A/N: So, as you probably guessed, Chuck made it through the first round of cuts. Would have been a pretty short story otherwise. Let's see what day two brings us.
Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck
Chapter 6
Staring at the ceiling, the amber glow of dawn began to fill the room. Sleep only came in fits, his mind unable to quiet enough for sleep to take a firm hold of him. The previous day played over and over in his mind. From the meet and greet, where he first met her, to the moment when she placed the backstage pass around his neck, it had been both the most nerve-racking and yet the most exhilarating day of his life.
After the elimination ceremony, they provided dinner for all the remaining contestants. Sarah and the other important heads of the show were nowhere to be seen. He suspected they whisked Sarah off to her own home or some lavish off-site accommodations so there were no temptations for fraternization off camera. During and after dinner, the other contestants talked, argued and postured among themselves. Chuck tried to stay out of it, only interjecting when questions were directed at him specifically. He had no interest in parading around like some peacock, so he kept to himself. He headed to his room, which he shared with three others, to get a moment of peace and quiet. Since they took all cell phones, tablets and computers, Chuck was relegated to reading some of the graphic novels he brought with him.
Now that morning was here, and sleeping was apparently out of the question, he hopped down from his top bunk and changed into a set of workout clothes from his suitcase. The rest of the house was still asleep, so he didn't have to worry about dodging awkward conversations. Leaving out through the backdoor, he did some stretching on the patio before starting a jog around the property. There were at least twenty-five acres of space to run in, though a lot of that was consumed by the house, guest house, pool and gardens. Still, a good portion included wooded hills at the rear of the property, which offered a challenging workout. Chuck often ran on backwoods trails with Devon, especially in the cooler months. Sure, it was more strenuous, but there was just something about running, unconstrained, through nature that asphalt running paths in LA just couldn't beat.
The sun was just barely up, the air still cool, making the run very pleasant, even with the added effort from the hills. The peace and solitude that the run offered allowed him to clear his head. Naturally, his thoughts seemed to focus on Sarah, despite his best efforts to the contrary. He had been so certain that he would be getting on that bus for home last night. Especially given the way she purposefully averted her gaze from him at the beginning of last night's ceremony. Perhaps he was just misreading things. There was something about the way she touched him when she put the pass around his neck. She had run her hands down his chest and spent time adjusting his lanyard, making sure it was straight and even. He had watched, in agony, as she placed those passes on nineteen other men, and not once did she touch them like that. What did that mean? Was it only because he was the last one and therefore had the extra time? Did he really have wrinkles on his jacket that were driving her crazy? Maybe it was just an OCD thing.
As hunger and fatigue began to set in, he ended his run in the garden, using the pathways for his cool down walk. The dew was still on the leaves and the flowers were just starting to open from their nighttime slumber. He passed several others who were heading out for runs of their own, but they paid him no mind. Taking that as his cue, he headed back inside to shower and get ready for the day. He didn't know what was in store, but they were supposed to be dressed and ready by nine o'clock.
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"I don't know about this, Z. I know we talked about it, but I just can't help but feel this is a bit … unfair. I mean, sure, I want someone that's fit but they don't need to be some ... decathlete or anything like that. It just seems that this event or outing or … whatever you wanna call it, is just going to favor the guys that spend all day in the damn gym. That's not the most important thing to me," Sarah huffed, smoothing her hand over her hair in frustration.
"Look. Sarah. I know you're not that shallow, and I promise we won't make this out to be some impossible standard you're setting for your potential … partner," Zondra reassured her. "But the show needs some action, some... competition to pique the viewer's interest."
"But this cross-country obstacle course just seems a bit excessive, don't you think? Wasn't the whole premise of the show that these were supposed to be 'normal' guys? What normal guy does this stuff?" Sarah asked indignantly.
"OK. Normal is relative. Besides, have you seen these guys? They're far from normal. The most normal one of the bunch is Chuck and even he's … what's the word…?" Zondra trailed off.
"Nice?" Sarah offered.
"No. Well, yes. But I was thinking more along the lines of… 'sexy', but hey, whatever floats your boat." Sarah let out an exasperated sigh, realizing that Zondra was trying to bait her into talking more about Chuck. Instead of giving her the satisfaction, Sarah just remained silent, figuring Zondra would have more to say on the matter.
"Alright. Remember though, it's not whether they come in first, it's just that they finish. We needed to set some rules, some stipulations on the competition to ensure that they have some incentive to give it their all. Besides you, that is," Zondra added with a snicker.
"Ha. Ha. You're a riot. Look, we're in the limo, so we should be at the helipad in about fifteen minutes. I'd still like to state for the record, I don't like it... although, it will be kind of fun to put all those guys in their place." Both women burst into laughter.
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All twenty contestants stood in front of the house, waiting for their first outing to be announced. There were hushed conversations between the men, speculating what the outing would be. Chuck had no Earthly idea what to expect. Not being a fan of these sorts of reality shows, he didn't even know what was within the realm of possibility. Before long, the host, Alex Forrest stepped out and the cameras followed her as she took her place in front of the gathering of contestants.
