WITHOUT YOU CH 8
Chuck grabbed his cell and dialed Zondra. When she answered it sounded like she was running or walking very fast. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No, just trying to keep up with Larkin."
"You're watching Larkin?" Snapping his fingers at Sarah. He put her call on speaker. Sarah walked over. "Yeah, he took off in a rush so I have been trailing him for a while now."
"We need to talk to him."
"What do you want me to do?"
"If he stops yell Zork.
"Zork?"
"Just do it. We will meet you there."
Zondra gave Chuck her location and the four took off. Zondra finally caught up to him, close enough that she hoped to yell the word that Chuck told her to say. As the light changed and the crowd moved, Zondra yelled Zork. She waited till he turned slightly. She moved into sight allowing him to see who owned the voice and while he turned around, Zondra slipped into a mall and sat on the closest bench. Zondra texted Chuck as to her location. Bryce walked in very curious and very cautious. He sat down on the bench behind her. "Zork! Who sent you? Has to be Chuck."
Zondra kept quiet. "Your Zondra Rizzo 1/4 of the CAT squad. It's Chuck. Maybe Sarah." 20 minutes later Chuck and Sarah walked in holding hands with Casey and Alexander. Bryce saw their hands, then looked away. Zondra got up and Sarah grabbed her hand and mouths 'Thanks.' She walked over to Casey as Sarah and Chuck sit down. Casey, Zondra, and Alexander walked the perimeter. The three sit in silence for a short time till Bryce pipes up. "Zork?"
"I had to say something to get your attention."
"When did you get back?" Chuck looked at Sarah. "I don't know, me a few weeks or less. We need to ask you a few questions and the first one is who did you call after your meetingtoday?" Bryce looked up. "You hacked into the system?"
"I did."
"So, you have seen room 136."
"We have."
"And who I called, I can't say."
"Really?"
Sarah leaned back turning her head slightly. "How did you happen to get into a meeting with Decker, a year ago and know his plans when Beckman didn't sign off on you looking into Fulcrum until a few months ago."
Bryce went quiet. He was surprised that they knew as much as they did. Bryce speaks up. "Long story."
Seconds later. Casey speaks into his comp. "We can't be here too long." Sarah made eye contact with him, then looks at Bryce. "Bryce, we need answers and we know you have the answers. Chuck wouldn't have risked his life to come back to the states if he didn't have enough to go on."
Bryce gets up, as Casey moves in. Bryce passes Sarah his card. "Text me with your address. I'll meet you there." Bryce cuts across from the food court and out of sight. They all start to move. Sarah turns to face Chuck. "You'll get your answers."
Chuck sat in the van and watched through the passenger side window as Sarah and Zondra chat. They hug each other and she waves at Chuck, he waves back. Sarah gets in squeezing his shoulder. She wished she could do more, but what could she do? Her hands were tied and whatever she did his life would be in danger.
Alexander picked up take out on their way back. He stopped Casey at the door. "How much do we trust Larkin?"
"Very carefully."
"How did he happen to have an upgrade when Chuck was dead."
That thought passed Casey's mind as he walked getting Sarah's attention. Sarah walked towards him. "Alexander got me thinking, remember when Bryce arrived at camp with an upgrade." Sarah nodded. "Why would he have it on him, then say that he heard that Chuck was dead. I told no one what I was going to do, Beckman gave me the order that we know were sent down from Decker because he had something on her and that was the only reason."
"Otherwise, she wouldn't have given one."
"You're right Sarah, so what does Bryce have on Decker?"
"And the person he called be the one who ticked Decker off?" Sarah walked off grabbing a plate and sitting down with Chuck.
"You have that look." Sarah took a bite.
"What look?"
"The look that says you're worried and not sure if there is a way out."
Hours later
Sarah took Chuck's plate from the table and cleaned up, then his hand and led him to their room. She sat on the bed. Chuck keeping his distance. But as soon as she padded the bed he walked over.
"Chuck talk to me."
"What more can I say?"
"You can tell me what that head of yours is thinking."
