Chuck/White Collar - 6

[samecgh]

The first office Chuck and Sarah came to had no laptops. The conference rooms all had laptops, but none of the batteries were charged, or even there. Chuck suggested, “We should file a complaint.”

 

“Yeah, Chuck, because the CIA reacts well with complaints,” Sarah droned.

 

“Then how about suggestions, for the next time a substation gets raided and they need to get communications out? Laptop, batteries, landlines,” he mentioned.

 

“Landlines, shit,” she muttered, “The CIA has been phasing out landlines, most stations have wireless.”

 

“And wireless is going to be blocked by the jammer,” he added, “What do you think the range of the jammer is?”

 

“I wouldn't put it past Shaw to have the entire building covered. Our best bet would be to get out.”

 

Chuck nodded, “Yeah, we should go get Bryce and Neal.”

 

They quickly retreated to the evidence room to see the door was partially open. “Damn it, Bryce,” Sarah cursed.

 

“Okay, what would be his plan?”

 

Sarah thought about it for a moment before she concluded, “Weapon.” Both took the same route that Bryce and Neal had taken to get to the armory. The door was open and there was no sign of either of them. “Electrical room. He may have noticed the backup wasn't working and went to investigate.”

 

Walking down to the next room, Chuck had moved slightly ahead of Sarah. He couldn't see very well in the shadows and didn't notice the human shaped blob that he passed. Sarah moved just pass the blob when it attacked her, choking off her warning and knocking the gun out of her hand before placing one near her temple. Chuck turned around after hearing the choke. “Hello, Bartowski,” a very familiar voice greeted.

 

“Shaw,” he said, “Useless to ask you to let her go.” He raised his gun to the mass he couldn't really see. It was impossible to tell them apart and he didn't want to hit Sarah. If I hit Sarah, then she won't be able to fight back.

 

Someone moved in the shadows just out of Shaw's sight. “Why would I let her go? I'm finishing what I started,” he threatened. Chuck took off the safety. Shaw laughed. “What are you going to do, shoot me? You failed last time.”

 

“I'll make sure to get it right this time,” he threatened.

 

“Chuck!” Sarah yelled.

 

“You can't see me, Chuck,” he taunted.

 

Just after he said that, the power came back on, and with it the lights. Blinding Shaw, he shouted as he had to close his eyes against the brightness his goggles now produced. A single shot rang out.

 

{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}

 

Bastard's heavy. Neal grunted as he forced Quinn's dead arm weight off of his neck. His phone sill in his hand, he used it to confirm Quinn was dead. Instead he saw three little red darts. “You cursed me,” Bryce mildly complained, switching the dart gun for another he was going for.

 

“At least he's down and out,” Neal grumbled.

 

“Darts never last long on agents. Even former ones,” he mentioned, dropping down next to them. Taking off the mans belt, he bound his wrists and took Neal's belt with a minor argument to tie his ankles. The finishing touch was taking the goggles, adjusting it to fit his head. He looked over at Neal, who was unimpressed. “Electrical room,” he said, standing up. He ignored the waving of his body and surged forward.

 

The panel was the first thing he saw, lying on the ground in front of the housing. The wires were underneath, half hidden. “Damn it,” he muttered. Neal had his phone out and was going over the housing.

 

“They were just ripped out,” he informed. He checked a few of them before grabbing at the panel. “We can temporarily fix it so the lights can come on.” He nodded, agreeing with the solution. Neal had the majority of the wires reattached inside the housing when both heard Chuck talking. Moving toward the door, Bryce saw the stand off between Chuck and Shaw.

 

“What the hell....” Neal muttered as Bryce took the panel out of his hands and flipped everything to the off position.

 

“Shaw has Sarah,” he said.

 

“Shit.”

 

Bryce took off the goggles and placed them on Neal, fitting perfectly over his eyes. “I'm going to motion to you to turn the power back on.”

 

“Blinding you,” he iterated.

 

“Blinding Shaw,” he insisted. He went back to his position, just outside of Shaw's sight. Neal finished wiring the panel and had a screw in place when Bryce started motioning to him. He shut his eyes and started flicking all the switches back on.

