A/N: Thanks for continuing to read this story and particularly to those that left reviews of the last chapter.
Once again, thanks to Captainrick944 who continues to beta'd this story.
A less than welcome visitor arrives with a mission for the team in this chapter, which is loosely based on S1E4, "Chuck Versus the Wookiee."
Piranha vs The Intersect
Chapter 6: Red
She was frustrated that she needed help, but she had been ordered to use this team to retrieve the diamond. She preferred to do things on her own and had mostly done so since those days with the three other women. On her own, she didn't have to trust others.
However, this team included the only person she probably could trust. The one who had saved her that time in Pakistan. Everything she had heard about Blondie since then had been impressive, rising to be the best in the CIA. The deadliest. She had even dropped her guard and been in a relationship of sorts with another operative. That had been a surprise. It hadn't ended well, which justified Carina's own approach to relationships. Don't get into any. Keep liaisons short, preferable just one night.
She had been told that she should meet the team in this courtyard tomorrow morning after they had been briefed. That didn't work for her. She needed to get to Blondie before that. She hoped that her blonde friend was staying in one of these apartments.
She heard laughter coming from one of the ones there, so peered in. What she saw was a surprise. Blondie was there, sitting on the floor, leaning back on a chair. A brunette man was sitting in the chair with his legs to one side so that he could ask her questions. On the couch opposite them were three people. Two of them were obviously a couple. They were playing a game and obviously enjoying themselves.
Blondie enjoying herself was unusual in itself, without copious amounts of alcohol. Carina couldn't see clearly enough, but the way Blondie and the guy looked at each other seemed intense. Was she hooked up with him?
Carina watched for several minutes before deciding to check out the rest of the complex. She would tackle Blondie later.
Sarah was pleased that she and Chuck had discussed more of their history over the last week or so. Without it, she would have been clueless when faced with some of the questions in this game.
She did find it interesting that Morgan seemed determined to catch her out, wanting to prove he knew Chuck better than she did. He obviously felt his bond with his tall friend was threatened by her presence.
Chuck had just rolled the dice and asked Sarah, "Easy, easy. My all-time favorite pet?"
Sarah thought about this. "Um... Cocker Spaniel..."
Chuck grinned. "Yeah!"
The glee in his eyes was infectious. Sarah grinned back. "Peaches!"
"Yess!" Chuck cried and leaned down to give Sarah a quick kiss.
Morgan then spoke up. "Wrong. Incorrect. It was a Springer Spaniel named Peaches Two, not to be confused with original Peaches who got hit by a car."
Ellie disagreed with him, glaring at him. "I think we can just give it to Sarah, Morgan."
Devon agreed with her.
Chuck did too. "I preferred Peaches, but Peaches Two was a good substitute who stayed with us longer."
Morgan threw up his hands. "Yeah, fine, fine. I'll just say anything next time and I'll just take a point."
"Just because your memory isn't good enough, Morgan?" Ellie said. "Just admit you're wrong."
Morgan just glowered at Chuck and Sarah.
Chuck then thought about Morgan's first statement, and looked at Ellie. "You told me that the original Peaches ran away."
Ellie replied, "She did. She did." She glared at Morgan.
Devon muttered to the smaller guy, "What are you doing, Morgan?"
Morgan got up to get some more food. Sarah picked up her plate of vegetarian pizza, picking off the olives. Chuck watched her doing it and caught her eye. A look of recognition passed between them.
On his turn, Morgan asked, "Most humiliating childhood nickname?"
Chuck knew this and also knew that no one else would get it, so the question was deliberately trying to earn points just for the Chuck / Morgan partnership. "I promised Morgan I would never say it out loud." Morgan waved to him to answer it. "Okay. Um... Organ."
Morgan gleefully said, "Oh, boom!" He turned his board around. "What's it say? What's it say? "Organ! Boom! Yeah, move me up a spot."
It was Sarah's turn next. She'd put her plate down under her legs. "What specifically is my favorite pizza?"
"Easy!" said Morgan, as he scribbled his answer down.
"Well?" Sarah asked.
"Vegetarian pizza," Morgan said. Ellie and Devon did too.
Chuck turned his board around. "Vegetarian pizza, but absolutely no olives."
"Yess!" Sarah said, showing that as her answer.
"That's too specific," Morgan argued.
"Didn't you listen to the question, Morgan? I said I wanted it specifically," Sarah said.
"She did," Ellie commented.
Morgan grumbled about that.
In the end, Morgan and Chuck won, but only just.
After Morgan gloated for a while, Chuck reminded him that he had to make his own way home on his bicycle, as everyone else had had too much to drink. Morgan grumbled about that, but got up to head home. Chuck walked with him to the door.