"Good morning, gentlemen. As I'm sure you all know, Sarah's movie career has consisted of many major blockbuster action movies. She does many of her own stunts and immerses herself in her characters. In preparation for these roles, Sarah has gone through grueling training. In order to maintain her strength and stamina, she remains very physically active, even in her off time. As a potential romantic partner, it seems only natural that you would join her on her work outs, to be supportive and share in that time together. We believe that you should experience her training regimen firsthand. So, as your first outing of the competition, you'll be joining Sarah for an intensive training course to prove your mettle."
There was grumbling and whispers between contestants, but Chuck just faced forward unmoving, but inside, he was petrified. He was certain that most of these men were more physically fit than he was. Sure, he ran and did weightlifting with Devon, but nothing on the scale that these guys clearly did. On top of that, he knew, in great detail, the types of training that Sarah had undergone for her movie roles. He had read all her interviews and any story published about her. Even if, by some miracle, he could keep up with these guys, he'd never be able to keep pace with Sarah Walker.
"You'll navigate the course, with Sarah, performing all of the same tasks that she does. You may not leave the course for any reason and should you be unable to finish the course, you will be eliminated from the competition and sent home. You will have fifteen minutes in which to change into appropriate attire for this event, returning here to board the bus that will transport you to the training location. Good luck, gentlemen. You're gonna need it." Alex smirked at the men, seeming to take great joy in breaking the news, watching the men sweat.
Chuck rushed up to his room to change into his workout clothing. As he thought about the event ahead, it dawned on him that this would not be some leisurely jog through a park. No, this would be rough, off the beaten path, not unlike what he had run this morning. Wearing a t-shirt and running shorts in that kind of environment would be disastrous. He knew this from experience, from his runs with Devon. Running through brush, leaping branches and fallen trees, his arms and legs had been cut and scratched to ribbons. Even though the temperature outside was nearing seventy degrees Fahrenheit, he put on his long running pants, the ones he liked to lounge around in, a t-shirt and his light-weight windbreaker. If he didn't need it, he could tie the arms around his waist, but at least he'd have it. Putting on his running shoes, he made his way outside to board the bus.
On his way to the bus, he brushed off the teasing and rude comments. He'd learned to ignore bullies in high school and these guys were no different. Taking a seat at the back of the bus, Chuck tried to calm his nerves. He hoped that his workout that morning had not taken too much out of him. It hadn't been particularly long, much shorter than what he was used to, but then again, he'd never had to race through a training course afterward before. Thinking back to what Alex had said, contestants only needed to finish. She never said anything about 'when' they had to finish, just that they needed to complete the course. So, perhaps it was just a test of character, more than a test of physical prowess. Would someone be willing to stick with it, no matter how tough, to see it through to the end? He wasn't sure if he had what it took, but one thing he did know was that he was not going to quit. Not now. Not on himself, not on Ellie and, most certainly, not on Sarah.
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The bus ride was long, nearly two hours, but seeing as the bus was rather luxurious, it was a comfortable ride. During the trip, Chuck tried to think of where they could possibly be going and it wasn't until they were heading south on the 5, past San Juan Capistrano, that he began to have a sinking suspicion. As they continued further south, the signs began to appear, and his suspicions seemed to be confirmed. When they approached the gate reading "MCB Camp Pendleton" he swallowed the lump in his throat. This was going to be worse than he thought.
After a brief stop, the bus was ushered through the gates. Guided by a black Suburban with US government plates, they weaved through the base, garnering the attention of uniformed men and women as they passed. Chuck knew that Camp Pendleton was enormous, far larger than they could see in a day. There were multiple areas with buildings and living quarters throughout the base, and they were only passing through one small part of it. As they left 'civilization', taking smaller roads to an unpopulated area in the wilderness. Chuck figured this must be the place since there were already vehicles parked in the small mud and gravel lot beside the road.
A camera crew was set up, already filming their arrival, and others were working with several drones, testing flight and camera functions. The nerd in him was fascinated, wishing he could take one of those for a flight over Camp Pendleton. The area they were in was a mixture of forest, grassy prairie and mountain foothills. They had passed some streams that seemed to run in this direction as well, so he anticipated that this could get messy. Devon had tried to convince him to do the Mud Run 10K that was hosted at Camp Pendleton every year. He had declined, not having an overwhelming desire to crawl in the mud if he didn't have to. Now it looked like he didn't have a choice.
After everyone had exited the bus and lined up, the camera was rolling, and Sarah approached them. She was wearing BDU pants, matching combat boots and a very flattering olive-green t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and she had a no-nonsense expression on her face.
"Good morning, gentlemen. Alex has already given you a brief run down on the event for today. I've asked my personal security, retired Colonel John Casey, USMC, to provide you with the details of this course. Colonel?" Sarah gestured for Casey to step forward to address the group. He was dressed similarly but was wearing a black USMC t-shirt and hat. He stepped past Sarah, giving her a nod and what looked like a crooked smile. He faced the gathered men, with his hands clasped behind his back, looking quite imposing.
