Before I knew it though, I was doing contract work for three of the papers. It was very complicated and hard to keep track of who I was doing what for. That should be finished this week and hopefully I will just be working for the one business. My new boss wants me to do work with his other papers as well, so I am ready for it. It is going to be a good because I will get to work at home in my pj's and drop my son off at school in my messy bun and pj's.
Now back to the story. As many of you can tell I changed my mind about not including very many other Chuck characters. I am just having too much fun including them. GH can be so dreary sometimes that adding the Chuck characters adds more humor and story potential. Sorry for any possible contradictions in what I wrote previously. I try to correct everything before I post but stuff gets by me. Chapter 13 Early November"Would you two deal with your lady feelings already!" Casey yelled at Chuck and Sarah.
They both shrugging their shoulders as they looked up at him then they both continued unpacking their gear in silence.
"I know you two had an argument before we left L.A.," Casey continued ragging them. "I don't want you two to finally hash it out while we are in the field. It will give Shaw an advantage. I thought you two had broken that habit."
"We just can't decide who gets to put a bullet between his eyes." Chuck said in a voice that was too calm.
Casey just looked back and forth at them in shock. "Where are the real Bartawski's? I thought I was the one that was going to get to kill him. I am the one with the itchy trigger finger. What happened to you just using your tranq gun?"
"What happened when I didn't shoot Quinn?" Chuck asked rhetorically. "He got away and kidnapped Sarah and took her memories from her using the faulty intersect. I am not making the same mistake with Shaw and allow him another chance to destroy our family."
"But you've never killed anyone before," Sarah said emphatically. "Casey and I have. I don't want you to go through that. You know I don't want you to change and you will change."
"I didn't change when we thought I shot and killed Shaw before," Chuck insisted. "It's not my fault the Ring brought him back. This will be self-defense just like before."
Sarah and Casey had to concede that point but Sarah wasn't ready to give up yet. She walked up to him, took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply.
"I'm out of here." Casey said as he grabbed his jacket. "Maybe we should draw straws and include the other team members. Just get this fixed before we come face to face with Shaw and you two are too busy dealing with your lady feelings to do anything about it."
They ignored him as he walked out the door. They were too caught up in kissing each other.
Floating Rib
Casey decided he didn't want to go back to Drew's since Drew and Sam were probably doing the same. The intimacy didn't bother him so much anymore, but it did make him miss Carina more.
After ordering some ribs and his favorite drink, Johnny Walker Black, he sat in the very back booth with his back against the wall and sent her a text. Instead of discussing his feelings he asked her where they were on finding the regenerator location.
Then he looked up to scan the room without it looking like he was scanning the room. To the casual observer he was still looking down at his phone. It didn't seem to matter he hadn't been a spy in many years, but he still stayed in practice. But he was getting antsy. He wanted to find Shaw and the regenerator facility and put it out of business. None of them were going to be safe until that happened.
He looked up to see who was coming in and saw Drew walk in and ordered something before he started looking around the room. He didn't like it that Drew started walking toward him in the corner, but he wasn't going to give him a hard time for it. Drew didn't have all his memories still and he had been out of the game for a while.
"Sorry, man," Drew said with exasperation. "I realized I shouldn't have come over here but only after I was almost to the table."
"That's alright," Casey said as he motioned for Drew to have a seat in front of him. "You have been out of the game for a while. It happens."
"Too many experiments done on my brain it seems." Drew tried to joke. "I am ready to be done with this, so I can have my family back. This is a difficult time of year for Sam and me and it makes it more difficult when we are having to live apart."
"Difficult time?" Casey questioned.
"Lila," Drew answered. "Sam's first child died fifteen years ago. It doesn't help that our nephew just lost his first born a few weeks ago. With all this Ring business going on at the same time, it's just made it more difficult for me to be there for her. Luckily she has her sister's staying with her and the kids tonight."
Casey was saved from having to reply when his phone beeped. He looked up and said, "Drew one of us has to get out of here. Just been alerted that Peter is coming this way."