As Morgan left, he turned to his friend. "We're still the best team, huh, Chuck?"
Chuck smiled at him. "You're quite jealous of Sarah, aren't you?"
"Not jealous. I'm glad you got hooked up. Been a long time coming. It's just that we don't spend as much time together now."
"All part of growing up, Buddy," Chuck replied.
Morgan sighed. "I guess." Then he brightened up a bit. "Well, see you at the Buy More tomorrow for another day avoiding work."
Chuck laughed at that. "Yeah. See you, Buddy."
The remaining four cleared up, loaded the dishwasher and then headed to bed.
Sarah popped in the bathroom first and came out wearing a t-shirt and panties. Chuck went in after her.
When she entered the bedroom, Sarah noticed a figure outside, she was going to get her gun, when the figure waved at her. Opening the blind, she was surprised to see her old colleague, Red. She was the closest she had to a friend until coming here and learning what true friendship was. She opened the window and Red climbed in.
"Have you shacked up with a civvy?" Carina asked.
"I'm with Chuck," Sarah replied.
"Wow! I never thought you'd settle down like this," carina said.
Chuck walked into the room, dressed in just a t-shirt and boxers, not expecting anyone to be with his girlfriend.
Carina looked over at him, obviously taking him all in. "Maybe I can understand," she commented.
"No ideas, Red. He's mine," Sarah growled possessively.
Meanwhile, Chuck flashed on the redhead. "Carina Miller," he said. "Known simply as Red during her years in CATs. Works for the DEA. Seductress. Nearly died in Pakistan, but you saved her, Sarah." He stopped and looked at Carina. "Did I miss any key facts?"
Carina was surprised he knew so much about her, but quickly recovered and smirked. "Yes, I eat men like you for breakfast." She posed seductively.
Now that Chuck was in a serious relationship with the beautiful blonde in the room, Chuck's confidence was strong. "Sorry. Not on the menu." He walked over and put his arm around Sarah and kissed her cheek.
Sarah wrapped her arm around Chuck's waist. "What are you doing here, Carina, and how did you find us?"
"I'm after a diamond," Carina replied.
Sarah teased her, "Wow, are you, uh... you looking to settle down?"
Carina looked briefly at Chuck but decided he already knew more than he should. "No, I'm going to steal one. And you're going to help me."
Sarah nodded. "Well, couldn't you just have called?" Then, she frowned. "You didn't answer about how you found me."
Carina asked, "I take it Chuckles knows who you work for." Sarah nodded. "Well, I've been told to come here to get help from you and your team."
"By who?" Sarah asked.
"The DEA Director. You'll get briefed about it tomorrow morning. I'm to arrive in the courtyard at 8:30."
"Well then, we'll see you tomorrow," Sarah said. She looked at Carina, waiting for her to leave.
Carina shook her head. "Some things don't change. Still as abrupt as ever, Blondie. Not going to offer me refreshments?"
Sarah hadn't liked how Carina had been looking at Chuck. It reminded her of the redhead's competitive nature. "No," she replied. "Our evening is over and we're going to bed." Then, she decided to add, "We have better things to do than spend time with you."
Carina got the message quite clearly. "Okay, Lovebirds. See you tomorrow." She exited the way she came in and Sarah locked up and drew the blinds.
"Come on, Lover," she said, taking Chuck's hand.
Sarah was now asleep, with a contented smile on her face. Chuck gazed at her for a while, so thankful that she was part of his life now.
Their lovemaking had been more intense after that visit. It was almost as if Sarah wanted to show how good being with her was. In Chuck's mind, she didn't have to prove anything. She was the one for him. He had no doubts about that.
However, the visit was playing on his mind. He felt he wanted to know more about Carina Miller before they had to work with her.
He got up and delved into Carina's records and missions. He was horrified that she was solo in some of the situations recorded. It was never stated as required, but she used her body to achieve her goals. Some records did show that she allowed some of the worst men on the planet to use her body. It made him feel quite sick.
He obviously didn't keep quiet enough as Sarah called to him, "Are you ok, Chuck?"
He had to admit what he was doing and what he had found. Sarah listened and held open her arms to him. He climbed back into bed. "I've never done what she has, but she just regards her body as another tool in her spy kit bag. What I can tell you, is that she loves sex, wherever she can get it, and I don't think it bothers her at all who she's with."
"I feel so sorry for her," he replied.
"She'd hate to hear that, Chuck," Sarah said, "She likes to think she can dominate any man. She might try it with you."