"Ladies, what lies before you is a modified version of the Marine Force Recon training course. The normally six-mile course has been shortened to only four-miles. Within this course you will encounter obstacles such as scaling walls, rope swings, cargo net climbs and mud pits. This course will not only test your physical strength and endurance, but your mental fortitude. If you do not complete the course, or are found to have cheated in anyway, you will be eliminated and sent home. Do you copy?" Casey scanned the group of men with a steely glare. Though some of them grumbled their understanding, Chuck was the only one to voice, 'Yes, Sir', largely out of fear. Not satisfied, Casey raised his voice and repeated his question. "I asked, do you copy?" This time, Chuck noticed many of the men jump a bit, and he heard nearly everyone respond.
"Good. Now, Walker, here, is going to race with you. Try to keep up if you can. Line up among the starting line and follow the marked path. Good luck." Casey moved to the edge of the starting line, where he was handed a starter pistol. As the men made their way to the starting line, Chuck could hear a number of them making comments among themselves.
"She doesn't actually think she can finish this course, does she?"
"Stick to your pilates and kale smoothies, sweetheart. Let a man show you how it's done."
"She should just wait at the finish line in a bikini. That'll be plenty of incentive."
"Wonder what she'll give me when she finds me waiting at the finish line for her?"
"I'll show her my 'strength and endurance'."
Chuck was fuming at the sexist and demeaning comments these jackasses were spewing. He wanted to beat the shit out of each of them, but he figured that would not go over so well, likely getting him kicked off of the show. Sparing a glance at Sarah, he saw her stretching at the starting line, looking relaxed, confident. It began to set Chuck at ease, a wry smile spreading across his face. He realized there was nothing he could say that would have any effect on these assholes. The delicious irony was that he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Sarah Walker was going to put every one of these guys to shame. She was going to have the last laugh.
Chuck approached the starting line, stretching his legs and shoulders, then rolling his head from side to side to loosen up. The other contestants were crowded against the starting line, pushing and shoving to get any kind of advantage they could. Chuck just shook his head in amusement. There was four miles of course ahead of them. Getting an inch or two at the starting line was a ridiculous waste of time and energy. He ambled up to the rear of the group, not getting to close as to accidentally catch an elbow or get kicked.
Chuck couldn't help his eyes from wandering, his gaze falling on the back of Sarah. He was anxious to see her in action, knowing that beneath her calm, stoic exterior was a fireball, just waiting to explode. It wasn't but a moment later that Sarah turned and started scanning the crowd, her brow furrowed in concentration. Chuck didn't think to avert his gaze until it was too late. Sarah had caught him staring at her and he was frozen, unable to look away. Her face softened and the furrowing of her brow melted away until he could see the corners of her mouth starting to curl upward. As if by reflex, he grinned at her, a ridiculous, goofy grin that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. She chuckled to herself, almost as if they were sharing a joke, though neither really knew what it was. He nodded to her, mouthing the words 'Good luck', before Casey's booming voice pulled his attention away.
"Ready? Set?..." The crack of the starter pistol signaled the beginning of the race, and as Chuck predicted, there was a mad dash of men trying to leverage for the lead position of the pack. Chuck let them play their stupid games and found a pace that he was comfortable with, his normal running pace for his work outs.
Within a quarter mile, the group encountered the first obstacle, the mud crawl. This gave many of the contestants pause, while others barreled through, diving into the mud and crawling in their stomachs beneath a short net canopy. After some reluctance, all of the contestants made it through and were on to the next obstacle.
Sarah was well ahead of him, but still behind the main group. He assumed that she was wisely pacing herself as well. He knew from reading about her that she was an avid runner and extreme sports enthusiast, in addition to her research and training for various roles. He knew it was a matter of time before she kicked it into high gear and blew the doors off all of these guys.
Nearing the half mile marker was the 'storm the castle' obstacle. A cargo net frame that angled upward for nearly ten feet then angled back down the other side. The group of contestants had spread out considerably, as their various paces inevitably slowed. Sarah had nearly reached the front of the pack as the lead runners began to negotiate the cargo net. Chuck could see in the distance the awkward clambering of arms and legs, like newborn deer, as the men attempted to climb the net. When Sarah finally reached the net, she seemed to scale it with ease, blowing past most of the group. Chuck was still holding up the rear, and by the time he reached the net, he had closed in on the rest of the group. Learning from watching the mistakes of others, Chuck was able to scale the cargo net and get back down the other side with only minimal slips, giving him a small lead on four or five contestants.
A short while later, Chuck was traversing the narrow jeep trails through thick brush, keeping a safe distance between himself and the man in front of him. Trying to pass him in those narrow pathways, with deep ruts from the vehicles traffic, would be dangerous. Chuck could hear a runner approaching from behind, his heavy foot falls difficult to miss. The sound was approaching quickly, so Chuck opted to scoot to the right as far as he could to allow the man to pass. As the sound was upon him, Chuck was clipped hard in the left shoulder, shoving him into the brush. Over the crashing of branches and leaves around him, he could distinctly hear 'move it asshole' shouted at him as the man ran on. Thankfully, Chuck was able to cover most of his face with his arm, so the damage was superficial. It had been a good idea to wear the long pants and jacket, otherwise he would be in worse shape. Pulling himself up, he narrowly missed being trampled by the other runners that sped past, only chancing a brief glance his way.