"He looked at her. "You, of course." Sarah blushed. "Besides that." Chuck crawled onto the bed as Sarah snuggled in beside him. "I just want this to be over. And to think that we're close there's another wrench thrown in. Now we have to bring in Bryce again."
"He may have the answers we need."
"Oh, he does but is he willing to give them up."
"He was definitely talking to someone. And maybe that someone is your answer. Someone had to tell him that the files existed and to get rid of them. We know that he set up the whole cheating scandal to prevent you from being recruited for the Omaha project. Maybe this room 136 is the revised version of the Omaha project. Maybe someone did tick Decker off."
"So much to have me killed?"
"I seen worse." Sarah hugged Chuck tighter. "We need to ask Bryce the right questions."
"He will have an answer for everything."
"Chuck, he probably will, but if we give him all that we know so far he won't be able to deny any of it."
"But the only thing we don't know is who he is working with or even for, Sarah? Beckman also, all of sudden she sends him on a deep cover mission. He wasn't completely deep cover if he found out that you showed up at the safe house and came looking for you. Had this upgrade on him, what are the chances."
"Yeah, I am still figuring that one out. That's Casey's question as well. He told me that no one knew of what he was going to do. All he was given was the order. And no one knew about what he was going to do. Except Alexander and maybe he didn't even know till that day. I'm thinking that this person that Bryce knows, has all the answers and maybe we use that as a threat to bring down Decker. Maybe scare him a little ?" Chuck shifted to his side. "I love you." Sarah laid on her back. "How much?" Chuck smiled then kissed her. "This much." As he placed another kiss on her lips. "That's all?"
"Well." As he slowly started to unbutton her shirt. "Maybe a little more." He kissed her bare shoulder. He pulled his shirt off as Sarah shimmied out of hers. He kissed her stomach, chest, cheek then lips. He murmured. "This much." As he rolled into her. Sarah wrapped her arms around his lower back then caressing his upper back. He kissed her neck then mumbled. "This much." Sarah moaned. "Are you sure?" His hand gently caressed her breast as he looked at her. "You want more? I can do this all day." Sarah slid her hands down the back of his jeans making him twitch. Things sped up quickly.
They made love.
Chuck laid on his stomach as Sarah rested her head on his upper back. "Sarah I would move the world for you."
"Well, we're close to doing that just now." Chuck was now the one blushing. He rolled into her arms as she fell back into the bed. She kissed him softly caressing his cheek. Chuck wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you."
Sarah looked at him. "I should be thanking you." "This well (swirling his finger) it's my pleasure and yours but seriously."
"You keep telling me that I didn't ask for this."
"You didn't ask for this either. You just did your job not knowing what it entailed." Sarah looked at her adorable boyfriend as he tried to find some good in all of this. She grabbed his face and looked at him. "Chuck, this job yes, it's full of unpredictable events, dangerous as you have seen but it also has brought a lot of good. With all the chaos I met you and you found me. You have been there through all of this; I am going to be okay knowing you're here with me." She brought his lips to hers. The kiss was sweet. They shared a few more kisses and fell asleep.
Sarah caressed Chuck's cheek watching him wake up. Their middle of the night love making was a welcomed surprise. Chuck opened his eyes then padded the bed. "Tempting Chuck but Bryce will be here in an hour." Chuck's eyes lowered. Sarah grabbed his chin. "You got this. Get dressed." She gave him a kiss then walked out of the room.
Chuck walked out getting a kiss and a cup of coffee. Then walked out seeking out Casey. Sarah joined and stood together as one alliance. Alexander walked in smiling at what he saw. No matter what this team faced they remained strong. He looked up at Sarah. "So, when is our guest arriving?" Sarah looked at her watch. "Anytime."
20 minutes later there was a knock at the door. Casey and Alexander took each side of the sliding door. As Sarah stood near Chuck gun ready. Casey nodded as Alexander slid the door open and there was Bryce staring at a gun. "Is this how you welcome all your guests." Casey pulled him in. "Only certain riff raff." Bryce walked further in seeing the two standing together. He had to admit that Sarah looked happy he couldn't recall if she was that happy when they were together. But they had nothing close to what he was seeing firsthand.