"Not interested. How could I be, when I have you? You are so much more attractive than she is."
She kissed him and said, "I know you think that, but still be wary of her."
They settled down and she made sure to sprawl across him to go to sleep. He wasn't going to get out so easily again.
Chuck drifted off before she did.
Graham was standing behind the seated Beckman again for the morning call. Sarah mentioned that Carina had arrived and that she had been told to work with the team to get a diamond.
Graham said, "The diamond is heavily guarded inside of Peyman Alahi's Malibu compound. Mr. Alahi is an international financier for the opium cartel, which is why the Drug Enforcement Administration has asked us to cooperate. You'll assist Carina in acquiring the rock."
Beckman said, "Mr. Bartowski will need to go to Alahi's compound and use the Intersect to access data on the alarm system. You should set up the grab for the following day."
Sarah was concerned about Chuck going, as usual, but knew there was no point arguing about it. She did raise her other concern, though. "Sir, Carina is a tremendous field agent, but... we can't trust her with knowledge of the Intersect."
Beckman spoke before Graham could reply, ignoring what Sarah had said completely, "Alahi has friends outside the opium trade. We've received intel that he plans on moving the stone within the next 72 hours."
Casey also spoke up, "Uh... I've had dealings with Miller in the past, too. She can be a bit of a... wild card."
Graham answered Casey, "We're aware of what happened in Prague, Agent Casey, which is why you and Agent Walker return the diamond to us. Under no circumstances should Carina be entrusted with it." He then looked at Sarah. "You are right, She can't know about the Intersect, either."
After the call, Chuck asked, "What happened in Prague?" Casey growled and Chuck said, "Okay. I don't need to know."
The three of them walked out to meet Carina.
Carina said to Sarah, "Hmm. So, this is your team?"
"It's a joint team," Casey said.
"Oh, hello, Casey," Carina said. "Nice to see you with your pants on."
Casey grunted.
Carina then turned to Chuck. "I didn't realize you were part of the team. I thought you were just Sarah's bed buddy."
Sarah said, "He's an analyst. Works for the CIA." She then smirked. "And, yes, he's my partner in bed, too."
Carina's grunt matched Casey's this time.
When Carina turned up at the Wienerlicious, Sarah was on her own. Even her 'boss' Scooter was out. Carina immediately started talking as if no one could enter and disturb them. "I can guess what Casey's doing here, but, uh, what about this Chuck guy? What is he analyzing? You?"
Sarah glanced briefly at her. "He analyzes me every night and likes everything he finds."
"Okay, I walked right into that one," Carina said. "But what does he analyze for the job?"
"Whatever we need him to. He's a field analyst. He's also brilliant."
"And people here think you're his girlfriend?" Carina asked.
Sarah stopped working and glared at the redhead. ""Yes, people believe we are boyfriend/girlfriend because that is exactly what we are."
Carina acted as if she hadn't really heard that. "Speaking of. I'm sorry to hear about Bryce."
"I'm not," Sarah honestly replied.
"You were a couple, Sarah," Carina said.
"Until he abandoned me and didn't even call for anyone to help me. Then, he went rogue which cast doubt about my loyalty. He deserved to die."
Carina was a bit taken aback. "Well, getting dead is an occupational hazard. Going against your country puts a target on your back."
"Yeah. It does."
Seeing the needling wasn't achieving anything, Carina changed tack, "So, what's the assignment here anyway?"
Sarah automatically replied, "It's top secret."
"Well, if you won't tell me, I'll ask your boyfriend," Carina said, and rushed out of the shop.
"He won't tell you either," Sarah muttered and called Chuck to warn him that Carina was on her way over.
"You're supposed to be working," Scooter said as he walked in. "Not phoning your boyfriend. I need two eyes on the revolving wieners. Hear me?"
Sarah had finished her call, and knew Chuck could be trusted, so was as happy as could ever be to stay.
Carina walked into the Buy More looking for Chuck. He was nowhere in sight. A shorter man in a green polo shirt walked up to her. "Hi, can I help you?"
She looked at the bearded man. "I take it you work here. Have you seen Chuck?"
Morgan was surprised that another beautiful woman was after his best friend. "Chuck?" He looked to the Nerd Herd desk and only saw Jeff and Lester. "No. Not sure where he is. I'm Morgan, his best friend, so if you want to leave a message for him, I can take it."
She was going to decline when she saw Chuck arrive at that desk ahead as he finished a call on his cellphone. Carina wondered if the call was from Sarah. Chuck looked up and saw her with Morgan and headed their way.
On arrival, he said, "Hi."
"Can we talk in private?" Carina asked.
Morgan's shoulders slumped and he walked off.
