Art Gallery, Mission Time
Sarah and Chuck pulled up in a glamorous and glossy metallic black stretch limo with Casey being the chauffeur. Sarah wore an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous red sleeveless dress showcasing a healthy bit of her cleavage. The whole ride Chuck was only able to keep his attention away from exquisite beauty because of his nerves. This was his first true operation where he can prove himself as a field analyst. And he didn't want to disappoint Sarah.
Casey had explained the nature, importance and security implications of the op and needless to say he was a bit overwhelemed. And Sarah's former teammates were here. He felt this primal need to prove to them that he was a suitable choice to be her partner. Like he had to pass a ritual to become worthy in her peers' eyes. God it was like setting unachievable standards and he was making them up for himself.
"Chuck..." Her sweet, honeying voice soothed his inner demons. "There is no need to be nervous. We will be there every step of the way."
Casey, as always was a bit more abrasive. "Get a grip Bartowski. You really going to piss your pants on your first official op?"
He then smirked, "Besides, if you learned to tango, you will be just fine."
Sarah wore a confused expression and immediately interjected. "Tango? A codeword for bailing out?"
Chuck replied back nervously... "No... He told me take tango lessons to get ready for..." Seeing Sarah smiling. "Nothing to tango really huh?"
He stared at Casey who was grinning. He broke out into a smile. "Spy humor... I like it."
"Shall we get going, my lady?" Chuck asked in the best Michael Caine voice he could impersonate. Something about that smooth silky voice just brought him the confidence he needed to do this.
"Oh! Charles... You no there's no need for that." Sarah drawled back in a perfect White bratty, snooty, richie-rich Texan voice. "You are like Daddy's pool boy. Needed, but not wanted. And definitely not, my Prince Charming." If Chuck didn't know she was playing a role, he would have been deeply hurt. He grimaced and withdrew his hand. "Now be a dear little assistant and hold onto my coat."
And then she drew closer and whispered into his ear as she was handing him his coat... "Remember. Carina is a little... unconventional and abrupt. She will try to throw you off your game. Ignore or compartmentalize and then sort it out later. Okay?" She then walked off into the crowd to socialize like a ditzy party girl with too much money.
Chuck nearly smiled at her order which still managed to have a hint of concern. The night prior, after their dinner with the Awesomes and Morgan, to "keep up the cover", she had taken him to the beach. And she told him everything non-classified about her time with the C. A. T. S. Especially her and Carina's little competition.
He recalled...
Flashback.
Late Night, At the Beach.
Sarah looked at him with deep concern. "Chuck... I haven't been this forward with anyone in my life in a long time. But, I need you to know this. I have had... a colorful past. At one time, I was a party girl. And... I won't lie. It was a phase I enjoyed. After highly tense missions, it was the easiest way to burn off all the stress and forget about the horrors. I enjoyed it as much as one would an indulgence. And... And... If that's something that bothers you... I need to know now. Before... Before I go all in."
He looked at her with surprise.
She chuckled. "Yeah. I know. Ice Queen Walker. Being emotional and kinda girly. But... You have let me hope, Chuck. You let me hope for a normal life again. Or as normal as we can have. I... I always have dreamt of being like an a average American. And in my world... most of the partners I sought, turned out to be emotionally constipated like Casey or deceiving like Bryce. Even women who have been in this game a long time become like me or ... my friend Carina. This... job takes away your humanity. And we,... I,... was ready to give it up for the sake of the greater good. But this once, I want to be selfish. I want a good for me too. So..."
Her emotions were on full display. Over the past weeks she had opened up gradually. But tonight was something different. "Sarah... I won't lie and say having many exes won't be bothersome. But nothing's a dealbreaker. If anything, it gives another dimension to you but doesn't define you. If the person's past always defined him, he or she would never have the ability to change or repent or grow or recourse. If my past defined me, I wouldn't be here today. So... no. I am not going to judge you for it."
Silence prevailed.