"Chuck, Sarah." Chuck drew out his hello as they sat down. Chuck rubbed his hands on his jeans. For a split second he looked at his frenemy and went straight to the jugular. "Who did you call yesterday during your meeting with Decker?" Bryce's eyes darted left to right. Chuck continued. "We know you called someone and we want to know who it is. We also know that Decker not Beckman ordered the kill order. Decker has something on Beckman who sold us out to save her job. So now we need to know who ticked him off to go after the Intersect and me."
Bryce was surprised that they had uncovered that much. Casey looked at him. "We also want to know how you happened to have an upgrade on you when Chuck was dead. I told no one of my plans. And secondly how did you manage to meet with Decker and his plans when Beckman didn't approve you going undercover after Tommy arrived."
Bryce looking at all of them, then sarcastically responded. "You have been busy." Chuck got up as to dove towards him. Sarah placed her arm in front of him. Then gave Bryce a stern look. "Bryce you can joke all you want but your so-called gift by sending it to Chuck the intersect was very selfish of you. You assumed that you sending it would solve whatever issues you had."
"It's not like that and never was supposed to be felt like that."
"Then explain, Bryce, you got word of this file, had to save it and you thought of me. Since then, Sarah and Casey had to protect me from all the dangers associated with it. Six months ago, Casey gets a call to not get comfortable because the new intersect was in the works. Fast forward to a few months ago. Casey gets the kill order and makes the hardest choice to shoot me. So yeah, your gift has been the best for all of us." Chuck looks at Sarah.
Bryce slowly starts to maybe realize his actions had consequences seeing the look on Chuck's face, and the rest weren't too pleased either. "I'm sorry but I was just doing what I thought was best. At the time it was. The intersect needed to be protected. And it couldn't be left there. Too many hands in the cookie jar and the one we are dealing with now is Fulcrum. There's others?" Bryce went quiet. "Decker."
"Yes, he is behind the whole Fulcrum thing, but he's not CIA but knows a lot of people. And because of this who's who list of people he knows makes having control over the Intersect even their version a threat. We know that the intersect initially was supposed to be a teaching tool for spies. It was never intended to be uploaded like it was. And if it was, it had to be a special person who had a unique brain structure to handle the amount of data. So, who ever received it was not just a random act of selfishness, and I knew that it would be safe. Even safer with Casey and Sarah here. And that was going to be a problem to have the two of you available. Sarah you were just coming off your mission with Ryker. And Casey you were about to leave with your team." Sarah and Casey look at each other.
"So maybe yes it was a selfish act but I had to do what I had to do."
"Just like the Omaha project, Bryce. You framed to save me." Bryce looked up. Sarah softly spoke. "We know." Bryce looked at each of them, then continued. "The Omaha project was the testing of the Intersect. In theory it was perfect and when it was possible for a human to obtain the same information keeping it a secret would be the next thing. Word got out and they came after the intel. And each of them taken down."
Bryce switched gears. They knew too much and he wasn't prepared for all the questions. So, Bryce had to be Bryce. He had done it before. He recalled the day when he watched Chuck walk down the stairs after being expelled from Stanford, and he told him it was his fault it happened. He switched his persona and started throwing insults and blaming them for letting it get this far. Bryce starts to get up from his seat. "You're not going to find out any more than you already know so drop it."
Chuck had enough of his beating around the bush. He tackled Bryce as he got up to leave. Chuck hits the back of Bryce's head with his forearm making him bend over. Bryce turns around and throws a punch hitting Chuck in the jaw. Chuck didn't flash. For some reason he didn't have to. He threw another punch and Bryce fights back. He was no match for Chuck with or without the Intersect. Chuck had learned a few things about fighting. Sarah yells at them to stop. Chuck distracted by her voice, Bryce takes the opportunity and throws a hard punch knocking Chuck to the floor. Chuck down for a bit flips upwards coming up behind Bryce and grabbing his phone as Casey puts his gun to the back of his head. Pleasingly he spoke. "I dare you." As he tried to grab his gun. Instead, Bryce wipes his lip. Chuck focuses and looks at Bryce's outgoing calls. Casey still holding the gun on him, forcing him to watch. Chuck finds the last number and sends a message. The room waits. Chuck looks at Bryce's cell. It rings. He shoves the phone to Bryce's ear. Whispering. "Set up a meeting!" Bryce turns to face Chuck despite Casey's gun still pressed against the back of his head. "We need to meet. Same location one hour." Casey gives Bryce one last push of his gun then released it. He looks back behind him then at Chuck. "You happy now?" Chuck looks at him ready for more. "Not even close." Bryce went to the door. Chuck looked at Alexander. "I think Bryce needs a babysitter."