Chuck narrowed his eyes as he looked at the redhead. "Are you upsetting my friends?"
"Not intentionally," she honestly replied.
"Shall I call Casey over?" he asked, not moving from the spot.
"No. I know Casey but I don't know you," she replied.
He smiled. "What do you want to know about me?"
"Oh, lots. How you snagged the Ice Queen for one thing."
"None of your business," he replied.
"Oh, come on. I've known her for a long time. How'd you drag her away from her boyfriend?" she asked.
He wondered what her angle was. "And that would be?"
"Bryce Larkin. They were together last time I heard."
She wanted a reaction from him, but didn't expect what she got. "Well, that shows how poor your information sources are. She and I went to his funeral a little while ago. Hard to be dating a dead man, don't you think?"
She wasn't fazed for long. "What do you analyze for the team?"
"Whatever's required," he replied.
She wasn't getting anywhere, but persisted, "Such as?"
"Such as why a DEA agent, who can't do her job without help, starts poking her nose into things that are none of her business." He stared at her. "And questioning if she can be trusted at all, or if she is a threat?"
She huffed and walked out of the store.
Suddenly, Morgan was next to Chuck again. "Chuck, you have to fix me up with her."
Chuck stared at him. "Why the hell would I do that?"
Morgan replied instantly, "Chuck, I know what a third wheel is. I know it's me. Give, give me a chance here, man. Let me be a fourth wheel for once. Or maybe like any other even number."
"From what I know about her, she's trouble, Morg."
Morgan looked at him. "Maybe she needs to meet the right man to tame her." Chuck shook his head and Morgan continued, "Chuck, if you can get Sarah, that means just about anything is possible. Let me spread my wings here, man."
"She'll hurt you, Morg. Besides, she and I are not friends, as you saw with her storming off like she did."
"Well, if you make up, help me out," Morgan said before walking away.
Sarah was planning to give Chuck a ride home when they finished their shifts, but at lunchtime Chuck said he needed to take a Nerd Herder. "Why?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I'm the Nerd Herder on-call for tonight."
She was incredulous. "Why didn't I know about this?"
He blushed. "I never really thought about it."
"And if someone calls you in the middle of the night and wakes us? Don't you think I might react badly?" she asked in a dangerously quiet voice.
"I guess I should have thought about it," he confessed.
"And you're taking a Nerd Herder because you might get called out?" Again, that dangerous tone of voice.
He held up his hands. "I've been doing this for years. I do sometimes get called out."
She sighed. "Your situation is different now. What you have in your head makes you a valuable asset to our enemies if they catch you."
"But none know about that!" he exclaimed.
"God, Chuck! That is one of the things you need to get into your head. Things change. Anything could happen." She shook her head. "I'll have to come with you if you get called out."
"What! As my minder? That would be unbelievable to the clients! And extremely embarrassing, too."
"So, get out of the on-call. And no more site visits during the day either!" she stated.
"I can't get out of doing it tonight. It's too short notice!"
She stared back at him. "So, prepare to be embarrassed tonight if you get called out."
He tried to persuade her out of that, but she would have nothing of it.
He went back to work and into Big Mike's office. Chuck told him that he could do no more on-call. He said nothing about site-visits as that was his cover for missions.
"Your team, Bartowski. You run it how you see fit. As long as we have cover, I don't care."
Chuck didn't feel like discussing it with his team that afternoon.
Chuck got no calls during the evening, and the pair of them spent the time looking at the plans of Peyman Alahi's Malibu compound that he accessed and then him digging into the man's records in the CIA.
When they finally decided to go to bed, Chuck did get a call. As agreed with Sarah earlier, he put it on speaker when the call came through.
It was Morgan. "Hey, dude, uh, did you talk to Carina about me yet?"
Chuck sighed. "No, Morgan, I didn't see her all day. Why are you calling me at this time?"
Morgan replied, "Because I am desperate to connect with her!"
"Morgan, I'm sorry, but I can't help you tonight. Sarah and I are going to bed soon, so no calls." He hung up.
The phone rang and it was Morgan again. "But you will talk to her about me won't you?"
Sarah threw her hands up in the air and walked through to the bathroom.
"Not if you keep calling me at this time of night," Chuck growled.
"Hey!" Morgan replied. "We've always been able to call each other at any time!"
"Not anymore, Morgan!" Chuck said. "I'm with Sarah now and waking her is unacceptable!"
"But you're not asleep yet, so she can't be either," Morgan justified.
"She might be," Chuck replied. "Or we might be otherwise occupied and not want to be disturbed!"
