A/N: 1

Ok, I finished up the next chapter, which is the 1st of the third arc, titled Salvation.

I will be egotistical enough to think that it could brighten someone's Monday.

The characters are as true to canon as I can make them. They still are imperfect, all still wrapped up in their individual human conditions, and doing the best they can.

Some people where bothered by Sarah, being so broken in the prior chapter. I was trying to show a consistent Sarah, someone habituated to smothering emotions, now pushed to a greater extreme than ever.

A/N: 2

Don't own Chuck, only temporarily own my money.

Salvation - Volkoff

Alexei Volkoff was one of the most powerful men in the world. His influence was on par with the leaders of small countries.

Seeming to come out of nowhere, preferring to speak in the Queen's English yet claiming a Russian childhood, Alexei Volkoff was something of an enigma.

There wasn't anything enigmatic about his lust for power, nor his ruthlessness in achieving it.

He sat on top of a global weapons empire, with his transactions, not only earning him billions, but also changing the world, influencing history.

It wasn't his concern if that change was for the good or the bad.

Volkoff's walls protected him from intruders and assassins. His political connections protected him from everything else.

Alexei Volkoff was one of the most powerful men in the world. He's influence was on par with the leaders of small countries.

Until, he wasn't.

Until one morning in August, when the President of Russia decided he was a threat.

Whether it was because of the level of influence Alexie was reaching, or because of a fear of betrayal, or if it was because of a horoscope, or perhaps a Tarot card reading, nobody knew why, but the Russian President decided he didn't want Alexei Volkoff around anymore.

If you combined all of Volkoff's forces around the world, he had a small army, the fraction of those which he had at his fortress like headquarters were still substantial. Altogether his defenses would prove difficult and costly to even a decently sized assault team. Not so much the Russian Army.

Missiles were expensive, as was jet fuel, so when the breaking news reported that Volkoff was head of a secret, terrorist organization, his headquarters were already under attack by Government forces, and it was in the form of artillery fire.

There was no assault team to drive back, only exploding shells to be destroyed by.

Starting at the perimeter, Russian artillery walked its way around the fortress, destroying the outer buildings and drove the survivors into a center of an explosive destruction you didn't survive. Alexie was in his tower office, which allowed him a 360 degree view of his property. His presence was probably a trigger for a forward spotter, because that is where the first shell hit. And hell existed on earth for a brief period of time. Churned dirt and burning rubble was a terrifying testament to the power of an artillery barrage.

Sarah's latest mission was to infiltrate Volkoff's fortress and gather any Intel possible, so the CIA could get some leverage against the reclusive power broker. She had been provided Intel indicating the existence of a few thousand yard tunnel, running from a sub-basement of Volkoff's fortress to a hidden outlet, somewhere in the wooded hills that Sarah was exploring. She snapped her head in the direction of an unexpected and rather large explosion and saw, in the direction of the center of the fortress, the after effects of some kind of explosion sending debris and smoke into the sky. Then the ground in front of her erupted, an ear shattering explosion was the last thing she heard.

When she was found, she was checked for a pulse, and once confirmed, she was carefully dragged into a more wooded spot. Then a hand searched her wrist, found her watch, and activated her May Day signal. Her wounds were then field dressed. Throughout the process, Sarah never woke up.

Salvation – The Rescue

A May Day signal was essentially a Hail Mary pass for an agent. When a mission goes south, things go to crap, and an agent thinks this is it, they can activate an emergency signal on their watch. Agents work virtually alone, and typically expect no support in the field, but if you are about to die, what the hell. So, a personalized signal is broadcast, and if they are lucky, someone else in the field, or at nearby base, receives it and can actually provide support.

When Chuck received Sarah's May Day, he immediately reacted. Carina was still looking at the screen, still processing what was happening, while Chuck was already at the armory, and making a phone call.

Carina had never seen him move that quickly, and with that much certainty. He was focused, and no motion was wasted. Charles was in charge again. And Sarah was in trouble, the computer screen showing a flashing dot on a map, apparently near Moscow.

Carina moves to the armory, and hears Chuck talking to Casey and explaining that he needs both of the V4's armed and ready to go. "Sarah's in Trouble!

The Ducati V4 motorcycles were customized for the Company, having a top speed nearing 200mph and armed with a full defensive package. They had no forward facing guns or rockets, to avoid causing a steering disruption at high speed. Besides WTF are you doing attacking someone from an exposed and unstable platform like a Motorcycle? All of its weapons were rearward facing because you are supposed to be running away from the enemy at nearly 200 MPH. And, any enemies behind you were fucked. Caltrops, Smoke, and Lubricant were all available to complicate pursuit. If the pursuers were really persistent, there were flash bang and regular grenades, which could be launched rearward. It was designed to get you someplace fast and safe. Since it was Russia, they didn't have time to jump through all the hoops aircraft would require. Chuck considered, On the bikes, full throttle, we can be there, hopefully, before nightfall. It had to be soon enough, he couldn't contemplate any other possibility.

As they were packing, Carina asks, "Shouldn't we call Hawthorne or Beckman?"

"We'll get forgiveness," Chuck responds flatly, "Sarah's in Trouble."