"I'm on it." Alexander leaves after Bryce. Sarah runs over to Chuck. She sees his face. "Was that necessary."
Chuck looks at her, standing up in pain. "Yes, it was so worth it. Been wanting to do that for some time." Casey brings the first aid kit. He looks up. "Thanks for not shooting him. But I liked the dramatic effect." Casey grunted then smiled. Sarah cleaned Chuck up giving him a kiss. "So now what?"
"We head over to where Bryce is and meet this person."
The three head over to where Alexander was as they watched Bryce. It was an outdoor promenade with lots of people. Chuck and Sarah walked the length of the promenade then made a swoop finding a spot near Bryce. The crowd subsided as Casey speaks. "Bogey at your six." Sarah leaned into her wrist. "I see him." The stranger who was wearing a green army jacket and a tan coloured cap walks into sight. Chuck waits to see if Bryce signals him to leave or startles him. Casey moves into Chuck's right and Alexander to his left as Sarah and Chuck come in from the front. The stranger sits down with Bryce. "It's not safe."
"I know but this is very important. We have a situation. Decker has his prototype up and running." The two continue to talk then Chuck moves in waiting till the man leaves, then follows him and Sarah follows Chuck. Chuck yells at the man. The man looks up catching Chucks' eyes. "I'm glad you're not dead." Then takes off as Sarah rushes to his side followed by Casey. "Did you get a look at the man? Did you recognize him, flashed?" Sarah inquiring. He turned around. "I don't have too." Sarah and Casey looking confused. Chuck looks down at the direction that the man ran down. "His name is Stephen. J. Bartowski."
Sarah turned her face to face him. "Your dad?" By now Bryce had left leaving Chuck alone in his thoughts as Casey converted with Alexander. Sarah looks around wondering what to do next.
Sarah finds Chuck up on the roof. If he was confused before all of this he was now far gone. Chuck saw Sarah coming towards him. "Don't ask." He turned. "I'm sorry." Sarah placed her hand on the middle of his back rubbing it. She kissed the side of his head. "I'm so sorry Chuck." He turned to face her them fell into an embrace.
"Why?"
"Don't know Chuck. What do you know about your dad?"
"He wasn't a dad in the traditional sense, Ellie and I raised ourselves. He left shortly after my mom left us. I haven't seen him since I was 11. He was an engineer. He was always creating stuff or his head was always stuck in a computer or building a computer." Chuck went quiet then stood up turning to face Sarah. "He always had his head in a computer."
"You said that already." "Yeah… I was about eight and I was watching cartoons and I wanted my dad to sit with me. I remember him pacing the floor with scrolls of paper under his arm. I headed down the hall seeing him disappear. He told me he'd be right back. I walked back to the couch and saw that he left his work room unlocked." Sarah curious to where this story was going. Chuck continued. "I pushed the door open and saw his set up. Sarah there were computers, monitors you name it."
"What was he building?"
"Don't know. But I jumped up on the stool and I remember seeing on the screen a program like a video game and it said press enter, so I pressed enter."
"What happened next?" Chuck started pacing. "Chuck! Talk to me."
Chuck was lost in his thoughts he remembered pressing enter and seeing tonnes of images similar to the initial upload sent by Bryce. His little eyes taking in all those images then going black. When he opened his eyes seeing his dad crouched down beside him. Sarah walked towards him. "Chuck talk to me." Chuck looked at her with such a concerned looked. "I've always had the intersect."
"What do you mean?"