"Oh, rub it in won't you!" Morgan exclaimed. "You're having sex and I'm not!"
"Good night, Morgan!" Chuck ended the call.
The phone rang again and Chuck angrily answered, "Leave me alone, Organ!"
Then, he heard a female voice. "Is this the Buy More On-call technician?" The woman had a foreign accent.
Chuck changed his tone. "Yes, I am the on-call Nerd Herder for all Nerd Herd Computer emergencies."
Sarah walked back in and he pointed at the phone mouthing, 'Not Morgan.' She sat next to him and listened in.
"I have a computer problem and need you to come and fix it," the woman said.
Sarah thought she recognized the voice.
"What's the problem?" Chuck asked.
"My laptop won't come on and I need to work on it," the woman replied. "I'm an author."
"Did you buy it from us?" he asked.
"Oh yes," the woman replied. "But I don't have the paperwork with me. Can you help?"
Sarah was sure now that it was Carina.
"Okay. What's your name and where are you?" Chuck asked.
Sarah wasn't surprised it was at a nearby hotel. When he hung up and was going to get dressed, she said, "Shouldn't they have a support reference or a purchase agreement?"
"They often don't if they are visiting," he replied. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Sarah."
"You think because it's a woman you won't be harmed?" The dangerous low tone was back. "Didn't you learn anything from La Ciudad? And anyway, a woman calling doesn't mean there aren't men with her."
He sighed. "So, are you coming with me?" he asked.
Sarah nodded and smiled. "Yes, because I want to know why Carina is calling you?"
"Carina!?"
"I recognize her voice with the accent she was using and the name is one she's used before." She grinned. "I'll knock on the door."
They dressed and set off in the Nerd Herder.
When they got to room 903 at the hotel, Chuck was still unsure that it was really Carina , but he trusted Sarah and let her go in front of him. She knocked on the door.
As she expected, when the door opened, it was Carina's room. She was dressed in a flimsy nightgown and probably little else. "Hi, Chu-" she started and then saw she was facing Sarah instead. An unhappy Sarah at that.
Sarah shoved her back into the room and Carina stumbled back until the backs of her legs hit the bed and she tumbled onto it.
"Care to explain yourself, Red?" Sarah demanded.
Carina glared at her. "I needed computer help, not an overprotective girlfriend." She then taunted Chuck. "Can't do site visits without a chaperone, Chuckles?"
"You might want to pull your gown together, Red," Sarah snapped. "You're showing more red than a computer specialist needs to see."
Chuck spoke up, "And after seeing your delights, Sarah, that holds no interest for me."
Sarah wanted to turn and kiss him for that, but stopped herself. "Red. Explanation."
Carina clamped her mouth shut as she pulled her robe together.
Sarah glared at the woman on the bed. "Is this how you get laid, Red? Calling for IT help to get it? Pathetic!"
"I was testing him for you, Blondie!" Carina snapped back.
"Oh, I test him regularly and find him just perfect for my needs," Sarah replied.
"And Sarah is all I'd ever want," Chuck added.
"Not even a threesome?" Carina asked seductively.
"Sarah hasn't got an identical twin, so no," he stated. "Besides, Sarah meets all my needs and anything else would be under par."
"Get out! Both of you!" Carina yelled.
"So, you don't want your laptop fixed so that you can watch porn?" Sarah maliciously asked.
"GET OUT!"
Sarah took Chuck's hand and, after giving him a quick kiss, pulled him out of the room and they headed to the Nerd Herder.
As Chuck drove them home, Sarah said, "Chuck, I know you think the world of me, and I still feel amazed at that, but I have to say that your words will have been a blow to Carina tonight."
He frowned, "How so?"
Sarah looked at him. "She believes she is irresistible. The ultimate fantasy woman. Men never reject her and being compared so unfavorably to me will hurt her pride."
"I wasn't saying it to hurt her, just being honest. I 'saw' what she had to offer." Sarah raised an eyebrow and he noticed. "I wasn't staring, but couldn't miss seeing everything when her robe fell open," he said to reassure her that he wasn't desperate to look. She smiled and nodded. He continued, "I might have been interested if I'd never met you. You captured my heart and eyes the moment I saw you. Everything about you is so much more desirable, so I would have rejected her anyway."
She desperately wanted to kiss him for saying that. "Thank you, Chuck. Others might disagree, but I am glad you feel that way." She thought about Carina again. "She will rationalize what happened as you just saying what you did because I was there."
He scoffed, but saw she was being serious. "You don't think that, do you?"
"No, I don't." She then teased him, "But you'll have to spend time when we get home, proving my doubts are unfounded."
