've been pretty generous, letting you two talk this long" the Overseer interrupted.
"Sarah, I love you so much!" Chuck practically yelled, his voice filled with passion, intensity, and urgency.
"I love you too Ch-"
The video feed stopped, abruptly cutting her off, but the device remained on.
"Now you know what you can lose if you ignore me again" the Overseer said, after a brief silence.
"If anything happens to her, I swear-"
"Before you finish that tired old cliché, let me assure you that your wife will be fine as long as you show up and do as you're told."
"You promise me right now that she won't be harmed. You want cooperation? Well, I want some too."
"You do realize I could promise you anything and still do whatever I want, right?"
"Yeah, but you went to a lot of trouble setting all this up. I don't think you'd risk breaking a promise, because then I'd have no reason to believe anything you tell me, and you'd lose any possibility of cooperation from me."
"You make a good point."
"I'm glad you think so, because I'm gonna make a request to make sure you keep your promise."
"I haven't made you that promise."
"No, but you're going to. So, here's my request. Actually, let's call it a demand. Since we're meeting in three days, I wanna have a conversation with Sarah on each one of those days, to ensure she's alright, and unharmed. I want the conversation to be a video chat, so I can see for myself that she's okay. If I get even a hint of an impression that Sarah is being forced to give me the answers I wanna hear, I'll count that as you breaking your promise. She has to be allowed to speak freely. I also want at least ten minutes of conversation time with her each day."
"Ha! I like that! Quite a bold move to make a demand and dictate the terms from someone in your position! Okay, I'll make you that promise, but I'll give you two minutes each day, not ten."
"Up it to five minutes each day and it's a deal."
"Three minutes. Final offer. Take it before I start to get annoyed and forget the whole thing. It's your wife's safety you're ensuring. Your choice."
"Fine. Three minutes."
"Good, we have an agreement. As for the details, you will receive a package each day with a chip for the device we are talking on right now. Each of these chips, including the one currently installed in your device, are one-time use only. They are designed to essentially self-destruct as soon as the transmission ends. Protection from tracing, I'm sure you understand. Chips will be delivered to where your wife is being held as well. Your calls will start at 1pm exactly. I will initiate the calls, but I will not be on the line with you. I will merely be monitoring. If you miss a time, or are late, it will not be rescheduled, and lost time will not be made up. If there is a problem on your wife's end, I will handle it, and send updated instructions to your device, including a rescheduled time, if necessary. You won't lose time in that situation. When I make a promise, I honor it. Goodbye Charles, I'll see you in three days. I'm looking forward to it!"
Chuck let out a deep breath. He was trembling slightly. He was scared for Sarah, furious with Jill, and baffled by the Overseer. Suddenly he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and looked at the screen. It was the text message he'd been waiting for.
You know where to meet me. 20 minutes.
Sarah was relieved to finally be able to walk around. Jill had drugged her again, but when she'd woken up, she found that Jill had untied her, and moved her to another place, or at least another room. In this case, it was a rather large bathroom with a big expensive-looking shower, an equally expensive looking sink, and an immaculately clean toilet. Sarah's first action was to relieve her aching bladder. After that, she spent some time scouring the bathroom for anything she might be able to use as a weapon, but someone, probably Jill, had removed everything already. All that was left in the bathroom were a couple rolls of toilet paper, a bottle of 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, and an unused bar of soap that smelled surprisingly good. Even the toilet tank cover had been removed, and the seat couldn't be taken off without special tools. The pieces connecting it to the toilet were too strong to break the seat off.
After the failed search for a weapon, Sarah examined the bathroom door. It was, predictably, locked, but all of the locks were on the opposite side of the door, and much stronger than normal door locks. It had clearly been designed to keep someone IN rather than OUT. Sarah tried to force it open, but couldn't get it to budge, even a little bit. She turned her attention to the ceiling, but there was only a small ventilation fan, far too small for anyone to remove and climb through the space it was in. Further examination revealed the fan itself would be impossible to remove anyway. She was effectively trapped in the bathroom.
Sarah paced in frustration for a bit before deciding to make the best of her situation. She stripped out of her grimy clothes and climbed into the shower. Sarah quickly discovered there was plenty of hot water available, for which she was grateful. The long, warm shower she took felt incredible. The heat soothed her aching muscles and joints, and for the first time since she'd been captured, Sarah didn't feel like she was coated in a layer of sweat and dirt. It was amazing how much the simple sensation of feeling clean boosted her spirits. She refused to leave the shower until she'd massaged every muscle she could reach, and thoroughly washed every part of her body.