"When I pressed enter, I saw images like the ones that Bryce sent me. Though in a smaller condensed version they were the same."
Sarah shocked and startled by what she was hearing. "You uploaded the intersect when you were eight?"
"Around there. My dad asked me if I was okay. Besides being a little dizzy and my eyes were sore you know like when you stare at the computer screen too long. I was okay. I didn't know any different."
Sarah faced Chuck. "So that is probably why you were able to withstand the upload that Bryce sent you and every other one since then."
Chuck faced Sarah. "But it wasn't built for me? I accidentally pressed enter."
"Right but whatever your dad did to create it maybe he had to assume that one day someone would upload it. Maybe he didn't know who could handle that amount of intel. We now we know that it was made for someone who had the same brain chemistry as your dad. So, every upgrade since then was built for you. Whether it was intentional or not. And ever since then you were able to handle the original upload. And we know that Bryce sent it to protect it from getting into the wrong hands and to protect you from going on the Omaha project."
"But Sarah either way it was sent to me. And all the work not to put me on the Omaha mission. It never really went anywhere cause I received Bryce's email. And his fear of me becoming involved with the CIA also became reality. So, the whole last year and half. No wait the last five years were a waste of time. I lost five years over this. And now to find out that my dad built this and made a deal with Bryce."
"We don't know that. We don't know how or why Bryce and your dad are in this together."
"No, we don't but either way they sure knew how to use me." Sarah approached Chuck. She kissed his cheek, as he fell into an embrace. He held her tighter than he usually did. For she was his lifeline his pillar of strength. Feeling his body relax she held him closer. She rubbed his back and massaged his neck still keeping him close. They broke their embrace. She looked into his eyes seeing the loss, the hurt and the betrayal. "What can I do?" He looked at her and gave her a kiss. "Not sure." Sarah kissed him then headed back downstairs. She motioned to Casey telling him everything. "So, he unknowingly downloaded the original version of the intersect when he was eight?"
"Yeah, some version and every version upload since then had to be designed for him specifically. And Bryce framed Chuck so he wouldn't go on the Omaha mission or survive working for the CIA and the files, but gets the email anyways and is working with the CIA."
"Yeah."
"Cruel irony." Sarah's heart was crumbling. She felt helpless.
Chuck crawled into bed reaching for Sarah. Sarah slid into his embrace laying on his chest. For now, he was safe for the time being. The morning would be a different story.
Bryce stood on the corner where he stood hours before. He looked up. A man's voice broke the silence. "Bryce this is not like you to meet this often."
"No but I can't do this anymore and Chuck knows it's you."
"I know."
"And he knows a lot more than we want him to know. He knows who ordered the kill order and he's not done digging into it further. He has a good enough timeline to put all the pieces together. He needs to know the truth." Stephen turned to face him. Stuttering slightly. "I know. I'll get back to you." Stephen took off then turned. Bryce stood alone wondering what to do next.
Chuck had been awake for some time still holding Sarah. He replayed the last twenty years in his head. Especially the last six. When his world was uprooted after being framed for cheating. It was all a play, a farce, a selfish act of two people. But not only his so-called best friend Bryce but his own flesh and blood. He wasn't sure what hurt the most. Beckman betraying him and having him be killed or his dad leaving him and lying to him.
He started to move waking Sarah. She pulled him back. "Just a few more minutes." Chuck didn't fight it. He had no where to go. He held her close.
Casey and Alexander had just finished their perimeter check. Not taking any chances especially now when they heard pounding at the door. Casey checked the feed and saw someone avoiding the cameras. Whoever he was he was determined not to be seen. Casey went to the door and Alexander answered. He looked up. Then looked at Casey. "You might want to take this one."
Casey stood in the doorway. "Mr. Bartowski." He looked up. "Call me Stephen. Is my son here?" Casey let him in.
"I'll get him." Casey walked over to their bedroom and knocked. Sarah heard the knock then came to the door. Chuck got up putting his feet on the floor. Sarah opened the door. "We have a situation." Casey moved to the side. "Oh, my word."