"I'm sitting here thinking about worshiping your body as well as making love. Would that help?" he asked with a grin.
"Put your foot down, Chuck. My body needs that attention!"
He laughed and did speed up a fraction, almost to the speed limit.
When they got back to the apartment, it was lucky that no calls for IT assistance came through, as they were fully occupied for some time.
Casey drove them to Alahi's Malibu compound. He was acting as their chauffeur and would stay with the car while the three of them went in. He wasn't particularly comfortable with that, but had to accept it.
Carina was silent during the ride there and, once in the compound, acted as if nothing had happened the night before. Chuck was surprised, but assumed it was her just being professional.
Sarah decided to walk around the place and left Chuck with Carina, now sure that the redhead wouldn't try anything with him. God, she loved that man!
Carina turned to Chuck. "Listen, I'm sure Sarah's warned you about me. That I improvise, take risks."
He nodded. "Yeah, she might've mentioned something about that."
"Mmm. Did she also mention my record? How I took down the Quintana Gang in Colombia?"
Sarah hadn't mentioned that, but he had read up about it. He had also seen images. Not a pleasant set of images, but her results were impressive. "So, trust me. Got it?" she added.
He nodded, but mentally didn't trust her at all.
"Great." She looked around and nodded toward a group sitting by the pool. "Now, see that man over there? Peyman Alahi, his house, his party, his diamond... for now."
Chuck saw a guy with a bare and very hairy chest. "I've seen images of him before, but not bare chested. I never expected to see Senior Wookiee over there?"
Carina chuckled. "Just grab a drink, and look casual."
Sarah returned to them and nodded for Chuck to take a walk. As he did so, the two women started walking slowly after him. Neither mentioned the previous night. Sarah told Carina what she'd found. "There's a southern egress with two armed guards and three more by the garage exit."
They caught up with Chuck. Carina kept walking, leaving the two lovers together. "You ok?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah. I count six SVB-54 explosion-protected security cameras with infrared surveillance," he replied.
"Did you flash on them?"
"No," he replied. "They sell them at the spy shop in the Buy More Plaza." She chuckled at that comment.
After a while, Carina rejoined them, and the three of them casually wandered around the grounds.
"Thermal imaging cameras on the north and west walls," Chuck commented.
Sarah had noticed them too. "Someone really doesn't want us getting in there."
Carina sped up. "Let's go for a little stroll." She headed to a door out of view of the cameras, one that Chuck believed would lead to the diamond from his review of the plans. They walked into the building and down the stairs. At the bottom, they could see a room full of valuable items on display. The walls were glass to ensure everything could be seen from the outside.
Using a device to find the electronic key combination, Carina opened the door. Chuck With all the security in this place, what she had done felt too easy to Chuck.
The diamond was the central item on display. "Don't just grab it, Carina. There are sensors all around it," Chuck said.
The hairy-chested man appeared at the doorway with two security guards. That confirmed to Chuck that entry had been too easy. "So, you like my diamond?" Asahi asked.
Sarah decided to act and speak like a blonde bimbo. "Yeah, really pretty."
"You're not supposed to be here," Asahi replied.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, but the door was unlocked," Sarah continued, simpering.
Carina commented on how much she admired him as well as the diamond, which caused Asahi to wave his men away. Chuck was completely ignored. Asahi walked in and stood between the two women placing a hand on each of their butts.
Chuck started to get annoyed and Sarah almost imperceptibly shook her head at him.
"So, what would I have to do to get this thing on my finger?" Carina asked.
Asahi replied, "It is said that he who owns the Nadan-I-Noor rules the world."
Carina gushed. "Wow. So, what if, like, someone tried to steal it?"
"It's impossible to steal," he replied. "Because if touched, the vault will seal itself off; the gas will fill the room; and after that, my security team would eliminate the threat."
Chuck guessed that there would be no need to do anything with those trapped in the room, who had been gassed. They had to get out and plan what to do.
Sarah nodded to Chuck to get Carina out. He hated what he knew she was about to do, particularly when Asahi pinched Sarah's bottom, and she squeaked, still in her role. She said, "I saw some really cool paintings outside. Can I have a look?" Asahi guided her out.
Chuck turned to Carina. "The guy wearing the fur sweater failed to mention one fairly significant security detail. 20,000 volts of electricity protecting the stone."
Carina frowned. "Hmm, problematic. How are you going to fix that?"
"That is part of the planning we have to do overnight before we come back," he replied.
"Don't be stupid!" she snapped. "We'll never get near the place tomorrow. We may have to take it today! So, how?"
He guessed she was right. "I'd use compressed air to knock it off the pedestal. And then get out fast."