When Sarah finally stepped out of the shower, a wave of nausea hit her and she dashed over to the sink, fearing she might vomit. She wondered if Jill was pumping some kind of gaseous drug into the bathroom, but after a few moments the nausea passed.
Probably just a reaction from spending too long in a hot shower, she thought to herself.
After spending a few more seconds by the sink, just in case the nausea returned, Sarah turned her attention to drying herself off. There were plenty of towels, and she made use of several, including wrapping one around her wet hair, and another around her midsection, positioned to cover the areas she wanted only Chuck to see. She looked down at her dirty clothes on the floor and wrinkled her nose.
Ugh. I really hope I don't have to put those back on. Maybe there's some way they could get washed first. I guess I could use the sink to at least rinse them off if I have to.
"Change of clothes incoming" came Jill's voice from the other side of the door, almost as if she'd heard Sarah's thoughts.
To Sarah's surprise, a slot on the door, slightly larger than one that would be used for mail, opened in the middle of the door. It had blended in to the rest of the door so well when it was closed, that she hadn't even noticed it. Some clothes were pushed through, followed by a familiar-looking device, that landed neatly on top of the small pile of clothing.
"If you make it through this, you owe your husband big time" Jill's voice said from the other side of the door. To Sarah, she sounded a bit annoyed.
"Why?" she asked, too curious to stay quiet.
"You may have noticed the quality of your captivity has improved. Your husband made a deal with the Overseer. I'm not allowed to hurt you anymore unless you try to escape, and you get three minutes each day to talk to Chuck on that video device before we all meet in San Diego. The times have been pre-arranged, so when that thing turns on, your three minutes start. You can talk freely, I won't be listening in. Wouldn't want to, anyway. Just make sure you make it clear you aren't being harmed. That's part of the deal. Chuck wants to hear it directly from you. Got it?"
"I got it" Sarah managed to reply, before she choked up with emotion.
Tears sprang to Sarah's eyes, and she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the noise, in case she let out a sob. She was moved beyond words that Chuck had looked out for her like that, and she was overjoyed that she would be able to talk with him, no matter how briefly. She was still trying to get her emotions back under control when the screen lit up, and a second or two later, Chuck's concerned face appeared. The concerned look evaporated into one of happy relief when he saw her.
"Chuck" Sarah choked out, overcome with the joy of seeing her husband, and feeling the tears threatening to spill out again. Chuck must have misunderstood her reaction, because the look of concern that had been on his face quickly returned.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his worried tone matching his expression.
"I'm fine" she replied, her voice steadying. "I'm just so happy to see you."
Chuck visibly relaxed.
"Has Jill been treating you alright?"
"I'm not sure how long it's been since we were on that call with the Overseer, because I was drugged and moved somewhere else, but so far, yeah." Sarah moved the device around so its camera could see the bathroom. "I woke up in here, and just finished taking a shower. It's actually a pretty nice bathroom."
"It's been about four hours actually. I don't know what Jill told you, but our daily calls are scheduled to take place at exactly 1pm. Well, 1pm Pacific time anyway. I'm hoping you're in the same time zone, wherever you are."
"I honestly have no idea what time it is here. I haven't seen a clock, or even a window since I was taken. Sounds like I'll be joining you in San Diego in a few days, though."
"Yeah."
"Chuck, why are you even agreeing to meet this guy at all? You know he's got something planned. And you're vulnerable."
"Sarah, I can't lose you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you if I can help it. If it helps, think of the beach."
"The beach?" Sarah asked with a frown.
"Yeah, you know, our beach. It's a special place for us. It might be comforting to think about."
Still confused, Sarah decided to give Chuck something to think about, knowing he probably needed her love and support right now, as much as she needed his. She removed the towel from her head, allowing her still-damp hair to cascade down her back. Giving Chuck a loving and slightly suggestive smile, she started to remove the towel covering the rest of her.
"Sarah, stop"
"What's wrong?" she asked, even more confused. "I miss you, and I'm sure you miss me too. I know you can't touch me, but I thought you might want to at least see-"
"I do" Chuck interrupted, a hint of eagerness in his voice. He sighed. "The Overseer is monitoring our calls. He's not actually on the call with us, but I'm not sure if he can only listen in, or if he's watching as well. As much as I'd love to see the NC-17 version of you right now-"
"You wanna make sure that part of our relationship stays between us. I get it."