"No kidding." They turned to face Chuck. Sarah opened the door allowing Casey to walk in. Chuck had seen that look on his face many times. "Spill it."
"Your dad is here."
Chuck stood up and looked at Sarah. Sarah nodded. "Oh boy!" Chuck sat back down. Sarah quickly sat down beside him. "What do you want me to do with him?"
Casey looked at Chuck. "I guess it's time to get my answers." Chuck wondered why now? He was still getting over hearing Bryce's side of this whole nightmare and now he was going to hear his dad's side.
"Give me a few minutes." Casey nodded then left the two of them. Chuck headed to the bathroom and got dressed then headed out. Sarah got ready and grabbed some jeans and a t shirt and followed him out. Chuck looked at the man who on the outside looked like his dad but it had been over 15 years since he had seen him. His hair was longer with some gray in it and his aging lines made him indeed older.
He reached for Sarah's hand as the two of them walked toward his dad. Stephen turned to face his son and the look showed him how proud he was despite what he had gone through. "Charles."
"Dad."
They stared at each other. For what seemed like the longest time. Then Chuck made some introductions.
"Dad this is Sarah Walker." Stephen reached out his hand. "Agent Walker, nice to finally meet you and thanks taking care of him." Sarah smiled then nodded. "My pleasure."
"Dad this is Alexander Coburn. Alexander, my dad Stephen Bartowski."
"Nice to finally meet you."
"Like wise."
Chuck faced Casey. "And this is John Casey."
Stephen turned to face Casey. He extended his hand. "I know what you did was a hard decision to make and I am forever grateful for what you did despite being put in this predicament that I started." Chuck looked at Sarah and whispered. "Did he just admit to being responsible for all of this?"
Sarah winked at him. "I would do it again sir, he's worth the risk." They moved to the table. Stephen knew from what he had heard from Bryce that this team was very close and as they sat down it was evident that he'd wouldn't have an audience of one. Alexander came back with coffee grabbed, then sat near by but not at the table. It was hard enough to have Casey and Sarah there too they didn't need a third wheel. He had grown to respect this group and he had to admit it also brought him closer to his son. An opportunity that wouldn't have been if this didn't happen. After a few sips. Casey got the look from Sarah and they got up as well. She kissed Chuck. "I'll be right over there." Chuck kissed her back. He smiled but it was a nervous smile.
He watched her leave then sitting down with Alexander while Casey stood against the wall.
"You have a good team." Chuck turned to face his dad. "I do." And Sarah looks like a perfect fit. "She is. What we have is still very new as a few months ago. She thought that I was dead."
"I know how she felt. My worst nightmare through all of this was not for you to be killed."
"Then why?"
Sarah sat on the edge of her chair when she heard Chuck's voice was raised.
"It was not my intention for you to receive the intersect, that was Bryce who stole it to protect it from them, for me. I couldn't get to it to move it because I was on their watch list. For creating it in the first place. So, Bryce stole the files blew up the DNI so no trace could be found. He didn't tell me, I heard from others inside the CIA that he did this and that the files were sent to someone and at the same time someone shot him. But he didn't die. It was months after that when he resurfaced and found you, hearing that you had uploaded the files he originally sent."
"When did you meet him?"
"Who?"
"Bryce. When did you meet him? And was that your plan to have him ruin my life by having me expelled from Stanford causing five years of hell." He let his son vent. "Charles." His voice soft like he remembered. Chuck started to calm down. "I met Bryce when he was recruited in 2000, when he came to DC. He was assigned to go on the Omaha project with Agent Walker but her assignment changed all of sudden. I didn't know why till months later. The project was in its early stages, mostly on paper when I met him. The plan was to have the intersect implemented as a tool for agents and Bryce was very interested. He was the poster child for the CIA. He had the brains, he didn't have any family, no friends that we knew of."