"Nah. Thanks. I'm good," Chuck called after them, sarcasm dripping from his words. He brushed himself off, picking a few twigs and leaves from his hair before continuing his run.
At the one-mile mark, they arrived at the tunnels, which were large, black, plastic drainage pipes, lined up side by side. Contestants took turns crawling through them, only to splash down into a mud pit on the far side. In the middle of the mud pit was a hurdle they needed to climb over, then through even more mud, before reaching the trail on the other side. Many stumbled as they trudged through the mud, while others struggled to climb over the hurdle. Chuck was the last one to reach the obstacle, so he had his choice of tunnels. Figuring it would be the least used, he chose the tunnel on the far left. When he emerged, dropping into the mud pit, the bottom seemed to be more solid along the outside edge, allowing him to move more quickly through the muddy water. With his height, he had no trouble getting up and over the hurdle, then through the mud and water on the other side. He was able to make up a little bit of time, almost catching up to the next runners.
It was a short run around the bend in the road to the next obstacle. This was a steeplechase, similar to the previous obstacle. However, in this case, they were to jump off a muddy embankment into a murky pool, climb over the hurdle in the middle, continue through the pool and over the hurdle on the far end. Wading through the mud, muck and water, not to mention running in soggy clothing, was wearing the contestants down.
As Chuck approached the pool, he paused for a moment to survey the area. He could just make out Sarah, who had already cleared the obstacle, her wet ponytail flopping behind her as she ran down the trail. There were only two contestants near her, and she appeared to be leading the race. Even though Chuck was in last place, it gave him some satisfaction to see her winning. Instead of jumping in feet first, Chuck opted to slide down the embankment, rather than risk a sprained ankle. Trudging through the water he took note of the techniques that others were using to get over the hurdles and which ones seemed to offer the best results. Implementing those methods from the beginning, rather than through trial and error as many of the others had, saved him some time, allowing him to close in on the pack even more.
The next mile was nothing but running. Chuck was rather thankful, as it allowed him to get into a rhythm. With his long legs, he was able to eat up the distance, soon passing many of the other runners. With more than half of the pack behind him, Chuck approached the next obstacle, a rope swing. A wooden scaffold straddled a deep pool, a thick knotted rope dangling from the center. Watching as the others traversed the obstacle, he saw that men were diving at the rope and swinging to the other side. Chuck knew that coordination was not his strong suit, so diving like that would only end with him in the water. That would mean wasted time and energy trying to climb out. He did notice that after a man released the rope, it was heavy enough that it swung back nearly to the other side. If he could time it correctly, he could catch it before if swung back, eliminating the need for diving… or plummeting as the case may be.
There was one man at the obstacle as Chuck approached. Seeing his opportunity, he increased his speed. Chuck arrived at the edge of the platform almost too early, catching the rope in the face. Ignoring the pain in his lip he grabbed ahold of the rope with both hands. As his momentum carried him forward, he lifted his feet to wrap them around the rope, using the large knot at the bottom for support. His momentum carried him forward quickly, where he toppled to the ground, unceremoniously on the other side. He received only a few minor scrapes and bruises, his pride taking the brunt of the damage. Scrambling to his feet he pushed on, running down the path.
Another mile and another mud pit later, Chuck could see a tall structure in the distance. As he approached, it seemed like all the runners had collected at the bottom, like waves crashing on the rocks. When he got close enough, he could see that it was a tall, flat wall with sets of ropes hanging from the top at regular intervals. Men were attempting to scale the wall but failing miserably. The wall and ropes were covered in mud, making it too slippery. Well, too slippery for everyone but Sarah Walker, who was nearing the top, scaling the wall with freakish speed and agility. The men at the bottom just stood, mouths agape as they watched her disappear over the top. When Chuck reached the gathering of men at the base of the obstacle, he could see that many of the same men who had talked shit before the start of the race, were still reeling at having witnessed her display of skill. If only Sarah could see their faces.
"How in the hell is that possible?" one of them asked, sounding completely bewildered. Chuck was going to enjoy this, rubbing their noses in it.
Chuck cleared his throat and tried his best to hide the shit-eating grin on his face, "So, guys. You do know that she qualified for Marine Force Recon training, right?" Everyone grew silent, even those trying in vain to scale the wall stopped and turned to look at him. "Yeah. She spent three months training to prepare for her role in the movie 'Survivor's Guilt'. She also does most of her own stunts too. So… we never really stood a chance against her." He could immediately see the shoulders slumping around him. Noticing one of the men who had been particularly smug before this began, Chuck felt bold enough to call him out on it.
"So, um… Blake, was it? What uh… what was it you were gonna give her when she saw you waiting at the finish line?" The man did not seem amused, though the rest of the gathered contestants found it hilarious. Once their fun was over, they all faced the wall, trying to think of a way over it. Chuck had an idea but wasn't sure the rest of the group would go for it.