"I will go and wait for my order at the bar and then ignore him when he comes through the door." Drew said as he got up quickly.
"Great chatting with you." Drew said with sarcasm. All Drew heard was a grunt from Casey as he walked up to the bar to wait for his order.
Drew continued to stare at his phone pretending to read his screen, when Peter entered. Drew watched him out of the corner of his eye as he passed by him and went to the back door. Drew kept himself from looking over at Casey, but just barely.
A minute later he saw A.J. come in and head out the back door as well. Drew found it strange that A.J. didn't even notice Drew was even there. Drew's instincts were screaming at him to follow the two of them, but he knew there was surveillance out there. They would know what was being said and what was happening very soon.
He had just been handed his food when his phone beeped. He looked down and it was an alert for team members to meet at the PI office. He texted Sam on his way out the door that he would let her know what was going on as soon as the meeting was over.
PI Office
Drew was the first one to get to the PI office, so he started a pot of coffee and set up the T.V. for the teleconference just in case it was needed for Beckman, Elllie and Devon.
"Are you the only one that is showing up?" Frisco could be heard coming from the T.V.
"Casey should be here soon. I am sure that Sarah and Chuck will be here as well." Drew answered him. "Is this about Peter meeting with A.J. in the alley behind the Floating Rib?"
"Yes," Frisco answered. "I will give the others a few more minutes before starting the briefing. I have the tape of what happened in the alley ready to show. I think it proves interesting."
Casey came into the room quickly, "Sarah and Chuck are right behind me."
"Sam is home with the kids, so I told her I would fill her in when the meeting was over."
"I guess I was lucky then, that Molly was there and said she would stay with them." They heard Sam say behind them.
Instead of saying anything to Sam he just held a chair out for her at the conference table.
Casey comes up behind them and whispers, "Did either of you bleach the table?"
They both turned and stared at him open mouthed and red faced.
"Did you just make a joke?" Drew asked, still red-faced.
"Who's joking?" Casey said. "You know what you did on that table."
They looked at each other and just shrugged as they took their seats.
As Ellie and Devon came on screen and Sarah and Chuck came into the conference room, Frisco started the meeting.
"I am just going to start the tape and let it speak for itself."
They all watched as Peter went out the door and waited until A.J. came out after him.
"Jason," Peter said in a strange voice. "You will stop spending so much time with Carly. You have to spend more time with Sam."
"I have to spend more time with Sam," A.J. said in a hypnotic voice. But he shook his head a little and then asked, "Why?"
"Jason," Peter continued. "If you want your family back you have to get Sam back. You can't do that if you spend most of your time with Carly."
"But," A.J. continued, "Carly and Michael are my family."
"No, they are not." Peter said sternly. "Jason, remember, Carly and Michael are Sonny's family. Jason, your family are Sam and Danny. If you don't get Sam back, she will go back to Drew. Jason, remember, Drew is the bad man that will hurt your family. You must keep Drew away from Sam. Jason, someone that Drew hurt is coming for him. If Sam is with Drew when that happens, then Sam could get hurt."
"Jason," Peter continued in a hypnotizing voice, "You have to get Sam back and away from Drew. Drew is the bad man."
"Drew is the bad man," A.J. repeated over and over as he walked out of the alley and to his motorcycle.
They continued to watch as Peter pulled out his phone. The video paused, and everyone looked up thinking it was over.
"The next part of the video is why I kept Dante, Lulu and Maxie out of this briefing. If Maxie sees this, I don't think she will be able to stop herself from killing Peter."
The tape resumed as Peter began talking on the phone, "Alright, I did what you asked. A.J. should be easier to control and do what you want him to do. Mainly getting Sam away from Drew."
"I know you want to torture Drew before you kill him," Peter said into the phone. "All I care about is getting Nathan back."
Sam and Drew looked at each other with wide eyes as they continued to listen to the one-sided conversation. "You promised if I brain washed A.J. you would release Nathan to me. I have done that."