"I do have one question though..."
"Hmm...?"
"What changed? Initially it was all about the mission and... you didn't want anything like this. What changed your mind?"
She was silent. He almost began to give her an out when she said. "The four days you were unconscious, were among the worst days ever. (Chuckling) And I,... I have been tortured, shot at, nearly fatally wounded and so much more. And yet... it was then I realized how much of a rabbit hole I had dug myself into with you."
"I know you don't consider yourself a hero... And to you heroes are those who... drop... bad guys. But to me, those little acts of helping people out, brightening lives of kids, counseling rehabilitated convicts and more... Even changing Tiny's life to make him see the error of his livelihood, that's... that's a hero." Looking into his eyes.
"You are my hero, Chuck. And you know how to be kind even though you have your own demons you are struggling with. I have never seen anyone like you. Ellie comes a distant second. Maybe... there is the fanatsy perfect guy or girl out there who does everything good and best all the time... But I have never met them. And in my experience if someone is that clean, they are generally hiding their skeletons.
"Anyway... I realized that I either needed to get out of this op and get far way or I needed to go all in. And... And... I chose the second option. So I have been working up my... nerve to do this. To... put all my feelings on the table... After all, in the world you are going to be employed in, life is not guaranteed and... I need to have as much good as I can before either of our time comes."
Chuck reached out and caressed her tenderly... He didn't know how to convey his feelings. They were raging his heart. And the longer he took to speak, he could see her start to withdraw... So he threw caution to the wind and kissed her. It started a little one-sided and but soon, neither could get enough of each other. The passion, tenderness and nearly eclectic buzz between the two lit them on fire. They both knew in that instant, they they were meant for each other. And woe to anybody who tried to separate them.
It had been a momentous occasion for their relationship. They were now officially together but wouldn't tell anyone till he became a full fledged field analyst. It was an amazing feeling to just be with someone he cherished and really liked.
He was planning to do something for her tomorrow... A night she would have, hopefully as significant for her as she gave him last night. He could soon truly court her, and she, him. All the possibilities just brought a smile to his face. He was stopped from hair dreaming when Casey's voice cut in, "Focus Chuck. We are about to have drinks. Lime and Rum?"
Lime was the MI6 guy while Rum was Carina. Zondra was assigned Whiskey; Amy, brandy; Sarah, Tequila.
Casey was Umbrella and Chuck was Olive.
"Seriously, Rum? I didn't know you were this badly damaged from the Prague incident, Umbrella... Like seriously... Who came up with these stupid ones?" A tall, red-headed Swedish decent modelesque woman came into view with a similar height, caucasian, black-haired man who was grinning on seeing Chuck. "Really Olive? You could really use some help with codenames Charles..."
Chuck blinked like an owl... Before a grin appeared on his face as well. "Of all the dolts they could bring from the land with no food buds, they had to bring the wannabe Bond? I mean, if it weren't for me, you would have, how do you lot put it, 'Gone for a Burton'."
Casey was perplexed. "You two know each other?"
Lime replied. "Of course I know him. He is... was, the best underground contact for us in ensuring a lot of operations ran smoothly on the tech side."
Casey was still a bit puzzled. Chuck's history didn't have this part. "So his cover is compromised... We need to call off the mission."
Lime stopped him... "Hey... Hey... Cool your horses mate. We ain't stopping a big op when his cover isn't even compromised. I was the only contact and his cover was Charles Devine."
They all looked at Chuck for the weird name. "What? Underground contract work for me was a tough business... So a stupid name was a good choice to get a lit more recognition and hence more work.
"Besides, Cole paid me like two grand every time and it helped me save up for starting my own business. So... yeah."
The now identified Cole, spoke up. " It's Mark Peters now, Chuck... Also, who is this?"
Casey grunted from the side. "For now, it is Umbrella, Lime...y."
