A/N: Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. Great that people enjoyed Carina's visit.
Capt Lil beta'd this beast of a chapter. I know it was a lot to get through. Thanks, my friend.
This very long chapter covers the combined events of "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" and "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome." The Devon episodes. And, yes, Daniel Shaw makes a brief appearance.
Don't Walk Away
Chapter 5: Devon
The search for accommodation for Sarah was solved when Ellie and Devon stated they wanted their married home to be somewhere different. So, they were in the process of moving into the apartment on the other side of the courtyard. Not much of a move, but enough for them.
Sarah was planning to move in the next day after all the surveillance in the apartment had been removed, but the courtyard surveillance would remain.
On the day Ellie and Devon moved, the team got an urgent mission. Chuck was needed as well as the two agents. A weapons deal was supposed to happen at a cocktail party. Chuck and Sarah went as guests, with Casey providing surveillance from the van.
Chuck and Sarah worked smoothly together and identified both the seller and the buyer who the NSA apprehended. Unfortunately, they discovered the seller had apparently activated a bomb when trying to escape. Chuck was the hero, as always, flashing and defusing the bomb without incident. Sarah started planning his reward as they left.
What Sarah didn't know was that Chuck had promised to set up the TV for his sister and brother-in-law. She expected the old apartment to have been vacated by the other couple and be just theirs. Consequently, when they arrived, she certainly didn't expect Devon to be waiting for them.
Having been lowered from the helicopter, both of them still had harnesses strapped to them. That caused a smile from the blonde surgeon sitting on the couch, but not the raised eyebrows Sarah would've expected.
"While you two were out saving the world, Ellie and I moved into the apartment. You, Chuck, were supposed to help us. You particularly told Ellie that you were gonna help us out with the TV. She's a little pissed, bro."
Chuck groaned, "Oh, man, my bad. I had a CIA mission."
Sarah stared at him. The mission was an NSA one, but that wasn't the issue here. When had he told Devon about being involved with the NSA or the CIA?
"What exactly does that mean?" Devon asked.
Before Sarah could shut Chuck up, he replied, "Well, you know, same old, same old. Bad guy throws a fancy cocktail party. Another bad guy's trying to sell him a weapon. We bust both bad guys, diffuse a bomb. Blah, blah, blah."
He'd just described the whole mission! She needed to have serious words with Chuck about this.
"That sounds kind of kickass," Devon said.
Sarah needed to take control here. "Devon, Chuck will be over as soon as he can."
Devon got the message and headed out.
"What the fuck?" Sarah hissed at Chuck.
Chuck blushed. "He found out I was working with the CIA before I went to Prague, so he knows."
"And you didn't think to tell me?" she asked incredulously.
"Sorry," he replied lamely.
They got out of the clothes they'd been wearing and he changed into a t-shirt and jeans before heading over to help the other couple. Sarah decided not to go. She was in no mood to socialize after what she'd just found out. She stayed in their apartment and fumed.
Sarah calmed down while Chuck was gone and decided the conversation about Devon could wait. She showered and put on some sexy lingerie.
However, when Chuck returned. He was flustered.
"Did Ellie give you a hard time?" Sarah said sarcastically.
"No," he replied dismissively. "I saw a news report about Alejandro Goya, the leader of Costa Gravas. I flashed, seeing what must be over thirty years of intelligence about him. He's here in LA. He collapsed and has been hospitalized." He looked at Sarah. "He's a bad, bad man."
"Well, if he's in hospital, I'm sure they have him secure," Sarah said. "He's not our problem. What is a problem is you are still being dressed and not here in bed with me."
Chuck focused on what she was wearing. "I'll shower quickly!"
As he rushed off, she called out, "Very quickly!"
The next morning in Castle, General Beckman had a new assignment for them. "The Costa Gravan premier is listed in critical condition."
Casey sarcastically said, "Outstanding. Want me to crack open the bubbly?"
Beckman glared at him, "No. I want you to go to the hospital and guard against further threats to his life, natural or otherwise."
Casey looked shocked. "But haven't you personally given me the order to kill that commie crackpot on three separate occasions?"
"And three times, you have failed to complete your orders," the general replied, giving him a cold stare.
Normally, Sarah would have teased Casey about that, but as he was being supportive of both Chuck as an analyst, and of their relationship, she kept her mouth shut.
The general explained the situation, "Our relations with Costa Gravas have changed, Colonel. The premier is here to announce plans to open his nation up to democratic elections."
Casey muttered, "Oh, and you believe that?"
Sarah was surprised at his disrespectful behavior, but General Beckman ignored it. "Our duty is to stop anyone who would stop him from going through with his plan. Understood?"
Casey finally acted professionally. "Yes, ma'am."
They found out some unexpected information from the news anchor on the TV, "In a miraculous turn of events, the Costa Gravan premier is being released from the hospital just hours after being rushed to the emergency room. Right now, we go to Westside Medical for a live press conference."
They saw a panel facing the reporters. In the middle was Devon and the reporters were all calling to him. One asked, "It was reported that the premier suffered heart failure. How do you account for his amazing recovery?"