"I think the best way to get over it is to work together. Since none of us are spider monkeys, like Sarah Walker apparently, I suggest we team up. The guys with the most upper body strength, we push them up the wall, then they can help pull others up and over." There was some grumbling, but most felt that was the best solution. With sets of two men at the bottom of each rope, they pushed a third man up, his feet in their hands, allowing him to use the slippery, muddy rope as a guide to reach the top. One by one, men reached the top, helping to pull others over. Chuck offered to be one of the ones to stay on the ground, as he was one of the taller men in the group.
It was down to the final two men on the ground, Chuck and, as luck would have it, the man that shoved Chuck into the bushes. Being the bigger man, in many regards, Chuck helped him to the top. The third man that had helped, dropped down to make room, leaving 'Mr. Road Rage' at the top and only Chuck remaining on the ground. Before Chuck could talk through a plan with the man at the top of the wall, he gave Chuck a smirk and a mock salute, disappearing from sight.
"Hey!" Chuck exclaimed. He could hear the sound of footfalls on the other side of the wall as the man ran off. "Son of a bitch." Chuck threw his head back and closed his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. He knew he could just go around the wall, but that would be cheating and would get him sent home. Letting out a huff in frustration, he looked at the wall and put his exceptional problem-solving skills to use. He stared at the wall and the dangling ropes and an idea began to formulate. Given that the ropes were hanging in sets of two, Chuck twisted a set of ropes together, typing them together at the bottom in a strong knot. The ropes were still slippery, but Chuck was able to get a hand and foot hold in between the twists of the rope. It was painstaking and rather painful, but he was eventually able to get to the top after nearly five minutes. When he dropped to the ground on the other side, he sat down, flexing his raw and aching hands. Only giving himself a moment to rest, he climbed to his feet and started to jog down the trail.
Chuck was beginning to wear down, having done so much exertion helping people over the wall and then getting himself over the wall, that he was starting to slow. As he rounded a bend in the road, he could see yet another water obstacle in the distance. He sincerely hoped this was the last one because he wasn't sure how much more he could take.
Trudging through the waist deep water, he splashed some on his face and head to help cool himself off. It wasn't until he got to the other side, wiping the water from his eyes that he could see a man lying on the bank of the water hole. As if the fates were smiling on him, it was the man that left him to fend for himself. Ain't karma grand.
The man groaned in pain, holding his ankle as he rocked, hissing through his teeth. A 'Family Guy' episode came to mind, but Chuck shook it off. A part of him wanted to leave the guy there, an eye for an eye, as it were. A battle raged within him but, unfortunately, his conscience won.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Chuck stopped near the man, "What happened?"
"I… I stepped in a hole in the bottom of the pond. I twisted my ankle, bad. Can't… can't walk on it." Chuck knew that if the man didn't finish, he'd automatically get sent home. Even though the guy probably deserved it, he should at least get a chance to face the firing squad like the rest of them. Chuck would rather see the guy sent home by Sarah's choice than by a technicality. He mustered all of his resolve and extended a hand to the suffering man. The man looked at his hand, then up at Chuck, confusion spread across his face.
"If you don't finish, you get sent home. So, come on," Chuck demanded, extending his hand again. Reluctantly, the man took his hand and stood with Chuck's help. Chuck put the man's arm around his shoulders, and his own around the back of the man, helping him walk down the path. They must have hobbled for thirty minutes before the finish line came into view. Eventually, when they were nearly at the finish line, the man pushed away from Chuck, limping on his own to cross the finish line. Chuck followed behind, shaking his head in frustration as he finished the race in last place.
Taking a bottle of water that was offered to him, he collapsed against a tree, leaning back against it for support. He took a long drink, emptying half of the bottle before he stopped to take a breath. Everyone was congregated near some tables where food and beverages had been laid out, except for the injured man that was being tended to by the medics on site. Realizing that he should at least be present with the rest of the group in case there was information he needed to hear, he began to push himself up. As he struggled, a large hand appeared, gripping him behind the elbow to aid him in standing. When he got his bearings, Chuck turned to thank the man and saw that it was the Colonel, John Casey.
"Th-thank you, Sir. Colonel… Sir… uh… Mr. Casey," the younger man stammered, feeling rather intimidated by the larger, gruff looking man. The retired colonel smirked, clearly amused by the fact that he could still instill fear in people.
"At ease, Bartowski. Casey will do just fine." Chuck seemed to relax a bit, nodding his understanding.
"Thank you… Casey." Chuck wiped his hands on his pants legs out of nervous habit, but given that they were wet and muddy, it did little to wick away the sweat.
"I saw how you handled yourself out there," Casey continued, looking the younger man up and down. Chuck's eyes grew wide, partly in surprise but mostly in fear. He was certain that a seasoned Marine, like John Casey, would find his performance today laughable. He had come in dead last after all. He swallowed thickly which, again, made the older man smirk.
Casey gestured with his head toward the camera crew that were packing up the drones, "Big brother has eyes everywhere," he added, chuckling to himself. "You did good, kid. Real good." He gave Chuck a hard pat on the shoulder, nearly knocking the younger man over. Casey smirked again and gave an approving nod before walking away.