"Yeah, but aren't there closer Agents." she points out.

"Maybe, maybe not, can't risk it," comes the clipped reply, "Sarah's in trouble."

"Do you have any kind of plan?" she pushes.

"I've got guns," he growls. "God damn it, Carina, we can chit chat when we get there. Sarah is in trouble. Are you fucking coming or not!" he ends in a yell. He grabs his now packed bag, and heads to the garage.

Carina is momentarily stunned motionless, as she gapes, wide eyed at Chuck. Holy crap, I have never seen him this worked up. It's Charles in Charge on steroids. She snaps her mouth shut, staring after him, quickly finishes packing her own bag, and takes off running after him.

A couple of things surprised Chuck, when his phone rang in his ear, after about a half hour of riding. The first thing that surprised him was the phone ringing, because he had forgotten about pairing the blue tooth headphones that were built into the helmet. The second thing that surprised him was getting any call, right now.

Oh shit, that must be Beckman or Hawthorne. I should have called them first, but forgiveness, not permission, and they would have slowed us with second guessing, over-planning, and discussions of necessity. It's Sarah, Goddammit!

So he braces himself, and answers the phone. "Carmichael, secure and kind of busy" he risks saying.

"Chuck, where are you?" asks a questioning voice. "My feed from your security cameras show you guys blowing out of there. What's going on?"

"Dad? It's Sarah, Dad", he blurts out. "She sent out a May Day and I…we are going after her."

"Where is she at?" Stephen asks, with something deeper in the question.

"Inside Russia" Chuck flatly states.

"Just outside Moscow?" he surprisingly inquires with that detail.

"Yeah," Chuck replies, slightly taken aback, "How do you know? Did you see the May Day?"

"No, I am busy with something else that suddenly came up. But, I am headed to that part of the region."

"What, you aren't in LA?" Chuck asks, surprised.

No Chuck, I have been working on…. a project", he says with a pregnant pause, "that has me here in Europe. But I am headed that same way. I think we should meet up."

"Don't have time Dad, Sarah's in trouble."

"Son, I think our missions may be crossing, and we should really be working together."

Chuck interrupts, "Love to Dad, but I am kind of busy right now. 150 miles per hour busy."

"Chuck, you don't understand. We need to connect."

"Dad, we are connected now. Just tell me whatever you are freaking out about, so I can get back to freaking out about my own thing. If you really want to tag along, Casey is somewhere behind us. He is bringing a small team and a couple of vans. You can catch a ride somewhere along the way, but I am not having him make any detours."

"Fair enough, I'll co-ordinate with him. In the meantime, are you aware yet, of what happened to Alexei Volkoff?"

Stephen filled Chuck in on the morning's events, and indicated that he had some contact on the ground that he was going to meet up with. He thought Sarah's location might indicate that she was somehow caught up in it.

"They blew his whole compound up? Leveled everything?" His blood runs cold and he wishes he could squeeze more speed out of the V4. "Thanks for the information Dad, that does help, but I need to focus on driving. I hope to see you there." He hangs up and twists some more on the already fully engaged throttle.

oooooooooooooooooo

The only problem they had on the trip was at a refuel, where they had attracted the attention of a local gang, who thought they could come into the possession of 2 super bikes, liberated from some rich, but stupid, tourists. The bike gang had the misfortune of dealing with "Fuck around and find out" Carina. They came out worse for the interaction. Well, actually, dead.

It did take both of her pistols. Carina probably could have taken them all by herself, but Chuck did have her back, because that was partners do, adding a couple more to his zombie closet.

They rode on.

ooooooooooooooo

It was a clear evening, so the light is still pretty good, when they reach the general area of the signal. Its GPS location is somewhere in the nearby fields and woods, too cluttered to allow the motorcycles. So they continue on foot, cautiously proceeding, scanning the area, looking for danger. In the near distance, the ruins of Volkoff's fortress provide a visible reminder of how dangerous this area can be. But, it was the smell of smoke and destruction that provides the most impactful experience.

Chuck and Carina move through the light woods, in the dusk, like ghosts. There is a ghost he fears to find in these woods. He finds a different one instead.

As he searches, a dirty robed apparition arose in front of him, and lowers its hood.

"Mom?"

"Chuck?" She closes the distance between them. "Did your father send you?"

"What?" he responds, more than confused about the situation. "You're alive?"

She saw the roiling emotions in his eyes, along with the tears starting to form. "Yes, Chuck and you have to know I missed you dearly," Mary assures him, taking his hands in hers. "I guess it's finally time for you to know everything."

"Umm. Hate to interrupt this," Carina interjects, circling her index finger to indicate the two of them, a baffled expression on her face, "But, don't we need to find Sarah?"

"Sarah" Chuck gasps, his eyes widening in remembrance. "Mom, where's Sarah?"

"Yes, she is over here." Mary indicates, pulling Chuck along by his hand.

She leads them into a slightly more heavily wooded area, and they can now see a partially hidden lean-to.