Devon replied, "I can only say this. The premier is an amazing man, a real fighter."
Casey muttered something, but Sarah ignored it. Another asked a question in Spanish.
Devon translated, "What is the probability of the premier returning to work? Hmm." He then replied in Spanish, basically saying the odds were awesome.
Sarah looked at Chuck. "Is there anything your brother-in-law can't do?"
Chuck shrugged. "Thus the nickname."
"Okay, enough sitting around," Casey snarled. "We need to figure out what really happened to the premier. Let's go apprehend the good doctor, get those medical records out of him."
Chuck stopped him. "Nobody is apprehending anybody. He's family. I can talk to him."
Sarah said, for Casey's sake more than anything, "Just remember, Chuck, he's a civilian, so be cool."
Chuck planned to talk to Devon in the courtyard outside of the apartments. Sarah told him not to do that, because the surveillance would capture everything they said, and then Casey would know that Devon was aware of Chuck's involvement with the CIA and NSA.
So, Chuck would follow the blonde surgeon on his way to the hospital. The two agents stayed at Castle, waiting for Chuck to return to brief them.
"We should've listened in," Casey muttered.
"Chuck didn't want that. He thought it might spook Devon. He knows his brother-in-law better than we do."
Chuck didn't return to Castle. He called with the news. "Devon told me that the premier didn't really have a heart attack. His potassium level was off the charts. He was poisoned."
Sarah said, "So, it was an assassination attempt."
Casey immediately passed the news to General Beckman, who said she'd get back to them later. The two agents headed to the apartment complex as there was nothing more they could do in Castle.
Casey joined them in their apartment for a call from Beckman. Now that it was just the two of them living here, Chuck had worked with Casey to get the computer in the bedroom set up to conference with the general. The large monitor was just as good as the one in Casey's apartment. When she appeared on the screen, she said to Chuck, "Thanks to your brother-in-law's intelligence, we have to assume that the assassin is still in play. There's an event at the Costa Gravan Consulate this evening. I need your team there to guard the premier."
Casey frowned. "You want us to break in?"
"Technically, that's invading sovereign soil," Sarah pointed out.
Beckman just commented, "That is why the CIA and the NSA have no official knowledge of this mission."
Chuck asked why they couldn't just tell the premier that his life was in danger.
Beckman replied, "Would you trust a country that spent the better part of three decades trying to kill you?" Casey grunted. "Your protection must go undetected." She ended the call.
Chuck was shocked. "If we get busted, the CIA and NSA will disavow us, and then we rot for the rest of our lives in a Costa Gravan prison?"
Sarah knew that wouldn't happen. There was no point hiding it from Chuck. "In Costa Gravas, the punishment for sedition is death by firing squad."
Casey piped up, "Just my kind of mission. Too bad I have to recuse myself."
Chuck lashed out at him, "You're bailing on us?"
Casey shrugged. "I can't show my face on Costa Gravan soil, I'm a wanted man. You know what they'd do if they knew I was in Los Angeles? I spilled more blood in that Mickey Mouse revolution than any other..." He chuckled after that.
Chuck didn't let up, "Don't you think you're being a little paranoid?"
"They call me El Ángel de la Muerte. The Angel of Death."
Chuck got all sarcastic, "You really think the premier gives a flying crap about you, John Casey?"
Sarah heard movement out in the courtyard and shushed him, pointing outside. Chuck opened one of the blinds enough for them to see out. There were armed men in the courtyard.
Casey quickly got weapons for Sarah and himself, but before the pair rushed out, Chuck stopped them. "They are not here for you, Casey. They're here for Devon." He pointed outside and they watched as one of the men knocked on Ellie and Devon's old apartment door.
Chuck tried calling Ellie but got no response. Meanwhile Devon opened the door to face… the premier hugged him. Ellie joined them.
Chuck reacted, "Stay put. I'm going in."
Sarah tried to stop him. "You'll put them in danger, as well as yourself." He ignored her and walked out into the courtyard.
Chuck suddenly had many guns pointing at him. Sarah was going to leap out, guns blazing, but Casey stopped her, saying, "Watch."
The premier walked up to Chuck, smiled and pointed to Chuck's face before turning back and hugged Devon once again. Then, he and his men left.
Chuck turned and gave a thumbs up to Sarah and Casey.
As they walked into the ballroom for the gala that Devon, Ellie and Chuck had been invited to, Sarah was still amazed at what Chuck had done. She'd wanted to tell him off for putting himself in danger, but he'd achieved just what they needed.
"I can't believe this is happening," Chuck muttered to her.
"I spent a year on secret service detail. I'm sure I can protect one small-time dictator," she replied.
"The dictator's not who I'm worried about, though." Chuck nodded behind him at Devon and Ellie walking behind them.
She knew that was the case. She worried about all three of them, but mostly her boyfriend. That wasn't just about him in dangerous situations. She also knew he'd be distracted because of the other two and may make mistakes. "I know you're nervous, Chuck, but I also know how the Intersect works when you get nervous." She gripped his hand. "You have to focus if you're going to protect them." He nodded and squeezed her hand.