Sarah felt a mix of disappointment and irritation. She had really wanted to cheer Chuck up. He looked worn down and stressed out. But once again, the Overseer was interfering. Still, the fact Chuck was being so sweet, looking out for her in spite of his own needs and desires, made her feel a bit better. It was the kind of guy he was, and it was why she loved him so much. If anything, she loved him more now than ever before.
"Sarah, by my count, we've got less than thirty seconds left. I know we'll talk tomorrow, but I want you to know, right now, that I will do everything I can to keep you safe, no matter what. I can't lose you. Sarah, you're my everything."
"I know you will Chuck. I love you, and I can't lose you either. Be careful."
Chuck smiled.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow sweetheart."
Sarah blew a kiss. Chuck pretended to catch it, and brought it to his lips, then blew her a kiss in return, just before the screen went dark.
After staring at the black screen for a moment, hoping it would somehow come back to life so she could talk to Chuck longer, Sarah reluctantly set the device on the bathroom counter next to the sink. She turned her attention to the clothes Jill had given her, and was surprised to see they were her own, probably stolen right out of her closet. The pile consisted of a fresh pair of panties and a matching bra, a white cotton camisole, a long-sleeved white button up shirt, and a pair of tan colored pants. Sarah realized the long sleeves and pants were likely chosen to help protect and cushion her skin from the ropes she was inevitably going to be tied up with once again. It was surprisingly thoughtful, but probably not done out of kindness. Jill likely just wanted to be sure she was following her instructions to the letter, keeping Sarah as reasonably comfortable as possible, and reducing the possibility of injury, even something as minor as rope burn.
As Sarah dressed, she silently thanked Chuck, since he was the reason Jill was forced to be nicer to her. As she thought about Chuck some more, his odd reference to the beach popped back into her head. The times when they'd been at that beach together hadn't exactly been happy moments in their lives. And they were certainly not comforting memories. If he knew the Overseer was monitoring their call, was it some sort of coded message? Sarah thought back to their time spent there, and it suddenly struck her like a bolt of lightning. He was right, it was a special place for them, but for a very specific reason. The first time they'd been there was when she'd asked him to trust her. The second time, he was the one asking her to trust him. The message was clear to her now. Chuck was up to something, and he wanted her to trust him. Well, there was no one she trusted more.
"Walker, give me your arm" Jill's voice commanded from behind the bathroom door.
Sarah had finished dressing, and was in the middle of brushing her hair, with a clearly brand-new hairbrush she'd found in a drawer next to the sink. The slot in the door was open. Sarah hesitated, wondering if Jill was trying to go back on her word, and if this was a ruse of some kind. Fortunately, Jill spelled it out for her, clearly noticing her hesitation.
"I'm not opening the door while you're conscious. No risks, remember? Put one of your arms through the slot so I can inject you with the sedative. Either that, or stay locked in there with nothing to eat or drink, your choice."
Sarah weighed the options. There was no way to get out of the bathroom on her own, so staying in there was pointless. Besides, Jill wasn't allowed to hurt her, and she didn't want to risk losing the privilege of getting to talk to Chuck. She sighed as she reluctantly walked towards the door. Sarah absolutely hated the idea of willingly letting Jill drug her, but there was no reasonable alternative. She stuck her left arm through the slot, and after a few seconds, felt the familiar prick of a needle going into the arm.
"Take your arm out quickly." Jill ordered. "If you don't, you might hurt it when the drug kicks in, and you collapse on the ground."
Sarah complied, then took the extra step of lying on the ground so she wouldn't fall when she lost consciousness. Her head was already swimming as she rested it on her right arm, and a few moments later, she had slipped fully into unconsciousness.
Chuck paced nervously outside his house. His REAL house. He had busied himself for a while by examining the picket fence, making sure it was straight, and looking for any spots that might need a repair or some paint. Now he was pacing in front of the door. He hoped his neighbors hadn't noticed. The last thing he wanted was to be known as the weird neighbor, especially since he hadn't even moved in yet!
He glanced at his watch again. It still wasn't time. The first meeting had gone well, and there'd been no sign that the Overseer had any clue about it. But this meeting had to be longer, to strategize, so Chuck had suggested his house as the ideal meeting place, since the Overseer didn't know about it. It was off the grid, which was exactly the type of location this meeting required. He glanced at his watch once again, then pulled out his phone to see if he had gotten a text, in case there had been any delays or changes to the arranged meeting time. Nothing.
"You still have to work on your patience, Chuck" a voice called out quietly.