She scanned the room, spotted the fire extinguisher, and blasted the diamond off the display. Chuck only just managed to grab it. She threw a velvet bag at him and rushed to the doorway that had a panel sliding down as gas poured in from the sides of the room.
"Shit!" he cried out. He didn't have time to bag the diamond and only just slid out under the panel in time.
He saw Asahi on the ground and the two women fighting with the guards. They quickly dispatched them.
Sarah grabbed Chuck's hand, pulling him up the stairs.
As they burst out to the pool area, Sarah growled at the redhead. "Are you crazy, Carina? This was only supposed to be recon."
"So, I made a split-second decision," Carina snapped back, "And your boyfriend went along with it."
"I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter, Sarah, but she's right. We wouldn't get another chance," he muttered.
Sarah glared at him, but said nothing.
The two women managed to get them through all the men in their way and they escaped from the compound. Chuck contacted Casey on the way. "Carina improvised. She snatched the diamond. She's suggested you meet us on the beach."
Casey wasn't surprised. "I'm on it."
As the three reached the beach, Sarah called to Carina, who was running ahead of them. "Hey, Carina, what now?" She suspected Carina would try to double-cross them somehow.
"You two run for it," Carina replied. "Give me the stone. I'll take the heat. You can double back and get me out."
Chuck had emptied the diamond out of the velvet bag and passed it to Sarah as they ran through the compound without Carina knowing. He'd 'tripped' and stumbled to the ground as they ran over gravel and grabbed a similar sized stone and dropped it into the bag.
Carina stopped as they caught up. She reached her hand to Chuck. "Chuck, trust me," she said in a sultry tone.
"Of course," he replied, tossing the stone filled bag to her. This was the test for Carina.
As Sarah predicted, Carina failed the test. The redhead grinned. "Thanks, Chuck." She pressed a button on her watch, stripped off her top and ran into the water in her bikini to a jet ski that had appeared out of the water.
"You planned this?" Sarah cried out.
"Catch you later," Carina replied and sped off just as Asahi's men poured onto the beach and started shooting at Chuck and Sarah.
Casey pulled up in an SUV. "Get in!" he shouted to them. Sarah and Chuck leaped in.
"Thanks, Casey," Sarah said.
"She didn't even care about us," Chuck marveled.
"She knew Casey would save us," Sarah replied.
"What was she going to do with it?" Chuck asked. "Sell it?"
Casey responded, "No, she's a gamer. She'll give it to her bosses, move up the DEA's covert ranks."
Sarah was in the back seat, changing her clothes. Chuck knew why, but decided to play Casey. ""What... what are you doing, Sarah?"
She growled, "Can't believe I have to work my stupid hot dog shift. If I call in sick again, I'll get canned."
"I love seeing you in that outfit, Sarah," Chuck said.
She grinned and quickly glanced at Casey before saying, "Almost as much as getting me out of it?"
"That's enough!" Casey shouted.
Sarah's phone rang and she put it on speaker when she saw it was Carina.
"You switched it!?" Carina yelled.
"Couldn't let you double-cross us, Carina," Sarah replied. "Don't be mad. You left us to die back there."
Carina snarled, "I knew Casey would get to you."
"When we report your actions, the CIA will pass on your failure to the DEA, who will have your ass," Sarah said.
"This isn't over," Carina growled and ended the call.
"Nice," Casey said.
They took the diamond, still in its bag, to Casey's apartment. Before Casey locked it away in the safe, Chuck took it from Sarah to have a look and he flashed on it.
"What was the flash, Chuck?" Sarah asked.
Chuck looked at her in horror. "The diamond we stole from the wooly mammoth, the Nadan-I-Noor, it's not a drug diamond. It belongs to an Afghani terrorist group. It is way more dangerous than we thought."
Casey growled. "They won't give up on that. They'll probably go after Carina, thinking she got it. She's as good as dead."
Chuck immediately said, "We can't let her die."
Casey shrugged. "Happens to the best of us."
"No. Chuck's right," Sarah said.
She took her phone from her bag and called Carina, who answered immediately, "Sarah?"
"Carina, the diamond is dangerous," Sarah told her.
"So, I've just been told. You need to bring it to me," Carina replied.
Sarah heard what was behind Carina's words. She must already have been taken and would be exchanged for the diamond. Sarah ended the call and told the two men.
Chuck's eyes widened. "They caught her? They'll torture her?"
Sarah saw he was spiraling. She imagined him rushing off with the diamond with the intention of handing it over to save Carina. She took it back and handed it to Casey. "Keep this safe. I'll go and find her."