He scanned the room and said to their partner out in the van, using his watch, "Casey, I got guards with submachine guns at both the north and west exits."
She heard Casey's voice in her ear piece. "Yeah, copy that. Main doors have hidden metal detectors. Someone should go around back, check the service entrance."
Sarah was glad Chuck was being observant, but worried at how he communicated with Casey. She whispered into his ear, appearing to kiss his cheek, "Chuck, try not to be so obvious when talking into your watch."
She knew they had to split up, but worried about him. "I'll go check on the premier. Chuck, keep a lookout for any potential assassins. And, please, stay safe." Her look was begging him to do that. He nodded and smiled.
Sarah headed to where the premier was talking to Ellie. She had to get the doctor away from the potential target or Chuck would freak out and do something stupid.
She walked up to them and placed a hand on Ellie's back. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
The premier said, "No."
Ellie smiled. "No. Sarah, this is, uh, the premier."
He smiled at Sarah. "Call me Generalissimo."
She smiled back and said the necessary, "It's an honor to meet you, sir."
He started rambling on about the amazing Devon Woodcomb. Sarah listened for a moment, but then said, "Well, I'm so sorry, but I need to borrow her for a second, Generalissimo. Girl talk." He graciously allowed them both to walk away.
Once they reached their table, Ellie turned to her. "Thank God you rescued me. That guy's cologne was practically a WMD. So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Sarah smiled. "I just thought you needed rescuing."
They both looked at Devon and Chuck standing over the other side of the room. "Not really Chuck's sort of thing," Ellie said. "He will have tagged along for you."
Sarah knew why he'd really come. She turned to her friend and smiled. "I know. I hope we get to dance. I love dancing." No lies there!
Casey's voice came through. "All right, enough with the chit chat. Let's get back to protecting our foreign head of state, shall we?"
Sarah quickly said to Ellie. "I think something is about to happen. We should be with our partners." Ellie nodded.
The premier was now pacing on an empty dance floor ready to speak. "Friends, ex-patriots, countrymen..." he started.
Casey muttered, "Great, a speech. Makes him a walking target."
Sarah couldn't see any threats, but Chuck tensed next to her. She followed his gaze. The premier had pulled Ellie to him for a dance. She was smiling politely, but was obviously uncomfortable.
At the same time, Casey told them about a possible assassin and sent a photo to Chuck's cell phone. "Name's Pablo Alarcon. Freedom fighter. Guy spent 20 years in a Costa Gravan prison for trying to overthrow the Communist party."
Sarah spotted him at the room's edge, the other side of the dance floor. She looked at Chuck. "Okay, I see him. We need to take him out before the guards see us. Remember, we're in Costa Gravan soil. They'll arrest us if we make a sudden move toward the premier. We need to get across that dance floor."
She saw him flash. "Chuck?"
He pulled her onto the dance floor, saying, "Just follow my lead, huh?" He spun her perfectly.
She guessed he'd flashed on how to do this dance. As he pulled her back into his arms, she said, "Chuck, that's my line!"
"Not this time," he replied with a grin.
The dancing was everything she'd ever wanted with him. It was perfect. She just reveled in it for a few moments. Then she saw Alarcon again, reaching into his pocket. She knew Chuck's abilities, so hissed at him, "The assassin is behind you. Take him out."
He swung around and elbowed the man, who crashed into the table behind him.
She instantly dove down, saying, "Oh, my God. I'm so sorry." She checked him over. He was wearing a protest t-shirt under his white shirt and an egg rolled out of his hand.
She muttered to Chuck, "False alarm. He's just a political protester."
Chuck let Casey know. Then, the head of security turned up and ordered his men to escort Chuck and Sarah out. "Let them sober up in the alleyway."
On the way out, she noticed Chuck looking at one of the soldiers, who gave him a strange look back.
Chuck suddenly started shouting, "Wait. No, no! You don't understand! The premier's life is in danger."
They were pushed into a room and the door shut behind them.
Chuck turned to her. "Sarah, that guy we just passed, that other guard, he is the real assassin."
Sarah said, "Casey, I'm out of position. The premier is completely unprotected. We need you in here."
They had to get out of the room. She explored and found a door at the other end. "This way." She pulled Chuck with her.
They made it outside, but saw through a window that Casey had been captured. Sarah turned to Chuck. "We'll never get back in. We have to go to Castle."
The general told them they had to wait before attempting a rescue.
Chuck was frustrated. "Casey was doing his job."
Sarah was worried too. "Given Casey's history with Costa Gravas, I mean, just imagine what they're doing to him."
Beckman said, "We will do everything we can to get the colonel back... using diplomatic channels."
Chuck virtually exploded. "Diplomatic channels? General!"
"We can't risk upsetting relations with Costa Gravas. Their country's future is in the balance. Until the premier makes his announcement, I'm afraid Colonel Casey will have to handle himself." She ended the call.