Chuck stood frozen in place, not entirely certain what had just happened. It almost sounded like a … compliment. Chuck had forgotten about the drones that had likely been following them all afternoon. There were cameras setup along the course that he had seen, in addition to the camera crews that were stationed at the various obstacles. There could have been more, but most of the time he was lost in his own head, trying to focus on the rugged path so as not to trip and kill himself. Casey's comment clearly indicated that people had been watching their progress and therefore everything that had happened on the course. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Mostly, he was feeling self-conscious at his poor performance. Apart from that, he felt he at least acted honorably. Hopefully that counted for something.
After a moment to collect himself, he joined the reset of the contestants for food and more water. The conversation between the contestants was far more subdued, the men likely feeling as tired as Chuck did. Their egos seemed to be cut down to size as well, which could also account for the almost sullen atmosphere.
Once lunch was over, they were provided a dry change of clothes and a plastic bag for their wet clothing. When everyone had changed, they were loaded back on the bus and began their return trip. They hadn't even left the base before the rocking of the bus lulled Chuck to sleep.
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After a long, hot shower, Sarah took a much-needed nap. While she had easily bested the contestants on the course, it was still hard work and she had a long evening ahead of her. Sarah got dressed and grabbed a snack, just in time for Casey's knock on the door. As always, he was right on time to pick her up. They took the limo to the estate, where she was to meet with Zondra and Roan.
When Sarah entered the guest house, which was serving as makeshift office space for Roan and Zondra, she seemed to walk in on Roan, Zondra and Megan, huddled around a large monitor. The three were laughing at something, nearly falling out of their chairs. Feeling a little left out, Sarah stepped up to take a peek.
"Hey guys. What's so funny?" Immediately the three tried to sober up but failed miserably as they snorted into their hands.
"It's uh… it's footage from today," Zondra confessed, still barely holding in her laughter.
"Footage of who? It better not be me you're laughing at…" Sarah warned, folding her arms over her chest.
"No. No, of course it's not you," Zondra rushed out, "Well… it's kind of about you, I suppose." Sarah raised an eyebrow both in confusion and a bit in aggravation.
"What she's trying to say, my dear, is that while the footage pertains to you, it's not actually of you, if you get my meaning." Seeing that Sarah still seemed perplexed, Roan gave Zondra a wry smile. "Perhaps she should just view the footage for herself. There's hours of it, but we have most of the 'highlights' here," he gestured toward the monitor, getting out of his seat and offering it to Sarah. Reluctantly she sat down and focused on the monitor.
Zondra started playing a scene from earlier in the day. It took Sarah a moment to realize where and when it was taken, but seeing as all the men were clean, it had to have been before the race. The camera was panning across the group of men, then zoomed in to get a tighter shot. The camera must have had a directional mic, because they could hear the conversations of the contestants.
"She doesn't actually think she can finish this course, does she?"
"Stick to your pilates and kale smoothies, sweetheart. Let a man show you how it's done."
"She should just wait at the finish line in a bikini. That'll be plenty of incentive."
"Wonder what she'll give me when she finds me waiting at the finish line for her?"
"I'll show her my 'strength and endurance'."
It was easy to tell which of the contestants had made these comments, so Sarah made some mental notes for the elimination later. The camera panned further to the right and then panned back to the left toward the starting line. For a brief moment, Sarah caught a glimpse of something interesting.
"Whoa. Roll that back… a little more… Whoa. Stop. Right here. Play it from there," Sarah demanded, leaning in closer to the monitor. As the scene replayed and the camera started to pan further to the right, "aaannnnnd, stop! Wow." Sarah went silent for a moment, but Zondra and Megan let out a long whistle, simultaneously.
"Daammmmn, He looks pissed!" Zondra exclaimed.
"I didn't know Chuck could even make that face. He looks like he wants to rip that guy's arm off and beat him with it," Megan added, looking taken aback.
Sarah, still sat staring at the screen, only responded with, "Yeah….". She seemed deep in thought and Zondra eyed her with a growing smirk.
"Let's just skip ahead," Zondra interrupted, pulling up a clip of a drone flying over the trail. There were several runners spaced out, running through the narrow paths, occasionally obscured by brush. It was easy to spot Chuck, as he was the only one wearing pants and a jacket. He was running along the path, keeping a good pace. Another runner entered the frame, closing in behind Chuck. They watched Chuck move to the side, presumably to let the other man pass. It all seemed fairly ordinary until they saw the man deliberately swerve, slamming his shoulder into Chuck, who flew into the brush.
Sarah leapt to her feet, throwing her hands in the air in disbelief and exasperation. "What a dick! What the hell was that for?"
"I dunno. Maybe… maybe he tripped," Zondra suggested, though she didn't sound very convincing.
"My ass! He did that deliberately. I outta…" Sarah trailed off, sitting down in a huff.