Chuck looked up as a figure approached the gate in the middle of the picket fence, opened it, and walked through.
"Yeah, I guess I do" he replied, a smile appearing on his face.
"Well, your father and I probably deserve most of the blame for that, being absent from your life for so long."
"But you're here now, mom. That's what counts. And dad...well, I know he'd be here if he could."
Mary Bartowski smiled at her son.
"I'm glad you got to spend the time with him that you did. I only wish I could have been part of it. Seen him one more time."
"You did what you had to do, and I'm sure dad would've understood if he knew."
"I hope so. So, where are we anyway? This isn't quite what I was expecting for this meeting."
"Well mom, I'm glad I finally get to share this with someone besides Sarah. This is my house. Our house I should say. It's the dream home Sarah and I wanted. I've actually owned it for several months now, we just haven't gotten to the actual moving-in part yet."
Mary's eyes widened in surprise.
"Chuck, if this is your house, then isn't it risky to meet here? I thought the whole point was to keep my involvement a secret."
"Right now, no one knows I own it, apart from Sarah, and now you. It's safe."
Mary looked around at the house and yard, examining it more closely, as though inspecting it.
"Chuck, it's lovely. I can see why you and Sarah chose it."
"Well, why don't you check out the inside too. I'll give you a tour before we start. Fair warning, there's almost no furniture right now, but Sarah and I are gonna fix that, hopefully soon."
Sarah was beginning to get used to the sensation of waking up after being drugged. She didn't get a headache anymore, and she seemed to come out of the semi-conscious groggy state much faster now. After spending another day and night bound to a chair, usually gagged except when she was being given food and water, the sight of the bathroom as she awakened was a welcome reprieve. She immediately stood and stretched, grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Sure enough, Sarah had been right about the long sleeves and pants providing some protection from the tight ropes. Her limbs didn't ache nearly as much as they had the day before, and although being tied up wasn't pleasant, she had at least felt noticeably more comfortable this time. She'd actually gotten more sleep than she'd expected as a result. She still ached to be with Chuck, and she had experienced moments where she was so lonely, it nearly brought her to tears. Overall though, Sarah had to admit that she felt a lot better than she had just 24 hours ago.
As Sarah walked towards the toilet, she noticed Jill had already left a change of clothes for her on the counter, and the device she was able to talk to Chuck on, was sitting next to the clothing. She still had no clue what time it was, but if the device was in the bathroom with her, then obviously the call would be coming relatively soon. Sarah was quickly finished with the toilet, but hesitated when it came to showering. She didn't want to risk missing the call, but the device was unlikely to be waterproof, so she couldn't bring it in the shower with her to keep an eye on it. After mulling it over for a few seconds, she decided to see if Jill was willing to help with the conundrum. Sarah walked over to the bathroom door and knocked on it loudly.
"What?" came an annoyed response after a moment.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me how long I have before my call with Chuck is supposed to start" she called back, making sure she was loud enough to easily be heard through the door. A few seconds of agonizing silence passed before she heard a response.
"Roughly fifteen minutes. Don't bother me again 'til you're done."
"Thank you" Sarah replied, actually meaning it.
For a moment, Sarah wondered if Jill would lie about the time, in order to cause her to miss the call. But, since it was the Overseer who was really the one calling the shots right now, Sarah figured Jill wouldn't try something like that. So, she hopped in the shower just long enough to freshen up, and had already changed into the tank, sweater, and jeans that Jill had provided, by the time the device lit up. Sarah eagerly picked it up as the picture came to life.
"Hey babe!" she exclaimed as soon as she saw Chuck.
"You're in a good mood today" Chuck replied, amused.
"Well, I've really been looking forward to this call, it's the only highlight of my day. Besides, regardless of the situation, I finally get to see you in just over 24 hours."
"Whatever happens Sarah, I'm not leaving that building without you."
"Chuck, we still have no idea what this whole meeting is gonna be about. Neither of us may end up leaving that building."
"Wow, what happened to that good mood? That was dark."
"It's realistic. The truth is, neither of us knows what to expect."
"I know, but we've gotten out of some tough spots before."
"But Chuck, this is literally the guy who caused most of those tough spots."
"Do you want me to say I'm scared? That I'm not sure things are gonna be okay? I'm just trying to be reassuring!"
"I know, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't be getting upset."
"You're kind of all over the place" Chuck noted. "You sure you're okay?"