They both were frustrated, but went along with what the general had said.
Chuck went to see Devon. He might know something of significance.
Sarah stayed in Castle, looking at a building plan of the embassy, trying to see where Casey might be held.
Her phone rang and she saw it was her boyfriend. "Hi, Chuck."
He didn't even say hello, but blurted out, "Devon's been asked to go to the embassy to treat the premier. He's collapsed."
She saw this as a way to get to her partner. "I have to go with him!"
"No, Sarah. We're a team. Both of us have to go with him."
The protective agent and girlfriend rebelled against this, but he was right. They were partners, so she couldn't just make decisions for him. Not only that, but he'd also flash and find that assassin again.
With a rueful smile, she replied, "You're right. Sorry. Old habits, huh?"
"Devon has accepted, and says he can get us in, so we can save Casey," Chuck told her.
"He's not wanting to be a spy, is he?"
"No. He promises he'll get us in and leave the spy stuff to us."
"He better," she growled.
Devon now fully understood the risks. He was at risk going to the embassy, so needed the two of them to go along, but the risks of telling an overly inquisitive and extremely protective sister about her brother's other life was significant, too. She didn't know they were accompanying him.
Devon had suggested they went in as his assistants. Sarah dressed as an extremely sexy nurse with long bare legs. They knew that would be a distraction for the security team. Chuck, like Devon, wore blue scrubs and lab coats.
Devon looked at Sarah as they headed over to the consulate. "It's a good job the nurses don't dress like that at the hospital. Ellie would skin them alive."
She grinned. "Would she do that to you for looking?"
"Yeah. I can only look at you because you'll soon be my sister-in-law, so you're family."
That shut her up.
As they neared the consulate, Devon said, "So, you will have to follow my orders when we get to the premier. Can you handle that?"
"If you need me to help, you'll have to clue me in on each step," she said.
"Me too," said Chuck.
"Will do." Devon smiled at them. "I sometimes have to do that in the operating room, anyway."
They were escorted to where the premier lay on his bed. Both Chuck and Sarah were wearing glasses. Not really adequate disguises, but the best they could do on short notice. They put on masks when she noticed the man who'd thrown them out of the party. That man subsequently left two of his men guarding the door.
Devon started examining the premier. He stated out loud. "Acute arrhythmia. This guy is hating life."
Sarah wanted to get away to look for Casey, but would need to get past the two guards first.
Devon called to her, bringing her focus back to him. "I need ten units of insulin."
She didn't know what to get, but he mouthed which bottle to use. She found it and drew up the required amount into a glass syringe.
She noticed that the guards were focused more on her legs than paying attention. She pushed the tray of bottles onto the floor.
The crash made everyone jump and she sprang into action, kicking, elbowing and punching. She knocked one knocked out and then grabbed his gun and hit the second man with the butt.
She turned around, still holding the gun. She noticed the awe in Devon's face. "Awesome," he uttered in complete amazement to what she just did.
She took off the glasses and said to Chuck, "Let's go."
As she left, she heard Devon say to Chuck, "That is some woman, bro."
She grinned, especially when she heard Chuck's reply, "You have no idea." She'd definitely reward him for that.
Before setting off, she and Chuck had studied the plan of the building. So, she knew how to get to the basement where Casey should be. On the way down the stairs, she spotted a guard shoot at something around a corner. She hit him with the butt of the gun, knocking him out.
Turning the corner and walking down the final flight of stairs, she and Chuck found Casey staggering up. He had a gunshot wound in his left thigh. He saw them and muttered, "Let's get out of this stinking banana republic."
Chuck replied, "First, we got to get Awesome."
Casey looks shocked. "You brought your brother-in-law? What the hell were you thinking?"
They both ignored him and headed back to where they'd left Devon.
They burst back into the room and found Devon still treating his patient.
Sarah called, "Devon, we've gotta get out of here."
Devon looked at them. "No, you've got to get out. Those guards are looking for you. Besides, he'll die without me."
Chuck tried to persuade Devon to leave, but the doctor refused. "Sorry, Chuck. My mission's not over."
Behind Sarah, Casey growled, "You know that man you're trying to save turned his country into a pariah state. Do you have any idea how many people he killed?"
They heard guns being cocked and the head of security walked in with three men. "You're one to talk. Angel de la Muerte."
Sarah was about to intervene when Chuck spoke, "Look, he's not here as the Angel of Death, he's here to protect your boss; we all are."
Casey muttered, "The real killer's down in my cell."
"We found no one."
Then, Casey collapsed to the floor.
Chuck rushed out, "Can't you see he's bleeding to death? Please! We will sort out who's trying to kill who later; right now, we need to get this man to a doctor."
Sarah wished he'd kept quiet. She knew what was coming.
Chuck had to be the doctor to save Casey to prove he wasn't an assassin himself.
Sarah grabbed Devon's bag to help him. He looked like he was going into full panic mode, so she quietly told him to flash, which thankfully he did.
He reached for the anesthetic, but one of the men put something in Casey's mouth for him to bite on.