"Let's just skip ahead. I'm sure there's some fun stuff in here," Zondra interjected, fast forwarding through the various feeds. She played some clips of the men falling in the mud or trying to get over the steeplechase. There were many comical scenes and it seemed to soften Sarah's mood. Zondra twisted her lips to the side as she pulled up another clip, this time of the tall, mud covered wall.
"Oh, this outta be good," Sarah chuckled, sitting forward in her seat, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. Roan and Zondra shared a look, only humming their agreement. The cameraman caught footage of Sarah making it over the top of the wall, showcasing all of the men standing, staring in awe. A moment later, Chuck walked into the shot. The camera angle perfectly captured a profile of Chuck as he looked at the wall. Gone was the angry expression of before. In its place was a look of admiration and a bit of a mischievous grin. A voice from off camera chimed in.
"How in the hell is that possible?"
Sarah got a wry smile, feeling rather smug about putting all those guys to shame.
"So, guys. You do know that she qualified for Marine Force Recon training, right? Yeah. She spent three months training to prepare for her role in the movie 'Survivor's Guilt'. She also does most of her own stunts too. So… we never really stood a chance against her."
Listening to Chuck speak, they could hear the pride in his voice, maybe even a little smugness.
"So, um… Blake, was it? What uh… what was it you were gonna give her when she saw you waiting at the finish line?"
"OOOOOO. YES! BURN!" Sarah shouted, pointing at the man on the monitor that had just gotten 'served'. She settled down as she watched in fascination as Chuck organized the men and helped them over the wall. It was her turn to feel a sense of pride, although she wasn't sure why. She barely knew Chuck or any of the guys all that well. Although, some she knew well enough to know she didn't want anything to do with them, especially after seeing this footage. She continued to watch in disbelief as the last man waved goodbye and dropped to the other side, taking off running.
"That mother fucker! Where is he?" Sarah shot up out of her chair, a fire burning in her eyes. "I'll send his ass home right now, in a goddamn bodyba-"
"Whoa! Whoa," Zondra interceded, grabbing Sarah by the shoulders, blocking her exit. "Will you sit down? Just… just sit! Trust me. Sit and watch." She pointed at the monitor, a commanding tone in her voice. Sarah was still fuming, but she gave her friend a knowing glare.
"You've all watched this already. Haven't you?" Megan looked away, trying to hide her smile, Roan was hiding his face in a martini glass and Zondra was twisting her lips to the side, still pointing at the chair. After a long moment, Sarah sat down, huffing in frustration. Zondra rewound the footage so Sarah could see how Chuck made it over the wall.
Skipping to a different clip, they could see the final pool, and the steady stream of men splashing through it on their final leg toward the finish line. A sole runner made his way through the water, but seemed to stumble, plunging into the water. He eventually made his way to the bank on the far side of the pool, where he flopped on his back, holding his leg or ankle. The camera zoomed in and they could clearly see it was the traitorous man, rolling on the ground in pain.
"HA! Ain't karma a bitch?" Sarah declared, sitting back in her chair with her arms folded over her chest. The speed up the footage until Chuck came into view and began to traverse the pool. Zondra returned it to normal play as they watched Chuck approach the man. For a moment, it looked like Chuck would walk past the man, leaving him to suffer his fate. Instead, they all watched in disbelief as Chuck walked up to the man and offered him his hand.
"What… what is he doing?" Sarah asked incredulously. Absentmindedly pinching and pulling at her bottom lip, completely engrossed in the video. They could see an exchange between them, but there was no audio. Finally, the man accepted the offered hand and Chuck put his arm around the man and began to walk him down the trail. They all watched in silence as the men hobbled, slowly making their way to the finish line. Skipping ahead, Zondra played the moment they neared the finish line. When they were nearly there, they saw the man they had now identified as 'Chad Jameson', pushed Chuck away and crossed the finish line ahead of him.
Turning off the monitor, they all sat in silent contemplation, nobody looking at the other. After a long moment, Roan cleared his throat, as if warning of his impending interruption.
"So, Sarah… How's that list coming along?"
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Chuck stood, once again, on the risers in the large dining room, surrounded by nineteen other men. They were all tired and beaten after the day's events. Chuck felt like he'd gotten hit by a truck and, frankly, just wanted to crawl into bed. The only saving grace was that he was going to be able to see Sarah. Sure, he wouldn't be able to talk to her, at least not unless he was chosen to go home. He supposed that was a possibility, given his rather poor performance on the obstacle course. Casey had made it a point to commend him, but unfortunately, he wasn't the one making the choices as to who would go home.
Alex Forrest walked into the room; the cameras focused on her as she stopped in front of the gathered men. "Good evening, contestants. I'm sure it's been a long and exhausting day for all of you. However, five of you will be chosen tonight to collect your belongings and head home. But, before she makes those announcements, Sarah would like to say a few words about the competition today. Sarah?"
On cue, Sarah walked into the room, wearing a striking red dress and heels. She looked so incredibly beautiful; Chuck actually felt an ache in the pit of his stomach. Sarah stepped up to address the gathering of men, but her smile had been replaced with a stoic, emotionless expression.