Chuck remembered their conversation at the Buy More. When he said that he was the only friend he had. Chuck continued to listen. "And his looks made him the ultimate spy. But he had to finish school. When he came back, he said he met you and he told me that you were also short listed for the Omaha project based on your scores. I got a hold of your test results thanks to Bryce and I knew that what I saw they would fight to have you recruited. I couldn't have you join knowing what it did to me, to your mom and to Ellie. So, I begged Bryce to do whatever he could to prevent that. I knew that even if you got expelled, you'd get back on your feet." Chuck laughed. "Didn't happen dad. No one wanted to hire an expelled student from Stanford. I ended up working at the Buy More. And your plan to keep me safe backfired. Bryce went ahead and sent me the files anyways." His dad paused. "Yes, he did. Not what I would have done but I could see why. He had to keep them safe and the only person he knew would keep it safe was you. I know that it hasn't been easy but hope that it has brought you some joy." He looked up at Sarah. "Despite the hard choices of many, including me. I'm glad now that you're safe even if you are burdened with this."
"And what about Casey, he was ordered to kill me." Stephen looked at Casey and nodded. "He made the ultimate selfless decision to shoot you. He had to follow orders and I bet he had never disobeyed an order in his life. But now he had to, to keep you safe. And Sarah, the powers at be, were aligned when she was available to be your handler and now." Chuck looked at his friends and his love of his life. "I guess some good did come out of this." But right now, this nightmare was still draping darkness over all of them.
Chuck looked at his dad. "Did I upload the intersect when I was around eight."
"Yes." Chuck took a deep sigh. "You uploaded a beta version that I was testing. I had uploaded a few my self but didn't get the results I needed."
"You have the intersect too?"
"Well sort of. Not like you. The one you have has been altered and upgraded to suit your brain chemistry. The one you upload when you were eight gave you enough intel to recall and the ability to absorb a large amount of information. Well, it actually enhanced what you already naturally had. You were already very smart. This added to your processing of that information."
"And now? Decker? Beckman?"
Stephen's head lowered. "It was eventually going to happen if they figured out who stole it and who it was sent to. Fulcrum is just a small ripple in a large ocean. I have been bringing down other groups and threats since you were a kid. That is the main reason I left. The threats were coming too fast too often. I had to separate myself from you and your sister to keep you safe. Yes, I regret what I did. I missed so much but they stopped coming after you two. I know you won't be able to forgive me but I did it for you and Ellie. Decker missed out the contract for the Omaha project. It was going to be a huge payout to whomever got the rights. But when it was taken from him."
"Bryce."
"Yes. He came looking for me. But Bryce stepped up and made it sound like he had it. So, Fulcrum assumed that he was the one and as far as the whole group Bryce is still using that lie."
"Then why come after me. Bryce is still meeting with Decker and if Decker knows this that I am alive he's going to after Bryce. If someone told him that Bryce didn't have it after all."
"I don't think Decker knows that part."
"Well, that's the part, I don't understand. Decker extorted Beckman and forced her to order the kill order. To get rid of me because I was the only one that had the intersect. Either Decker knows the truth and doesn't care or he needs to keep Bryce around."
"But right now he still thinks you're dead and for now we need him to continue to think that." Chuck wasn't convinced. "Chuck, son. I know that you have connected a lot of dots."
"I'm not stopping till I get all the answers."
"You have all the answers you need."
"No dad! Decker needs to be stopped. And if we can do that then we are not stopping till he is put down." His voice raised again making Sarah stand up and walk to the table. She sat down. "Mr. Bartowski."
"Stephen."
"Stephen. What Chuck wants you to know is Decker has a version being built as we speak. He also had Langston Graham killed along several other agents. Who believed that they were going to upload the new version that was created from what they assumed were your files that you created from the original."
"There could never be a duplicate version built, not like the one Chuck has. I've tried. And so, they will fail as well. All I can do now is work on the upgrades. It's like this program was and will only be fit for you Chuck. Though others will try to rebuild their own version there will always be areas that can never be duplicated. Your brain chemistry is the main contributing factor for this success. And nobody has the same chemistry even you and I have some differences. That is why you were able to handle the first upload and maintain some of the benefits and each upgrade just adds to what you already have. The intersect only works along side you the intersect is not you." Sarah looked at Chuck. To her he was never the job nor the intersect now hearing Stephen say the same thing she fell in love with him all over again.