 

Bryce had his eyes closed just after he gave the signal to Neal. His eyelids got lighter, but he didn't open them until he heard Shaw shouting. Sarah saw him and used the distraction to get out of his grip and give him a better target. Bryce fired. Instead of a kill shot, he wounded Shaw, hitting just below his collar bone. He joked, “Damn, still cursed.” The three of them managed to restricted him, applying a temporary bandage and binding his wrists. Sarah and Chuck forced him up and started walking him to the holding cells.

 

Neal walked out of the room to see Bryce slumping against the wall. “You okay?” he asked.

 

“Fine,” he lied, trying to get off the wall and only making it a couple of steps before slumping against it again. Neal wordlessly slid under an arm and helped him get to the elevator. The medical wing wasn't entirely lit, as Chuck had shut off any lights that he could. Neal had to turn on the light to the recovery room they had been in before.

 

The bed wasn't made, and bunched up sheets made for a resting place for an envelope. “We should....” Bryce started, but Neal ignored him, picking it up. He sat Bryce down on the bed before sitting beside him. He opened the envelope and check for powders A bit late for that before pulling out the letter.

 

Hello, my darling children

 

I'm sorry for giving you two up. It was safer for you two to be raised away from me, away from your father and away from our life. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done and I regret not being able to raise you. From what I've seen, both of you turned out to be wonderful men and maybe one day we'll finally meet and I can tell you everything.

 

Until then Sweeties

 

“No name,” Neal noted.

 

“Unless it's this,” Bryce pointed out. There were interconnecting and detailed circles where someone's name would normally go.

 

“What language is that?”

 

“It's not translating. The Intersect doesn't know it.”

 

“Maybe that's what she'll have to explain,” Neal mentioned.

 

Bryce stared at him. “You really think that we'll meet them?” he questioned, skeptical.

 

“It's always possible.” Bryce just nodded and decided not to fight. “What?”

 

“Nothing,” he mumbled, sounding dejected. Neal shook his head and decided on something that might not have been taken well or could have gotten him killed.

 

He hugged him.

 

For five seconds, Bryce just stiffened, not moving to accept it, but not withdrawing either. He turned at the six second and returned the hug, arms circling Neal and squeezing. But he wasn't the type to linger and he broke it quickly, going back to sitting side by side.

 

“So, what crime got you that?” Bryce inquired, looking down to the anklet.

 

“Does the crime of love count?” he partially joked.

 

{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}

 

After getting Shaw in a holding cell, Chuck and Sarah headed toward the security room for any indication of Quinn. Both watched the monitors for a few minutes, scanning exits and the rooms around Bryce and Neal as they made their way back up to the third floor. “Nothing,” Chuck said.

 

Sarah focused on one monitor before pointing it out. “This door shouldn't be open,” she informed. Chuck headed out to check while she stayed and watched the three of them. She saw him on the screen; he waved at the camera before quickly checking outside. She started getting worried after a few more minutes and almost jumped when her phone started going off. She checked it quickly before seeing it was Chuck. “Quinn?”

 

“Gone, but I found the jammer and where they were situated. He had a large vehicle, van or SUV,” he reported.

 

“He's gone,” she sighed, and resisted the urge to smack something. “Come back in, we'll inform Casey as soon as he comes back.”

 

“I'll head up to tell Bryce and Neal. Meet me up there,” she ended, waiting for him to end his side before hanging up herself.

 

Chuck ended up on the third floor first, taking the elevator and carrying the jammer along with him. Sarah walked up the stairs, putting in extra speed to get up to third quicker. Both walked into the room at the same time.

 

Whatever Neal had been telling Bryce, he stopped when they walked in. Chuck said, “Quinn's gone.”

 

Bryce grimaced at the news. Neal frowned, “He had three tranquilizer darts in his chest.”

 

“Those darts are not meant for agents,” Sarah mentioned, “They're not strong enough.”

 

“Seriously, I had to empty a clip in this really huge guy, about as huge as Casey,” Chuck related.

 

“Are you calling me fat, Bartowski?” Casey accused, sort of sneaking up on him.

 

“No, no, I'm calling you very tall and muscular and I should really stop talking,” he figured. Sarah silently laughing and Bryce not silently.

 

The group turned serious as Sarah and Chuck led him down the hall. Peter and El had been led up by Casey, and were standing with him when he walked away. El saw Bryce and stared for a second before introducing herself. “El Burke.”

 

“Bryce,” he smiled, trying to be charming.

 

She laughed, “Oh, you are Neal's twin.” Peter rolled his eyes as the two of them grinned exactly the same.


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