"I'll come too," Chuck said.
Casey quickly locked the diamond in the safe. "No. We won't risk you or the Intersect on this one. We'll drop you off at the Buy More."
"Oh, great!" Chuck frustratingly said. Then he looked at Sarah. "Be careful," he said to both, but mainly to the woman he loved.
Sarah saw the look in his eyes. Being so important to someone, was still very new to her. "We will," she replied.
She rushed over to their apartment, and pulled on some pants, discarding the skirt, and covered the top with a leather jacket, before heading out.
They dropped Chuck off at the Buy More, grumbling, and the two agents headed out.
Chuck walked into the store and was confronted by his bearded friend. "Well, did you talk to her about me?" Morgan asked.
"I haven't talked to Carina about you, Morg, and I don't think she's still around."
Morgan's shoulders slumped and he walked off muttering, "I thought she might be the one."
Chuck shook his head, thankful that his friend had been saved from getting tangled up with the crazy redhead.
As Sarah and Casey climbed into his Crown Vic, he said, "I put a trace on her phone." He soon got a signal on the display in the center console.
Looking closely, Sarah recognized the location. "That's her hotel."
Casey set off.
Sarah called Chuck who had just reached the Nerd Herd desk. "They're at her hotel. Can you tap into the security system and find them?"
"Sure," he replied.
Before they got to the hotel, Chuck relayed an image of Carina in the hotel bar, surrounded by men. Chuck sent images from several cameras so the two would know where all the men were.
When they reached the hotel, Sarah went in the main entrance and Casey the rear. There were two ways into the bar, so that made this relatively easy for them.
She walked in confidently. As they'd seen, there were three men sitting and Alahi, who was staring at Sarah while standing behind a seated Carina, holding a gun to her head.
Carina nodded to her, indicating that she was ready to move when Sarah gave her a signal.
"Do you have what I want?" Alahi demanded.
Sarah heard Casey say over her ear piece, "Got a lock on the ones behind you."
Sarah looked at Alahi and said, "You can have it when you release her."
Alahi snorted and said, "Not how this works."
"Very well, you can have it, but then you immediately release her," she said. He nodded and she reached into her jacket pocket. She nodded to Carina and whipped out her gun, shooting all three seated men, while two bullets flew past her at the two men behind her.
Carina grabbed Alahi's gun and twisted it from him.
It was over very quickly.
Carina looked at Sarah. "The diamond?"
"Safe. From them and you," Sarah replied.
"It's not yours, Blondie," Carina hissed.
Sarah nodded. "Nor is it yours."
They left Carina at the hotel after the men were taken away.
As Casey drove to the Wienerlicious, he asked, "How did Bartowski know which hotel she was at?"
She grinned. "Carina called the on-call support asking for him to fix her computer. It was a bogus call. She wanted to bed him."
"Hard to resist," he commented.
"Yeah, I know you were a previous conquest."
Casey ignored that comment. "I take it Bartowski turned her down."
Sarah laughed. "He did, which she didn't like."
"I bet!" he smirked. "You have him completely under your control?"
She shook her head. "No. It's not like that. We're true partners."
"God!" he exclaimed and asked no more questions.
Sarah joined Chuck and Casey in the Buy More Home Theater room and faced Beckman and Graham.
"Capturing the Nadan-I-Noor diamond has dissolved Peyman Alahi's credibility," Beckman stated. "On top of facing a jail sentence, his network has fallen apart."
Graham added, "We were also able to thwart the purchase of $26 million of surface-to-air missiles the Afghani terrorist group was planning on buying. No diamond, no cash, no sale. Job well done, people."
Sarah knew Chuck wouldn't like all the death she'd dealt out at the compound. She was right and he brought it up when they went to bed.
"I know you needed to do it, Sarah, but I'm not used to it," he said when she broached the subject.
"I know," she replied. "I wish it wasn't necessary, but it often is."
"How do you feel afterward?"
She thought about it. Something she hadn't done for a long time. "At first I was sick each time, but after a while I learnt to block it away and not think about it. I wish it wasn't necessary, but it comes with the job."
"I wish I could take you away from all of it, Sarah," he said.
"Being a CIA operative is all I know how to do, Chuck," she replied.
"Sarah, I think you could do anything you put you put your mind to doing."
She kissed him for that compliment. Then she smirked. "Apart from your computer wizardry and cooking as well as your sister does."
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with all the passion in him.
They made love and that washed all the unpleasant thoughts away. They would probably come back, but not tonight.
A/N: Phew! They survived the visit from Carina Miller!
If you have the time, please leave a review to let me know what you thought of this chapter.