"Chuck, I...no, never mind, it's nothing. Yeah, I'm okay. I think the stress of everything is just getting to me"
"Are you sure? You look like something's on your mind."
"I'm worried about you. Chuck, we've worked so hard to build a life together. It could literally be taken away tomorrow."
"I know. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had the same thought myself more than once."
For a few seconds the two silently looked at each other.
"Chuck, don't let the Overseer control you. No matter what."
John Casey drummed his fingers on the conference table in Castle. He was feeling uneasy, and he didn't like it one bit. Chuck hadn't contacted him in almost two days, and there were still no leads on Sarah's whereabouts. Things had gotten too quiet. Quiet was never good. Bartowski was either trying to take matters into his own hands, which would probably get him killed, or he was off moping somewhere, which did no one any good.
Casey barely reacted when he felt Gertrude's hands on his shoulders. She began massaging them, eliciting a low groan of approval.
"John, you're too tense. Why don't you take a little time to relax. Get some rest. You need it."
"As long as Walker is still out there, Bartowski is a wild card. This Overseer guy isn't someone we wanna go up against when we're a hot mess. If we get her back, we get Chuck back on his game. Between the four of us, that guys as dead as a commie in the middle of a U.S. military base."
"You know I love it when you talk about death and destruction, but right now we're an even bigger hot mess if you don't get some rest."
Casey grunted, but finally accepted the fact she was right.
"So, care to join me?" he asked.
Morgan Grimes was hunched down in his car, and watched as Casey and Gertrude emerged from the Buy More. He waited a bit longer to see if Chuck would emerge from the store as well. From the back seat, he heard movement, and a sigh.
"Morgan, why are we here again?" Alex asked him.
"Something's up with Chuck" Morgan replied, while still keeping his eyes trained on the front of the store.
"Well, his wife was kidnapped, I think that's probably what's up."
Morgan shook his head.
"No, no, it's more than that. He's stopped talking to everyone. I sat outside his house last night and saw him leave. He was gone for several hours before he got back. But Casey was home the whole time. So where did he go?"
"Shopping?" Alex suggested.
"He didn't have any bags with him when he got back. No, no he's up to something. As his best friend it's my job to have his back. And as your boyfriend it's my job to protect you. So that's why we're here. I'm gonna go stake out Chuck's place again, and the next time he goes somewhere, I'm gonna follow him. But it could take a while, so I want you to stay at Castle where you'll be safe."
"Wouldn't it be safer with my dad?"
"Well...yeah. The man is literally a one-man army. But I don't want him to know what I'm doing. Chuck is doing something in secret, and he only does that for a reason. If everyone finds out, it might mess up whatever he's doing.
"Morgan, you're really over-thinking this. Don't get paranoid."
"Look if I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But I don't think I am. Let's get you inside so I can get over to Chuck's and find a good spot for the stakeout.
Sarah had gone through her routine of being drugged, tied, and fed, then trying to sleep as much as possible before waking up, getting drugged again, and waking up in the same bathroom. She had spent her final video chat with Chuck reiterating that his safety was the most important thing, and making sure he knew just how much she loved him, just in case things didn't work out. He had reassured her like he always did, and told her how much he loved her, and how much she meant to him. They were both a bit more emotional this time, as they both realized there was a chance it could be the last time they would ever get to talk to each other. When the call had ended, Sarah had burst into tears.
This time Sarah had waited until after the call to shower, and when she got out, she was a bit surprised by what she saw. Instead of the usual comfortable clothes that Jill had provided for her the previous two days, the outfit that had been dropped off through the slot in the door for Sarah was dramatically different. Sarah immediately recognized the royal blue dress she'd worn to Carina's staged engagement party to Karl Stromberg.
"Why didn't anyone tell me this meeting was formal attire?" she yelled, as sarcastically as she could.
From the other side of the door, she could hear Jill cackle.
"The Overseer wants you looking your best. Maybe it'll provide extra motivation for your husband to keep you safe, and as an added bonus, he gets to show you off like a trophy."
Sarah was indignant.
"A trophy? I'm not anybody's trophy!" she yelled angrily.
"You're the Overseer's trophy, whether you like it or not. You're his hostage. You're the big bargaining chip and the show's about to begin. So take some time to make yourself look as pretty as possible. I've got makeup here for you, and some hair products. Let me know what you need. But don't take too long. Don't wanna keep the boss waiting!"