The red-head snorted from the side while Lime was trying to contain the amusement from the side. "Really? Mark, this is Casey. John Casey. And... Carmichael was it?" Her voice rocketed from playful to hunting prey and she traced a finger along his hand. "You must be the probationary agent in Blondie's care. I am sure she wouldn't mind me sampling you later."
Chuck was dumbfounded while Mark was smiling from the side. Casey was disgusted. He was trying to shake off her rather forward come-on, when a different, higher pitch voice cut in. "Already started Carina? I thought I would have been the first to get a fucktoy tonight."
A brunette woman, a little shorter than her came into view. She seemed to be of Italian or Spanish decent with a gorgeous, Hollywood aspired figure and felt exotic in just as good a measure as Carina.
"Zondra." Carina forced a smile onto her face even though it was clear that she didn't like that she interrupted her from her... hunting. "It's been a long time."
Zondra smiled. Genuinely. "Too long in my estimation." She looked around at the assembled agents. "Casey I know. So who the fuck are you two."
Mark was the first to act. "Peters. Mark, Peters. And might I say, you make this gala worth my time."
Zondra forced a smile. "I would like to say the same."
Casey decided to get the mission on track. "You all here, except for Carmichael, are seasoned agents. And here you have gathered around like 50s housewives at a tea party. Get to your positions idiots, before you blow our covers."
Chuck gave Casey an amused smile. "If we are housewives, what are you? The fat one, uninvited and thereby bitchy?" To Casey this was a direct challenge to his authority through snidely throwing his own words back at him. Unacceptable to him but the other agents were snickering.
"Get. To. Your. Posts."
Sarah in the meantime had met her onetime teammate and ditzy friend, Amy or brandy. She had been inserted as the wife of a movie star, and she supposedly came from old money through German aristocracy. Her cover was Amy Sanders.
When they saw each other, they immediately hit it off in the public's eye. They acted like life-long friends separated by circumstances. As the buzz about them died and men stopped making advances on the for sometime, they retreated to a corner and the air became a little frosty.
Sarah and Amy stopped interacting when Amy sides with Zondra, while Carina stayed neutral. "I must say Amy, the years were kind to you. Though I must admit, you becoming a fed giving up the glittery, gutsy, fast-paced and glamorous life of a CIA officer never occured to me."
She thought she saw a guilty look across Amy's face before it became one of a trained operative. "You look beautiful too Sarah."
Silence pervaded in the few moments, neither knowing how to break the ice. Finallly Sarah decided to get back to work. "We need to get back to work."
"Wait." Amy's voice stopped her. "I need to tell you something and... and it can't wait. It is critical to this mission."
Sarah turned back, "What?"
Any breathed in deeply. "The transmitter on Z's boot, wasn't from Z... I planted it to breakup the team."
Sarah Stiller and the frigidity dropped into the negative range. "Why?"
Amy looked embarrassed and desperate. "Come to the roof, and I will tell you everything. Come now."
And she hastily walked off.
Chuck went to follow Sarah after the other agents received their tasks. As Sarah socialized, Chuck needed to identify players in the meet.
Carina and Zondra had to tail Peyman Alahi, collect intel on his hired help so that they could hit his compound the next day and clean him out, toppling all his financial network dealing a major blow to terror financiers.
Mark Peters and Casey had to ensure the operation on La Ciudad completed with at the bare minimum, identification and best case, capture.The Americans were also concerned with the Council, Peyman Alahi and the arms deal, but for Mark, it was like trying to do multiple surgeries at the same time for different organs. Not advisable and potentially disastrous. But, he deferred to their dubious plan as they were operating on the "land of freedom."
The ATF agent was supposed to be their backup incase things go south and they needed a hot extraction. He would also keep track of the entire mission with La Ciudad from the US perspective.
Casey knew that a shitstorm of epic proportions was brewing. They were throwing a probationary analyst and the government's most important intelligence asset into the midst of a huge arms-busting and possibly Council-busting op. No matter how good he is, it is like throwing an egg off a best and expecting the unborn fledgling to fly.