Chuck shrugged. "Okay, no anesthesia." He turned to Sarah and winked. "Nurse? Please cut his pants open and we'll see what we're working with."
She nodded, pleased that he was now both focused and able. She knew he could do this and gave him a look that expressed that. He nodded and then fired off a series of commands for her to action.
It felt like no time before Chuck pulled the bullet from Casey's leg. Sarah looked at Chuck with eyes full of admiration.
A buzzer went off and everyone looked at Devon and his patient. "There's nothing I can do for him here. He needs a blood transfusion. I don't even know what blood type he is."
Casey called out, "AB negative. His blood type's AB negative."
They all looked at him and he shrugged. "What? You learn a lot about a guy when you're trying to kill him."
Devon said, "Ok. We need someone with type AB negative blood, now. Does anyone have type AB negative blood?"
Chuck saw the 'AB' type on Casey's dog tag and looked up at Devon and Sarah. Casey struggled, knowing what they planned, but Sarah held him in place while Chuck used the gas to knock him out.
Once Devon had the blood he gave it to the premier. They had to wait for him to recover before they could leave.
Casey was still out when they left.
They dropped Devon off on their way back to Castle, where Casey finally woke up.
General Beckman appeared on the screen in front of them. "Congratulations, the premier made a full recovery. Although I do not endorse your methods." She paused to glare at Chuck, but continued, "You enabled him to make his announcement as planned. Costa Gravas will have its first democratic election."
She glanced at Casey. "And it wouldn't have been possible without your extraordinary sacrifice."
Sarah struggled to hide her grin as Casey realized what had happened. He started to bluster, so she handed him the gifts from the premier. The box of cigars and a small envelope. "The premier wanted to thank you personally, Colonel Casey. But this will have to do."
Casey quietly read the card from within the envelope and then looked at the box. "These are pre-revolutionary Costa Gravas double coronas." The awe in his voice was clear to everyone.
Devon was heading to the hospital when they got home. He stopped them in the courtyard. "Don't ever involve me again."
Chuck held his hands up. "Hey! You were going in anyway!"
"Yeah. Well, keep me out of it in future."
Sarah placed her hand on the doctor's arm, "Thanks, Devon." She hugged him before he walked away.
She looked at Chuck. The look in his eyes was almost predatory. They sent a shiver down her spine.
"You have brought the nurse's costume, haven't you?"
She nodded at her bag.
They headed into their apartment, both eager for some role-playing.
Sometime later, Chuck was in the shower when Sarah got the call. All the pleasure was instantly forgotten.
If only Casey had been with it enough when they found him, he could've told them about the man on the floor.
Chuck came out grinning at her, but his face dropped on seeing her expression. She rushed to him and pulled him into a hug. She whispered, "I'm so sorry, Chuck. Devon's been kidnapped. Casey watched the surveillance. It was the man he fought. A Ring agent, apparently."
He stepped back looking shocked. "I- I didn't know there was a Ring agent."
She hugged him again. "We'll find him, Chuck." She kissed him, and repeated, "We will."
They heard a knock on the apartment door. Sarah opened it Ellie was there. "Have you guys seen my husband?"
"No," Sarah replied. "He's probably at the hospital, isn't he?"
Ellie nodded. "Yeah. Probably. Just not answering my calls." She headed back over to her apartment.
Sarah looked at Chuck. "Casey's started checking the surveillance footage, looking to see the direction they went." She knew what his response would be.
He gripped her arms. "You know I can do better than that. I'll scan the roadside camera footage, as well. I'll find where they took him!"
She watched as he ran in, to get to his computer. "That's my Chuck!" she thought as she followed him in.
Using the hospital surveillance, Chuck found the car shortly after Casey who'd had a head start. Chuck then tracked the car using the roadside camera footage. It led to a thirty-story office building. NSA men were sent to search each of the floors. This would take time, obviously.
"Why don't we go in and search as well?" Chuck demanded as Sarah drove them to Castle.
"Because the team's trained for these sweeps," she replied. "If he's in there, they'll find him."
"If?" he asked. "Where else would he be?"
"That might not be the final destination," she replied.
"Oh, so they transferred him to another car?"
"Maybe."
He put his head in his hands. "This is all my fault."
"How can this be your fault?" she asked. "He was taken by a Ring agent whose plan with the premier had been foiled."
"Casey should've killed him."
This was the first time Chuck had ever said that about anyone. She knew it was because a loved one was in danger, but it was still a shock. She drove on in silence.
As they got closer, Chuck said, "I'll just pace up and down in Castle. I'll go to the Buy More. More distractions."
She dropped him off there.
An hour later, after receiving the call that Devon was not in that building, Sarah walked over with no idea what to say to her boyfriend.
As she approached him, he looked up at her and then over her shoulder. "Devon!"
She turned, and there was the missing man. Chuck brushed past her and enveloped the doctor in a hug. "Oh, my God. You're back. Thank God. This is great news. Are you okay? Tell me you're okay." It was a typical Chuck spiral.