Mary pulls aside the make shift covering, and he can see She is there. His heart flutters, and then stops, as he takes in the scene. Sarah is covered with some fir boughs, in a dug out depression, to keep her warm. But, the slight depression Mary had dug out, suddenly reminded him of a shallow grave. He pink cheeks and fluttering eyelids were proof of life, but the thought of that worse possibility, is too much for him. He collapses to his knees, by her side, and starts sobbing inconsolably. He broke.

Mary looks flabbergasted at the scene.

She turns to Carina, and with narrowed eyes, says "I think some explanations are in order."

Carina's spine stiffens, and she narrows her eyes too, "Yeah, I agree, some explanations are in order." Mom?

They step back away from Chuck and square off in what could be arguably called defensive positions.

Mary opens with, "So, you guys work for the government?"

Carina replies "So, you're his Mom?"

Mary deflates slightly, responding, "Yeah, that's a long story. So, I can trust you?"

Carina smugly replies, "I'm his partner. So what happened?"

Mary explaines, "I was…on a mission, and I ended up coming out of an escape tunnel, during the barrage. When it ended, I cautiously exited into the woods. Surveying the scene and deciding on my next course of action, fluttering blond hair caught my attention. It was Sarah, bloodied and battered from a shell burst."

"I was amazed she was alive. So, I sent her May Day, field dressed her wounds, and carefully moved her to where I built the lean-to."

"Then, I sent out my own May Day to my contact, well, Chuck's dad. And I've been waiting for pickup since. I had to hide for a little while, when Russian troops came to survey the damage, but we remained unnoticed."

Carina let her know that Casey is on his way with a small team and two vans; one tactical, one medical. And she thought Stephen would be with him. But, she is afraid that they were probably 10 hours behind.

Mary wouldn't elaborate on what her mission was, Carina wouldn't elaborate on what their mission was, so the women sit in silence watching Chuck, on his knees, sobbing, by Sarah's side.

oooooooooooooooo

A few hours later, as darkness sets in, Carina's phone rings. She sees it is Casey, and surprised, she picks it up.

"Don't shoot me. We're the lights that will be coming up the road shortly."

Carina asks, surprised, "How did you guys get here so fast?"

Casey answers, "Made a few phone calls and got us airlifted as close as we could to the Russian border. So we just stopped to pick up Chuck's dad, and were able to speed this way."

Carina replies, "Slow down. I need to make my way back to the road. We are off the road a little ways, and our motorcycles are hidden in the brush. How far are you from the last turn off?" Casey tells her and Carina calculates that they are only a couple of minutes away. "Okay, well slow down and I'll be out to the road as soon as I can."

She tells Mary what is going on and looks over at Chuck, who is still kneeling at Sarah's side, exhausted from sobbing, lost in his thoughts.

Sarah was blown up. She is lucky. The blast was far enough away that the concussion just bruised her organs and didn't rupture them. She is lucky that she was thrown back onto relatively soft loam and not into a tree trunk or impaled on sharp branches. She is lucky that Mary found her so quickly and could start providing field aid.

Chuck didn't know all of that. He just knew that he is luckier than he deserves that Sarah was alive.

Staying in contact on the phone, Carina waves down Casey and directs him to a small clearing.

"So, Sarah's alive? You found her?" are Casey's first questions.

"That ain't the half of it." Carina replies with a wide eyed look, sharing her surprise. "Just wait. Let's get to Sarah."

Casey looks at her with a questioning eyebrow, but just nods, and hollers for the accompanying agents to get a move on.

With a stretcher and medical gear in hand, the agents follow as Carina leads Casey and Stephen to the lean-to.

Mary's face breaks into a smile when she sees them, and she rushes into Stephen's open arms, kissing him and sharing whispers only heard by the two.

Carina leads Casey and the team to where Sarah lies, unconscious. The team springs into immediate action, tending to Sarah, setting up an IV, and prepping her for movement. Once she is stabilized, they administer a tranquilizer, so she won't move while they are tending to her. Chuck stands up, steps back, and hovers.

Casey looks over the scene, looks over Chuck, and ends up looking uncomfortable, not quite sure what to do.

Carina notices, grabs his arm, and pulls him away. "Just give him some space right now. His emotions are on edge."

She indicates with her head, Mary, and quietly explaines, "The lady, that's Chuck's Mom!"

"What?" Casey mouths, eyes wide in surprise. Then he snickers, "Well that explains the kiss."

"And, it looks like she is an agent." Carina drops the other shoe.

"What the Fuck?" Casey exclaims, louder that intended. With a lowered voice, he continues, "One of ours?"

"I assume," she replies, shaking her head uncertainly. "She's Stephen's is all I know."

"Well Shit! I guess we have to trust her, since she is family. But, let's leave it to Stephen to bring up Chuck's special talent."

Carina nods in agreement, and side-by-side they watch the events play out, as Sarah gets loaded into the Medical Van.

Over 24 hours their world had dramatically changed.

Casey, Stephen and Mary get in the Tactical Van, while one of the agents drives the Medical Van, with Carina and Chuck joining the sedated Sarah, in the back.

The other two agents are more than happy to ride the V4's.

Casey lets the team know that they are going to have air transport again, for the bulk of the trip.

Next stop, The Villa.