Chuck was flashing constantly and transmitting them through a microphone hidden in his suit's lapel. He pretended to be examining art pieces and trying to supposedly record his thoughts on each piece. Sarah had disappeared a while back and now that he had almost exhausted himself with all the intel he had transmitted, he decided to head to the bar. He asked the bartender for a classic bond drink- Vodka Martini, Shaken, not stirred. To his surprise, he met an old acquaintance, Allan Waterman.
"Chuck Bartowski?... I cannot believe I have finally met you. After all these years, who would have thought we would meet at this art gala?"
Chuck couldn't believe his luck. The first time he had to prove himself to a bunch of government hacks and this happens? Who could fate not have been a bit more merciful to him. His cover could be blown to shred by this dolt."
But her composed himself and instead faked surprise on his face. "Allan?... Allan Waterman?... Huh? Small world eh?"
"Not too small as I didn't get to meet you for nearly five years. Anyway, I started a company, grew it, sold it and now have the dream we all did in Stanford - too young to retire, too rich to work.
"So... What do you do, now?"
"Me...? Nothing much really. I was a an assistant technical officer in a large conglomerate of retail consumer goods, and then started my own company."
"Well... let me know if I can invest. I got a lot of dough and am looking for opportunities. Here's my card." Allan took out his business card and while handing it to him, he said. "I am truly sorry, Chuck. For what happened in Stanford. I know I... sided with Bryce then, but believe me, I found my mistake pretty soon. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
His eyes considerably darkened at that. Going there... was one of the best times in his life but it led to one of the worst experiences a human could have... So, he didn't quite know what to say. But he didn't have to. He flashed on the card showing Allan to be a funnel for Saydi funds into the US, illegally and avoiding a lot of taxation. Not to mention the numerous cases of fraud, bank accounts in the Cayman islands and insider trading that would let SEC have a field day.
He smirked before remarking, "I don't believe in karma, Allan. But I hope for the real crimes you have committed, you get what's coming to you. I mean it looks like you would get a huge rapsheet; insider trading, misleading investors, funneling Saudi money, etc."
He downed the martini, slipped Allan's card back into his vest and left, with the other stunned.
Sarah made her way to the roof as fast as she could without raising suspicion... which was admittedly long. One of the pigs tried to kiss her in a drunken stupor which she deftly redirected to a woman on her left.
Anyway, after a gruelling session amongst the vultures disguised as the "elite" here, she reached the door to the roof. To answers on why Amy would even do such a terrible thing.
When she went out however, her hopes crashed down with blood pooling out from the body, clearly Amy's, on the floor. Amy was trying to hold the blood in, but it was useless.
She rushed in and tried to help her, but they both knew it was a lost cause. "Sarah... I had... have a kid. His name is... is Jeremy. Geaz used him... against me. So I... I did the best... best I could. He wanted the team... gone. Planned... to bomb. But... I broke... before..." She then grasped her purse and struggled to pull out a flash drive and enclosed it in her palm. And she looked into her eyes. "There's traitor... among us... Sorry... Tell Z... Take care... of Jeremy... please."
And she stopped breathing.
His eyes were drawn to a peculiar frame that caught his attention. The painting was absolutely horrendous. And you didn't need to be an artist to tell that. It was clear how the sale of weapons were happening. Through a painting whose bid will contain the details required to receive the shipment of weapons. Then he flashed. The frame also contained information on sellers of fissile nuclear material and prospective buyers. Or at least it had, till the Brits intercepted it and replaced it with a fake. This was going to be a hoot.
He traced his watch, the one with trackers inbuilt for Sarah and Casey to watch for. She had given this, on the ride over to Gallery. As he moved towards his target he rammed into a woman who spilled her drink all over his expensive shirt and suit.
She was a shorter woman but looked of Spanish decent... And her melodic voice soothed his ears. "I apologize. I didn't see where I was going, Mr. ...?"