"What do you mean he isn't fully regenerated yet!" Peter yelled into the phone. "I know for a fact that he should be well enough to wake up."
"So, you are going to make me wait until you are ready to kill Drew." Peter said with exasperation. "You are such a son-of-a-bitch Shaw."
"I don't understand why you want to torture and then kill Drew," Peter continued. "It was always Chuck and Sarah that messed up your plans and landed you back in jail. Sarah's the one that killed Evelyn."
"Yea, Yea, you want to get their team members first," Peter looked up and it was like he saw the camera. Then he continued. "First Drew, then Carina, then Zondra, then the big guy Casey. Then you can kill Chuck and Sarah. You might want to get busy, I want my brother back soon or I stop helping you with A.J. I will undo everything."
They watched Peter hang up the phone as he continued to stare at the camera. "I expect you to get a leash on Shaw soon. He might be lying about having Nathan. All I got was a picture of Nathan being held in one of those capsule things and he would kill him for real if I didn't help him."
They watched him look down at his phone and walk out of the alley.
Everyone was speechless for a few minutes as they absorbed what they had just seen.
"I think you are correct, Frisco," Sam said. "If Maxie sees this, she will want to kill him. But I am not sure keeping it from her is the best way either."
"What do you suggest, then," Frisco asked pressing his nose between his fingers trying to evade a growing headache.
"Why don't we just wait before we give her false hope," Chuck said. "I have a list of possible sights for the facilities they could be using. Most of them are near Burbank. I will send the list to Carina and her team can check them out. Let's wait until we have some proof before we tell Maxie anything."
"I don't like keeping this from Maxie," Sam interjected. "But I see your point. Let's find out if it's even true."
"How did he know he was being watched?" Drew asked.
"He is WSB," Robert said from the doorway.
Everyone looked at him with surprise.
"I recruited him to bring down Faison," Robert continued. "I befriended him knowing he was Faison's son. However, not knowing he was Anna's son. I knew he wanted out from under Faison, so I offered him a way to do it."
"Things were going according to plan until he went off script and ended up getting my son-in-law kidnapped or possibly killed." Frisco added with disgust.
"I know I didn't keep him on a short enough leash," Robert admitted. "If what he said is true, we can turn this situation around."
"That's all well and good," Sam said. "But Drew needs to be in protective custody."
"I don't' think so," Drew exploded. "I'm not going into hiding."
"You heard that conversation," Sam said adamantly. "You are first on his list of people to kill."
"But we have an ace up our sleeves that he is not ready for." Drew said with determination. "We find out where Shaw plans to kill me, but we change the plan by me showing up with Britt/Evelyn. He will be so messed up by seeing her he will not be able to pull the trigger."
"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked with exasperation. "Anyway, I didn't think you wanted to use her as bait."
"This will be different," Drew answered her smugly. "We will be the bait together."
"Like that makes it any better," Sam snapped. She figured he was still angry with her for not staying home with the kids.
"Let's calm down," Frisco said. He looked around the room at everyone. They had all looked entertained by Drew and Sam going at it. They were both so alike when it came to these situations. They were stubborn and wanted their own way as well as protect the other.
"Casey, Chuck and I will also be there," Sarah told Sam with amusement. "I think you are going to be busy with A.J. If what we heard is correct, he is going to show up at your doorstep more often. He may even start to follow you. You need to decide what to do about that."
"Damn," Sam snapped. "I am going to have to move back into the penthouse. I don't want him anywhere near our house."
"But what about Molly," Drew asked. "She knows where our house is. You don't think she has told him already?"
"No, she hasn't," Sam answered him snidely. "I told her what was going on. I can trust her to believe me about it. Krissy, I didn't even bother. Anything her Dad wants, she is going to want as well. It doesn't matter if it's wrong."
"Ellie," Frisco decided to change the subject. They had other things to discuss. "Are you still going to be able to proceed with the procedure to get A.J. back?"