"The competition today was not solely about your athletic prowess. In fact, it was less about your physical abilities and more about your determination, your drive to see things through, your… commitment. With that in mind... Blake. Please step forward.: The man begrudgingly stepped down from the risers, though you could tell that he was not surprised.
"You had indicated that there might be something I could 'give you' when I met you at the finish line?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow, challenging him to refute it.
"Whoever said that was misquoting me. They were taking things completely out of context," he argued, trying to play the part of the victim. Sarah just nodded her head, as if considering his claims. Turning her head, she gave a gesture and one of the grips wheeled out a large TV on a stand. Blake's face became ashen as realization hit him. A clip began to play on the TV, drawing everyone's attention.
"Wonder what she'll give me when she finds me waiting at the finish line for her?"
"I was quoting you, Blake. While I understand that there is such a thing as 'locker room humor', that doesn't make it any less demeaning. This and your general attitude, are not the qualities that I'm looking for in a partner. Now, there is something you can give me, Blake. Your backstage pass. Hand it over and see yourself out." Blake sheepishly removed his lanyard and handed it to Sarah. He gave her a tight smile and nodded, before leaving the room.
Sarah called the names of four other men, not surprisingly, the ones who had made lewd comments prior to the race. She happily shared their video clips as well, letting them each know exactly why they were going home. When the fifth man left the stage, everyone seemed to sigh in relief, save for Chuck. He was tense, chewing on the inside of his lip, trying to hold his composure. He had wanted that jackass, Chad, to be sent home for all the shit he pulled during the race, but Chuck supposed that was the way life worked. People didn't always get the punishments they deserved, nor did good people receive their earned rewards.
"Before we conclude for the evening, I have one last item of business," Sarah continued, surprising the contestants, Chuck included. "The actions of two individuals stood out among the rest. They represent the best and the worst of the behavior I have seen displayed today. One, among you, has shown a tremendous amount of humility, determination and compassion. He competed with honor, not leaving a fellow competitor behind, but helping him to succeed. Being able to count on someone to have your back is a trait I value greatly. So, I'd like to thank ... Chuck for demonstrating those values to all of us." Sarah gestured to a dumbfounded Chuck, who stood mouth agape. His Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed, his face and ears growing flush. A number of the men on the risers clapped for him, turning to give him a nod of approval. Chuck had to avert his gaze, embarrassed by the attention. In doing so, he missed the smile Sarah gave him before turning to address the rest of the group.
"In stark contrast, there was also one among you that embodied all that goes against those values." Sarah turned to the large video monitor, and on cue, it began to play clips of events that transpired that day. Chuck was forced to relive the moments where Chad had pushed him into the bushes, left him behind and the climbing wall, and, finally, when he stopped to help Chad to the finish line, only to be snubbed again. Chuck's anger was starting to bubble up as he watched the events unfold. When the screen went dark, Sarah cleared her throat, pulling Chuck's attention to her. He could see her icy glare and it made him actually shiver at the sight. He'd seen Sarah Walker exhibit many emotions on film, but this must be what the real Sarah Walker looks like when she is pissed off, and it seemed infinitely more terrifying.
"Chad Jameson, you are underhanded, deceitful and vindictive. You have shown yourself to be a truly ugly and despicable person. A person that I could never be in any sort of relationship with. While I have selected the five contestants that I believed should go home this evening, I'm taking the liberty to make an exception. So…" Sarah paused, shooting her icy glare directly at Chad, "I'm sending you home. Return your pass and get out," she demanded, with no small amount of venom in her voice.
True to form, Chad shoved his way past the contestants in front of him as he hobbled down the risers. Throwing the pass on the floor at Sarah's feet, he grumbled unintelligibly as he attempted to storm out of the room, but with his sprained ankle, it was far less dramatic. There was even some snickering from the other contestants as they watched him go. Keeping her composure, Sarah cleared her throat and took a cleansing breath. She looked up directly at Chuck, holding his gaze for just a moment. He couldn't help but suck in a breath in surprise, her eyes the color of cornflowers, beaming in the bright camera lights. He could swear he saw the corners of her mouth curl up, just a little before she turned her attention to the rest of the group.
"Thank you, gentlemen, for your hard work today. Get plenty of rest. We have another outing tomorrow. Good night." Sarah waved her goodbye and exited the room.
"Good night gentlemen," Alex added. "We'll see you in the morning." With that, Roan called "Cut" and the staff began to busy themselves. Chuck just stood on the riser for a long moment, as the world seemed to hurry around him. He didn't know when he had stopped breathing but now he found himself struggling to catch his breath. Not only had he made it through another day, despite coming in last at the competition, but he felt somehow vindicated. Maybe people did get what they deserved, sometimes.
A/N2: So that was an action packed day. Lots happening and five - NO six!- more contestants set home. At least Chuck's deeds didn't go unnoticed. It's always satisfying to see people get exactly what they deserve. Stay tuned for Chapter 7 to see if Chuck gets what he deserves...
A/N3: I really appreciate all of your reviews, so much. Please keep them coming. I wish I had more time to reply to each of you, but know that I read them all and they spur me on to keep writing. Until next chapter my friends...
Joe