Chuck took out his pocket-square and attempted to clean off the drink spilled on his wear, but decided that the effort was one not pursuing. So, he wiped his face and smiled kindly at the brunette woman. "Carmicheal...But please call me Chuck, short for Charles. May I know your name, Miss?"
She smiled and replied, elegantly. "Malena."
She held his gaze letting him know she was interested in him. For some reason, as soon as Sarah came into his life, a lot more women started expressing their interest in him. He didn't know why. Maybe they had always but he was too depressed to see?
Anyway... "I am sorry Malena. I didn't see where I was going or who I rammed into on the way. The painting there seemed to... call me."
She looked in the direction he pointed and settled on the ugliest painting in the lot... The painting that was her sale. Unknowingly, Chuck had triggered a code word exchange that had been sent to all buyers, where they needed to express their overt interest in the worst painting present there.
Her eyes glistened with anticipation of a sale. "Mr. Carmichael, shall we proceed there? My interest is also with the painting."
She took his hand in hers and forcibly pulled him to the painting. "So what do you think about it?"
Chuck looked at the painting and then at her. "Honestly, I can't imagine they even let it into the gallery. It looks like it was peeled of a dumpster and stuck to a canvas. It isn't the painting that has my attention, it is the frame. The exquisite artwork and the dimensions of the frame seem to be worth the price. Perhaps I would purchase the painting, only for the frame alone."
The second phrase, again unkown to Chuck, had been successfully completed. Now all he had to do was make a bid. The lowest she expected was $100 mil. The last potential screening layer for a prospect. All evening she waited for anyone to approach the painting and he was the first. In fact she delibrately crashed into him, not only because she loved to climb a tall tree, but also because he looked like he was going for the painting. "What would be your lowest bid, if you were to make an offer?"
Chuck immediately understood that she owned this painting. That would mean she was either La Ciudad or she was a saleswoman for La Ciudad. He knew he couldn't lowball this offer into just $25 mil. He decided to go for ten times more. "Do you... own the painting? In that case, I would certainly pay upto a quarter of twelve figures."
Malena almost gasped. A quarter billion. That was a lot of dough. She knew the other clients didn't have that much to shell out. She could as well stop the rest of the night and get the deal done. "It seems that you placed the winning bid, Mr. Carmichael. As soon as the gallery shuts tonight, we will complete our mutually beneficial transaction. In the meantime, why don't we commerate this occassion with Chamagne?"
Her voice clearly suggested that she wanted to mix business with pleasure. A night she wanted and also ensure he would be a repeat customer. "Champagne it is."
With two glasses of Champagne, they began to savour their drink when the music for a tango blared through.
Malena instantly wished she had a partner to tango. Seeng Chuck, she decided to be forward. After all, if he was willing to tango here, he would certainly tango later. "I always love a tango."
Chuck, before he could stop himself, piped up, "Yeah... I would give anything to tango as well. Unfortunately, I have little experience."
She smiled. "That's alright. I can lead you. Just so long as you are okay with me leading."
Chuck certainly didn't want to. But if he refused, he didn't know if he can signal Casey before she disappeared. "I have no problem, with a woman on top."
Malena's grin grew predatory and he almost gulped.
All the experienced field agents couldn't believe their eyes. Their probationary field analyst created the perfect distraction for them all, by tangoing and then when the smallman finsihed with him reather than her in the last bow, the crowd erupted into a loud cheer and Malena was beyond elated. She was incredibly aroused. She bent and kissed him in front of them all while Chuck couldn't do anything to stop her.
The intel gathering mission had been succesfully completed as Chuck had flashed halfway through the dance on seei g her scar confirming that she was indeed La Ciudad. The other council henchmen had bren identified and dealt with. Peyman Alahi's drink was mickeyed and he had left early leaving the henchmen to facilitate the transaction. They were also rounded up.
It was now their job to arrest La Ciudad and wrap up this mission. It was then Sarah appeared and played the part of terrified woman. "Aaaiiiihhhh. There's a dead woman on the terrace."