To Sarah, Devon looked dazed as he replied, "Chuck, they think I'm a spy. I'm in trouble here, man. They think I'm you."
They took Devon to Castle and got the general on a video conference. She'd listened to what he had to say before responding, "From what he has told us, we can conclude that the woman Devon was with is Sydney Prince, the head of a Ring cell in Los Angeles." Her profile appeared on the screen and Chuck flashed. "She has tried to recruit several of our agents."
Devon piped up, "She knows everything about me, Chuck. Ellie, too."
Sarah thought, but didn't say, "Everything except who the real spy in the family is."
Devon held out a circular green device. "She gave me this. She told me she'd contact me with instructions."
"It's a Ring communication device, General," Chuck said, as if it would be news.
General Beckman replied, "Exactly. It works off a closed network, but the NSA has recently developed new technology to crack it. Now we can put it into use."
Chuck's face lit up. "Fantastic news. Sounds like a plan. I'm going to get Awesome back to my sister before she has an aneurysm."
Sarah inwardly groaned, knowing what the general would say next.
"You can't take him home quite yet, Chuck. We still need to talk about how we're going to use Devon."
Chuck instantly bristled saying they couldn't use him.
Beckman just waited for Chuck to calm down. "Using Devon is our best option."
Casey said, "Sydney won't go to her superiors with his identity until she definitively knows whether she has turned him or burned him. When Sydney contacts him, he'll do what she says just long enough for us to track her, find her and bring her in."
"You mean I have to do what she says?" Devon asked nervously.
Chuck jumped in, "No, you don't. No, he doesn't. This is my family we're talking about here. Come on."
Sarah had to point out the reality of the situation. "She'll come for him anyway. This is the only way to keep him safe." She looked at the doctor. "Devon, we'll be with you every step of the way."
Devon replied, looking at Chuck, "If you tell me you can get me through this, I trust you."
Chuck replied, "I will, Devon. I promise."
Sarah had a really bad feeling about this.
Chuck, Sarah and Casey were in Casey's apartment. Chuck was pacing up and down driving both of the agents mad. Sarah stopped him pacing. "Chuck, the important thing is that Devon will be looking to you as his handler. And you need to remember what it felt like to be scared and new to this."
There was a knock at the door and it was Devon. "Guys, it's me. She called."
On opening the door, Devon was standing holding something. "I found it on my front step. It's from Sydney. I gotta open it right away. She's gonna call in about five minutes.
Once he was in and sitting at the table, he stared at the box he'd taken out of the package. "What do you think is in there?"
The Ring phone lit up and sounded that a call was coming in. Devon answered it at Chuck's instruction. "Hello?"
They all heard Sydney. "From now on, Devon, I will speak to you through the earpiece included in the package. And you will speak to me through the watch we sent. Now, put in the earpiece, and put on the watch."
Devon looked at Chuck who whispered, "Par for the course. Just do what she says."
Devon spoke to the phone. "Okay, putting on the earpiece now." It beeped once in.
"Now we can track you on our own GPS network, "Sydney said. Devon looked relieved.
She continued, "Be at the crystal towers downtown in one hour. Come alone. Oh, and, Devon, the earpiece is also an explosive device. Remove it, or deviate from my instructions in any way, and I will detonate it, ruining that lovely face of yours." She ended the call.
Devon reached for the earpiece. Sarah was worried he was going to remove it, so cried out, "No!"
He took his hand away and quietly they all sat in shock.
Chuck was sitting beside Sarah in the van. He was talking to Devon convincing him that everything was fine, while he himself looked as nervous as hell.
Devon said, "You're sure they can't hear me talking to you?" He was talking into the watch they'd given him.
"They can only hear you if you press the button on their watch. I've labeled the watches so you don't get confused."
Sarah spoke to the doctor, "Devon, this is Sarah. As soon as Sydney calls, Casey's going to start tracking the signal. Once we've tracked her location, we're going to bring her in and then you're done."
Devon expressed his relief.
They all heard the buzzing and then Sydney. "Devon? Are you ready to begin?"
"Ready," he replied.
"There is a penthouse on the twelfth floor. Go there. The building has extensive security, but it's nothing that you can't handle. We'll talk again once you're there." She ended the call.
Casey grunted. "She's close. Wasn't on the line long enough to get an exact location. Need another call."
Chuck stared at him. "Another call? No, we can't wait. The guy's got an explosive earpiece stuck in his head!"
Sarah explained the situation calmly, "Chuck, our target is Sydney. We need to get her to save him."
Chuck snapped at her, "Okay, fine, then you get her, and I'll get Awesome up to the twelfth floor." He spoke to Devon, "Buddy, head inside the building and wait."
Devon sounded confused, "Wait? Wait for what?"
"Wait for me." Chuck left the van.
Sarah found the silence extremely nerve-wracking. This whole sitting in the van while Chuck was out there, risking his life sucked.
After quite some time, Chuck spoke to her, "Sarah, we have reached the twelfth floor, but what the heck is going on? This is a CIA facility."