"I think it will be safer to postpone until Shaw can be apprehended or killed." Ellie answered. "He needs to be unprogrammed before I can suppress the Jason memories to allow his A.J. memories to come back. We can't take the chance that it will cause him brain damage if Shaw gets ahold of him again."
"Alright then," Frisco said. "A.J. stays Jason for now. Britt will arrive in two days. I will send a message to Peter to see if he can find out where Shaw plans on hitting Drew. That is where they will be together. With any luck, Shaw will fall into our trap."
"Sam," Frisco said. "Your disagreement is noted. But you have more pressing issues. A.J. is being programmed to pursue you and win you back. You must prepare to deal with that and decide how far you are willing to go with that. Sarah, I would like you to help her. With your past training you will be the most helpful."
"Chuck," Frisco continued handing out assignments. "I need a report from Carina within a week if not sooner. Get her that list tonight and I expect her to start in the morning."
"And no one and I mean no one," Frisco continued emphatically, "tells Maxie anything until we know something concrete. Pray we have good news for her next week."
After the screen went blank almost before he got the last word out Sarah said trying to lighten the mood, "I think he has been taking lessons from Beckman."
No one felt like laughing though.
Sam and Drew's house
"Well," Sam sighed. "I'm glad most of the furniture is still at the penthouse."
Sam and Drew were cuddled up together on the couch putting off the conversation they needed to have if possible.
Drew just pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, trying to comfort himself really. He had a bad feeling about the next few weeks.
To be honest he was going to have a hard time doing the things he needed to do. He didn't know how he was going to put it out of his mind that Sam was going to have to pretty much date A.J. His only consolation is that Sarah would help Sam with ways to keep A.J. at arm's length.
He really wasn't looking forward to having to hang out with Britt in between trying to be there for Oscar and Kim.
"We are both in for a difficult time." Drew finally said. "We are both going to have to spend lots of time with others and very little if any time with each other."
Sam squeezed him tightly, "I know babe, but I want to look at it as an adventure. It is the part that we can't do it together that is bothering me."
"We have to promise to communicate about everything, so we limit the misunderstandings." Sam told him. "If I am going to go out on dates with A.J. and have to pretend he is Jason, there is going to be times I will be close to him and people like Sonny, Carly, Krissy and Spinelli will see what they want to see."
"Well," Drew sighed. "It's a good thing none of them have any use for me since I am not Jason."
"How are you feeling about what I am going to have to do?" Sam asked him hesitantly.
"I guess this may be similar to pulling a con," Drew began. "But I am going to force myself into mission mode. I am remembering compartmentalizing everything. My feelings for A.J. are like how I felt about him when I didn't have any memories of anybody. I do hope that once this is over, we have a chance to get to know each other and become brothers. I wish we were able to turn him back into A.J. sooner rather than later."
"I do as well," Sam agreed. "I never really cared for A.J. He and Tracy were not above using Danny to get control of ELQ. It was a frustrating time. I was still mourning you/Jason and those two were wooing me for Jason and Danny's ELQ stock."
"Maybe he will come out of this experience a better person." Drew suggested. "Once he has his true memories back, he is going to have to decide who he wants to be."
"Drew," Sam said as she pushed herself up against his chest. "Let's stop talking about this mess. We are going to have to spend who knows how long away from each other. I have to move out of our house we just found together. I have to pretend to be getting close to someone I don't particularly like."
She pulled him to her and kissed his lips. She pulled away slightly, "Take me upstairs and make love to me all night."
"I thought you would never ask." Drew said cheekily. He got up hastily, then reached down and picked her up and heading up the stairs quickly.
He was kissing her deeply as she wrapped her legs around his hips. "Let's start in the shower. We haven't had the chance to try it out together yet."
A/N: Sorry to end it there but it was getting too long. I should have this updated again over the weekend sometime. Here's hoping.
Also, I just thought it made sense that Peter would know about brainwashing since he was raised by Faison.
Next up, around Christmas, Sam reflects on the last few months and her and Sarah bond over dealing with unwanted attention from men they really don't care for.