As Chuck made his way to San Diego, he had two things on his mind: Sarah, and his mother. He had scoped out the location he was going to, using GPS satellite images, and images pulled from the internet, and had formed a tentative plan with his mom, but ultimately the pictures provided only a partial idea of the layout of the office building and the surrounding area. They had chosen what they felt was the best route for his mother to take, in order to approach the building undetected, but ultimately, she would probably have to make some decisions on her own, and hope for the best. The risks were obvious, but if anyone could do it, the former agent known as Frost was as good a choice as any. Chuck wouldn't help but worry about her though. He'd lost his dad during a mission, and he didn't want to lose his mother too.
Then there was Sarah. Chuck had no idea what to expect with her there as well. Would she be heavily guarded? Would she even be in the same room when he met the Overseer? Would she be released once he arrived, or did the Overseer have other plans in mind for her? All the unanswered questions nagged at Chuck as he drove.
Chuck glanced in his rearview mirror as he neared the city limits. More than once, he thought he had detected a car following him, but right now he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary behind him. Traffic was thickening as he made his way into San Diego, so if someone was following him, it wasn't going to be easy for them to stay with him.
As the minutes ticked by, Chuck carefully followed the directions provided by his GPS. The Overseer had said 4pm sharp. Chuck had left almost as soon as his final video chat with Sarah had ended, so he was on pace to arrive a few minutes early, but he'd need those minutes to get ready. The building itself wasn't too hard to reach. It was in an area where several other buildings had been either abandoned, or emptied out and put up for sale. Traffic thinned considerably the closer he got. Almost before he knew it, he was pulling into an empty parking lot that had once been reserved for the top corporate members of Buy More. Chuck practically jumped out of the car the moment he parked it, popping the trunk as he did. He had opted to wear black, just in case stealth became necessary. His black cargo pants were the perfect choice as he filled up several pockets with items from his trunk, including his tranquilizer gun, with plenty of ammo for it, several homemade smoke bombs that were barely larger than marbles, but were capable of producing heavy quantities of thick blinding smoke, a couple of knives of various sizes, and a few other surprises he'd brought along.
When he was sure he was ready, Chuck pulled on a pair of black gloves, and rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt to just above his elbows, then pulled out the bulletproof vest he'd brought and put it on. He took out his tranq gun and walked nonchalantly to the front door of the building. It wasn't locked so he went inside. As soon as he did, he saw a sign, consisting of just his last name, and an arrow pointing him in the direction he was expected to go. He followed the arrow, which led him to another sign with an arrow. He continued along the pre-arranged path, and wound up being directed to a bank of elevators that were situated in the middle of the building. Chuck was partly surprised to see they had power. The call button on the first elevator had a sticky note above it that simply said, "press me." Chuck pressed the button, and the elevator doors immediately opened. He quickly aimed his gun at the elevator's interior, but it was empty. He cautiously stepped inside and saw another note, indicating he needed to press the button for the 8th floor, which he did. The elevator went to work, carrying him up to the indicated floor rather quickly.
Chuck stood to the side as the elevator reached the 8th floor and the doors opened. He peeked out, leading with his gun, but all that greeted him was eerie silence. Looking around as he stepped off the elevator, Chuck realized this was the floor for the auditorium, where various presentations and speeches had once been held. He had never been to this building himself, but back when he was a member of the Nerd Herd, they had occasionally watched presentations that had been streamed over the internet, probably from this very auditorium, which gave Chuck an idea what it probably looked like inside. The big doors to the auditorium were less than twenty feet from where he stood, and sure enough, there was a large sign addressed to him, placed on one of the doors.
Come on in Mr. Bartowski, I've been waiting a long time for you.
Chuck gripped his gun tighter as he crept up to the door. He moved the handle slowly, then pushed it open, still leading with his gun as he peered inside the auditorium. The seating had been removed, leaving just a bare floor that slanted gently down towards the stage, which stood about four feet above the floor at the center of the auditorium. Windows ran down both sides of the auditorium, lining up with where the seats would have been. The curtains that once covered the windows when the auditorium needed to be darkened were gone. The curtain for the stage was still there, however, and it was open. A second curtain decorated the back of the stage. There were also two side doors that opened directly on to the stage. Chuck glanced at both doors, expecting one or both of them to open at any moment. Instead, the curtain at the back of the stage moved, then the two sides holding it closed, parted. A figure emerged, and at the same time, a spotlight illuminated them.
Chuck stared at the man on the stage. At long last, he was face-to-face with the Overseer.
A/N: Next chapter will also take a bit of time to put it all together, but I'll get it out as soon as I can! Hope you're enjoying the ride!