The signal then broke up. She tried to get through to him, but couldn't. "I lost him."
Casey said, "She's right here."
A figure rushed past the van. "That's her!" Sarah said and went to open the door. "Let's go!"
However, they received a call from General Beckman. "Casey, Walker. Stand down."
Casey said, "General, we have a visual on Sydney. She just walked past us. She's heading inside the building."
Beckman replied, "I've just received new mission information, Colonel. Your new directive is to stand down."
Sarah stated, "General, Chuck has reached the twelfth floor, and he says it's some kind of CIA base. If that's true, then this is some kind of a setup."
Beckman shocked them when she said, "Yes, that's exactly what this is. Stand down."
The two agents stared at each other in amazement.
Amazingly, it worked out well for the team. Chuck saved Devon. Unfortunately, that was at the cost of a life in the CIA facility. That took its toll on Chuck, especially when he found out the man was a CIA agent. A special agent, in fact.
The general seemed shaken up by the news, too. She explained why in the video conference. "Special Agent Daniel Shaw was the CIA's leading expert on The Ring. He was to join you to lead your encounters with that organization. Obviously, that can't happen now."
"So, what exactly was the CIA setup that failed here?" Casey questioned.
Beckman looked even more pained. "I wasn't told, but the CIA found a folded note on the floor not far from the body. It stated, 'Med Kit in desk. The pill was amiodarone.'"
Chuck gasped. "That was the note Shaw gave me to open once Sydney had gone! But he was dead, so I focused on getting Devon away!" He looked around the room. "Should I have gone back once Devon was safe?"
"There was only a short window of time to save him," the general said. "Probably no more than a minute. He would've been dead by the time you got back to him."
"Some set up!" Casey growled.
Chuck's state of shock was partly that a man had died, but mostly because he had ignored the note given to him. He could've saved him, but with Devon fainting and the need to get away being so strong, he'd dragged Devon to the elevator and gone down as fast as he could to get to Sarah and Casey in the van.
When they'd spotted Chuck, Sarah ran to him, with Casey just behind. They got Devon away without thought of what was up on the twelfth floor. Now they were facing the aftermath.
"Sydney is still out there," Chuck said, "Which means my brother-in-law's still in danger."
"More importantly, she and The Ring are still in Burbank," General Beckman stated. "You better handle that, team. We know that The Ring operates through a network of decentralized cells. If you catch her, there's a good chance that you can contain Devon's identity." She held Chuck's gaze. "In order to save him, you have to use him."
Chuck stared at her. "What? No! No way! Devon is out of the spy business for good."
Sarah agreed, but had to point out, "Chuck, as long as Sydney is alive, Devon is a marked man."
Casey nodded. "She's right, Bartowski."
Chuck just stared, open mouthed, unable to respond.
Sarah had to get him to understand. "The risks are greater for Devon if we don't use him. Sydney would sooner kill him than let him go. You know that."
Chuck was adamant. "He's not a spy. He can't be used like one."
"Can you track her, Chuck? Find where she went?"
Chuck dove onto one of the computers and started hacking, but found that there was nothing at the start. "Damn CIA must remove the recordings!"
He sat fuming and Sarah tried to ease his pain by massaging his neck. It didn't seem to help.
Later, when they were back at the apartment, Chuck shared an idea with Sarah. It was better than using Devon again.
The two of them went to see Devon. When he answered the apartment door and saw the two of them, he said, "Please don't say you have another mission! I can't take this anymore."
Chuck responded, "Don't worry. No more missions. I'm sorry that I put you through all this, but I promised you that I would take care of it, and I am. Give me the Ring phone."
Devon handed it over.
"Thanks, Devon," Sarah said.
They took it back to their apartment. Chuck opened it up and started work on it while Sarah paced behind him. "You know this is crazy, right?"
"I know, but it's our best shot," he replied.
Damn him, he's right.
Sarah called Casey and told him what was happening. "Typical!" he muttered, but headed out to his car.
Chuck finally fixed the phone and closed it up. "We better get to the Buy More."
She drove them over. Casey was already inside.
Chuck walked to the Nerd Herd station and said, "Here goes."
They all heard Sydney answer, "How did you activate this phone? Who is this?"
Chuck replied, "I'm the one who killed Agent Shaw."
"This is not Devon Woodcomb," she snarled.
"Yeah, well, you've been dealing with the wrong man. Devon was a decoy. I'm the one who put that bullet through Agent Shaw's chest last night. The one that you're looking for. And I am in charge of this mission now." He ended the call. "She'll track the phone here."
"I'm not sure about this," Casey said as he slipped out of sight. Sarah wasn't either, but it was the best plan they had.
She could see the store entrance and Chuck from where she was hiding. Chuck was holding his tranq gun, but his hand was shaking.
"You can do this, Chuck," she said over the earpiece connection.
Ten minutes later, Sydney appeared at the entrance with four men. One of them used a drill to enable him to open the door.
