With His Dying Breath

I don’t own Chuck

4 weeks later

Beckman played the footage of Chuck exiting the train watching the expression of Casey and Sarah.

“He knew exactly where to go, to avoid the cameras and our people,” Sarah said, a little in awe. “It’s like he has knowledge of CIA protection.”

“Could that be in the Intersect?” Casey asked.

“I don’t know,” Sarah said with a shrug.

“Not to our knowledge, Colonel,” Beckman replied. “As you know this was two weeks ago.” She paused. “What I’m about to show you is highly classified.” Casey and Beckman shared a look. “The Ring has begun to hemorrhage money.”

“The Ring?” Sarah asked. “Wait, I thought we were after FULCRUM?”

“FULCRUM is but a part of the Ring,” Beckman explained. “Members of the Ring, their businesses, are having money transfered out of their accounts to charities all over the world.”

“Someone is attacking them…what, cyberly?” Casey asked. “Is that even a word?”

“It will do, Colonel,” Beckman replied. “My superiors believe somehow, someone has captured…” she shook her head, not wanting to say the word.

“Oh, no,” Casey said, a grimace on his face.

“Agent Bartowski of the CIA,” Beckman continued.

“General, he’s not an agent, he has no training,” Sarah protested.

“He was captured, while heading to CIA training and the CIA, with their numerous foul ups in this project…” Beckman trailed off.

“They needed a win,” Sarah said shutting her eyes and rubbing her forehead. “So they made him an agent.” Beckman pressed her lips together and nodded. “General, do they realize how bad it is for them that a win is a trainee getting captured?”

“But that trainee is thought to be destroying the Ring monetarily, and that Agent Walker, is more important than capturing the traitors.” Casey scoffed. “Colonel, you know as well as I while some are idealist in The Ring, many are there for other reasons.”

“Damn mercenaries,” Casey grumbled.

“Agreed,” Beckman said. “Agent Walker, your mission is simple. Find Chuck Bartowski, and take him into protective custody however you see necessary. The only two people you are to contact is myself and Colonel Casey. Chuck Bartowski is too valuable to let anything happen to him.”

“Isn’t all the CIA looking for him General?” Sarah asked. The General furrowed her brow at Sarah. “You misunderstand, of course I’m looking for him, I have been.”

“No, you misunderstand, Agent Walker,” Beckman said. “There are some in the CIA that do not believe Chuck Bartowski has been kidnapped. They believe that he has gone rogue.”

“WHAT!?” Sarah said, exploding. “The man who has selfishly given the past two years of his life, with no training, and rushed in to save his friend…these idiots think he’s gone rogue? A TRAITOR???” Beckman and Casey said nothing as Sarah looked from one to the other. “You two have nothing to say?”

“Chuck Bartowski is a royal pain in my ass,” Beckman began. She paused. “But….” She sighed. “For him to be thought to be a traitor…”

“It’s bullshit,” Casey said. “Bartowski’s a moron but he’s no traitor.”

“Casey, you’re nearly gushing,” Beckman said, grinning. “Agent Walker, bring your fellow agent home, protect him. He is a high value target. The CIA finally agrees with you.” Beckman grinned as she cut the feed.

“What the hell does that mean?” Sarah asked, turning to Casey.

“We don’t have time for that,” Casey said. “You get to leave now to find him.”

“And where the hell do I look for him, Casey? WHERE?” Sarah asked.

“Start where he disappeared,” Casey said with a shrug. “Why wait until Prague to make the more, why not somewhere else?”

Sarah turned on the footage of Chuck in the station, watching him move, almost like he was guided. “Have we checked on Ellie? Do we know she’s okay?”

“Bartowski hasn’t contacted her, that we know for sure,” Casey told Sarah.

“But does Chuck think Ellie is captured?” Sarah asked. She gestured toward the screen. “Casey, someone is telling him what to do. Someone who knows the CIA protection standard operating procedures.”

“Who?” Casey asked.

“That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it,” Sarah said. She watched him get in a car as it took off. “Do we know where that cab went?”

“Tabor,” Casey answered.

Sarah turned to him. “Tabor…in the Czech Republic?” Sarah asked. Casey nodded. “Tell me something, has all of the money taken from the Ring gone to those charities?”

“No one knows Walker,” Casey said with a shrug. “That kid,” Casey said with a modicum of respect in his voice. “Look where it went, cancer hospitals for kids, children’s shelters, women’s homes…” he shook his head. “The only way they even figured it out was the large amounts of money that came in. Bartowski covered his tracks. And then, then the numbnuts turned on computer microphones, and transmitted different Ring members discussing past crimes or future plans, and sent them to law enforcement. He’s waging war on them.”

“I’ll get him back, Casey,” Sarah told him.

“When you get him, hide him,” Casey said, turning to Sarah. “Only contact me if it’s safe. The moron has a target on his back now, and he’s gonna need someone to protect him.” Sarah nodded, turned, and headed toward the stairs. “He’s an agent now, Walker.” Sarah paused, but never looked at Casey. She gave a nod and headed out the door. She had known something was wrong with him when she told him she would meet him in Prague. She didn’t know who had Chuck Bartowski, but there was going to be hell to pay.

-ooooo-

“Dr. Ellie Woodcomb?” the delivery man asked.

“That’s me,” Ellie said.

“Sign here please.” Ellie signed for her package, and went to her office. She hadn’t ordered anything, she didn’t know where Chuck was, and she was beginning to get worried. She opened the box and saw a cell phone with a note taped to the screen to check her contacts. She opened the contacts, saw 1or11 and shut her eyes. She hit call.

“Elanor,” her father said on the other line. “There’s something you need to know about Chuck.”