That created a distraction where she ran towards Chuck and pulled him away in the scramble of the security rushing towards the terrace. "Charles Carmicheal... We need to go."
"Yes, Ma'am..." He turned towards Malena and said, "I enjoyed the dance, but I do have a girlfriend. Maybe we can get back later to complete tue transaction?"
She smiled back as if she knew he was implying that he would come for the good. "I am sure we can find a suitable arrangement. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Carmichael."
And Sarah pulled him away and he could sense she was livid and scared...? "There is a traitor on our group. They shot Amy in the stomach and she bled out before I could get her any help. Come on, tge rest of the team will vlean it all up."
"Sarah... Slow down. La Ciudad is here. She was the one I was talkin to. We need to capture her now. Before any moles leak it to her."
She came to a halt. Her mission or Chuck's safety? "Besides, now that feds are here, she might want to eliminate all possible links to her, including me. So maybe we need to consolidate our position here and I present you as my perspective client?"
She immediately whirled on him and started angrily berating him in whisper shouts. "Chuck... What your suggesting is risky... too risky. I can't. I won't put your life in risk. I... I... promised Ellie too."
"Sarah. Focus. My life is already on the line here. I need you. Your experience is the only thing that will allow us to survive this. We cannot let her escape and then strike when she is ready. We will be sorely unprepared. And tomorrow, when she realizes we got Alahi and the other Council henchmen, it won't take long for her to dwindle it down to us. So... let's solidify and then stop her altogether."
Sarah took in a deep breath. "Alright. Instead of me being you client, introduce me as a member from neo-fascist groups of South. I should be able to play it well with my cover as the daughter of an oil baron from the south."
They went back to where Malena was standing shielded by her gorilla like security guards. Chuck called for her. "Malena, I am here for concluding our transaction."
She turned and gave him a lecherous smile which pissed Sarah off to no end. "Of course, Chuck." Popping the last syllable, she was broadcasting her intent to everyone. She then turned to his left and asked... "So who is this... girl?" with the implication being she didn't belong in the space the two were competing in.
"Her name is Sarah. She is the member of a group down South willing to get their hands on some potent stuff. She wanted to be present when completing the deal."
Malena looked her up and down and dismissed her as a threat. "Well... she does seem like a little girl running at the sight of someone being shot. How would she be able to stomach the idea of a few million wiped off the map?"
Sarah decided she could defend herself. She drawled with her Southern Texan accent. "It seems the Latino here is not what you promised Chuck... She can't even differentiate acting with reality. Are you saying that this tramp has the capability to give us our tools? She looks like any other bitch you can pick up for a couple of bucks from the Columbian streets."
Malena had fire in her eyes while Sarah was smiling. He was her boyfriend. No arms dealing bitch is going to lay any claim. "Perhaps the little kitten can scratch, Chuck. It's time to get down to business."
One of her guards, Yuri the Goebbler, set in front of them a computer to wire the amount for transfer. Chuck inputted details of the government account with fake money he had made and made sure to route the transfer through American banks so that La Ciudad's assets could be seized through international action and law. Completing the transfer, she gave him the painting. Then Casey, who listened in on the whole conversation, signalled for the MI6 agents to shut them all down.
There was a flash bang and Chuck's cheek had made contact with the floor with an agent cuffing his hands. Sarah and Malena were also in similar positions while the henchmen had shots through their heads, instantly killing them.
Casey and Mark lifted Malena's chin up and examined their captive. "Can't believe La Ciudad will finally be retired."
Malena smirked and said, "You wish." She broke free of her restraints and smashed their heads together. She reached for Casey's gun when Sarah broke free of her cuffs and knocked her out from behind with a single flying kick to the head. She then looked at Chuck with a glum smile. Her... estranged and betraying friend just passed on the roof. Even if their mission was a potential success, there was still a lot to be done and they had lost so much