As the five Ring agents walked into the store, with Sydney in the lead, Chuck spoke into the microphone in front of him. His voice came over the PA, "Hello, Sydney. Welcome to the Burbank Buy More. Please proceed directly to the home theater room." None of them expected that to happen. It was just his bit of theatrics.
Sydney walked straight to the Nerd Herd station and faced Chuck forcing him to walk around it to her side, the tranq pistol pushed into the back of his pants. This was the part of Chuck's plan that Sarah liked least.
Sydney looked at Chuck. "Finally, we meet. In an electronics store. Which is different," she muttered the last part. "No matter. When we last chatted, you mentioned a certain Agent Shaw."
Chuck nodded. "That's right. Because I'm the one who ended Shaw's life, not Devon Woodcomb. He was just a patsy."
Sydney didn't look convinced. "You took out Shaw? Mr. Buy More?"
Sarah hated that people thought so little of him.
Chuck nodded again. "That's kind of what happened."
Sydney smirked and stepped back. "Well, then, if that's true, you won't have any problem with Glen and Ian here."
Two of her beefy men stepped forward.
"Flash and you can take them," Sarah said to him.
She guessed that he must've flashed briefly, because in seconds, the two men were unconscious on the floor.
The other three drew guns in shock. That triggered action from Casey and Sarah who shot the two men behind the woman.
Sydney dropped into a crouch before shooting at Chuck, but Chuck was no longer where she aimed, he jumped over Sydney, pulling out his tranq pistol. He fired at her as he landed but she was too quick and dodged the dart.
As she lined up with Chuck, who had landed unsteadily, Sarah was sure he'd be hit. She stayed calm and fired herself.
The bullet entered Sydney's right temple and exited through her left.
Chuck stared at the corpse for a second then looked up at the blonde crashing into him. Her kisses were mainly of relief.
Behind her, Sarah heard two more shots and knew that Casey had eliminated the unconscious Ring agents. No one would know about Devon's involvement, or Chuck's for that matter.
General Beckman looked at the three of them in disbelief. Sarah knew that was probably mostly aimed at Chuck.
"Well, congratulations, Chuck," she said. That was a surprise. She never used first names. "Devon's identity has been contained."
"Thank you, General, but as always, it was these two that took out the threat." Chuck frowned as he said that. He hated that all five had to die, but recognized that it was the right thing to do for his brother-in-law.
"I think the three of you should take a week of R&R, while the whole situation with Special Agent Shaw is assessed. Some of his records will probably result in missions for you."
They thanked her. Sarah knew that the general would arrange for the two men to have time off work at the Buy More.
She also knew Chuck needed to reconcile himself with Shaw's death.
Inevitably, Chuck wanted to find out more about Daniel Shaw, so he went digging, Piranha-style. Sarah let him do that and only occasionally sat with him.
It seemed that the man had married another CIA agent, a more junior one called Evelyn. She had died and he'd been devastated. He blamed The Ring and that intensified his determination to bring them down. Both Chuck and Sarah suspected he had a side mission of his own, to track down her killer.
Shaw's work was all in Europe, but with The Ring intensifying its actions in the United States, was returning to lead the fight back there. Obviously, that was no longer to be.
The couple were surprised to hear of a marriage within the CIA. Neither had heard of that happening before. The tragedy brought home the dangers of their life. For Sarah, it made her question the concept of marriage even more. The idea that marriage was for life settled in her brain, but life was so short for an agent.
Chuck seemed to be brooding on it too. Then, he dug into Daniel's wife's records to see what had caused her death.
Sarah had gone to get them coffee, and just put his down beside him, when he pulled up a photograph of Evelyn Shaw.
Sarah dropped her coffee, spilling it on the bedroom carpet. Her knees gave way and she fell, unconscious before she crumpled to a heap on the floor in the coffee spill.
Chuck had carried her to bed after stripping off the coffee-stained clothes, and cleaning her up. She awoke in a fresh t-shirt and panties, lying down with a cover on her.
She remembered what she'd last seen and sat up rapidly. Her head spun, but when she saw Chuck, his face full of concern, she blurted out the issue. "She was my Red Test." She then had to explain the Red Test concept, as he didn't know.
His jaw dropped as she spoke. "My god! Do all agents have to do this?"
She nodded.
"And this Evelyn Shaw was the one you had to… terminate?" She could hear the horror in his tone as he said that last word.
"I didn't know her name, but, yes. She was a rogue agent and a threat. That was all I knew."
Even shocked as he was, Chuck thought broader. "Her husband was seeking her… the person who had done it." He obviously was skirting around works like 'killer.' "If he found out it was you, he'd try to kill you."
She had thought that too. This was more than a mess.
"My god, Sarah! He could have succeeded!" He slumped down on the bed, more shocked than she was.
She had to comfort him, in spite of her shock. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him to her. "He won't now," she said before kissing his forehead.
He gripped her tightly and they eventually lay down. Sleep overtook them an hour later. Neither had moved; both of them stunned at the revelations.
A/N: I couldn't face chapter after chapter of Daniel Shaw! That means more significant rewriting required for the subsequent chapters, but that's fine by me.
What did you think of this one?