Don't own Chuck

Chuck was running frantically down the dark hallway looking for Sarah. He thought it was safe to assume that she would have had to take the same path he took so all he needed to do was to backtrack in order to find her. He had to find her and get her out in time but in the dark he kept running into pillars and tripping over things. At one point he heard a moaning sound from the floor, it was the man he had knock out before coming round.

"Sorry buddy again," said Chuck as he punched the man knocking him out then he continued his search. Somewhere ahead in the darkness he heard another set of footsteps running towards him. They sounded light like Sarah's, his heart raced maybe he had found her.

"Sarah, Sarah is that you," he yelled he didn't care at that point. He wasn't looking for safety he was looking for her, for Sarah. But instead the boy ran up to him.

"Razib, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be outside with the rest. It's not safe here."

"I came for you and my angel, we have to go this place is going to explode."

"I know, your angel, Sarah? The woman with blond hair?"

"Yes, we have to find her and go."

"I'll find her you need to leave," but Razib wouldn't budge and Chuck knew he didn't have time to argue so they continued searching together, Razib by his side, at least the boy knew how to navigate the hallways in the dark. However, at one point they tripped over four guards who had been shot.

"Razib wait! These men have been shot and unless Tazi's men are killing each other Sarah had to have done this which means she's behind us. We're headed in the wrong direction but how can that be, we should've passed her on the way here."

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Sarah was one floor down making her way in the dark. This floor had more turns in it and before long she felt she was headed in the wrong direction. As she was getting her bearings a squad of men came up on her and began opening fire. She returned but was forced to retreat back the way she came.

"After her," one of the men yell as they opened up with automatic fire. The darkness was peppered with specks of light from muzzle blasts and tracer rounds.

"We can't let her escape," yell another followed by another volley.

"Crap," she said not seeing any cover she ran back down the passageway as a hail of bullets flew pass her. Luckily for her there was a sharp turn and once around it the rounds landed in the wall as she tried to make good her escape. But just when she thought she had made it she ran into another patrol ahead of her now she was trapped, boxed in on both sides with nowhere to go and only a half a clip left. She did the only thing she could do she switched off her light and hunker down letting them get close to her so she could use her knives too. This kitty had claws.

She was trying to clear her head but images of Chuck kept flooding back. Anniversaries that they wouldn't be able to celebrate and other children they never would have. She thought of Sam. She never would hear her call her mom. She would never be able to take her to soccer practise, see her off to the prom. Staying up late waiting for her to come home from her first date and share hot chocolate to talk about it. None of this she would get to do because she was a spy whose luck had run out but she wasn't dead yet and she was pissed, pissed at the world and mostly at herself. Now she needed to channel her anger into one massive flash.

"Guys you don't know it but you've poked the wrong bear this time," she said to herself. Sarah braced herself against the wall readying for action.

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Chuck and Razib where search above when they heard gunfire and ran back where they thought they heard it from. Chuck stumbled again on the same bodies as before that was when he realized the gunfire was coming from the floor below. He looked around frantically as he heard more shoots and screams coming from below. He searched the dead men and found percussion grenades. Holding them in his hand he flashed.

"Razib, quick take their boots off and remove their shoe laces but make it fast." The shooting was still going on below and he had to get to her. He stripped their boots off and yanked out the laces making four long chords then he dragged the bodies to four points on the floor and put a grenade under each body with one end of the lace tied to the pin. Chuck saw the boy's face he thought he had gone mad.

"Razib, by putting the grenades under the bodies the force of the blast will be driven downwards into the floor. Come here and stand next to me. Going down!" yelled Chuck, as he shielded Razib's body with his own and yanked the laces that pulled out the pins at the same time.

Sarah was cornered, wounded and out of ammo as the Toy Maker's men advanced on her. She couldn't see anyway out anymore when there was a loud explosion overhead. Her attackers stopped and looked up in time to see the whole ceiling cave in onto of them. Sarah coughed and fanned the dust trying to see what had happened when out of the smoke and haze came two dusty figures, Chuck and Razib.

"Sweetie you came," said Sarah as he hugged her.

"Always Love, you're hurt," said Chuck as he felt her warm blood on his hand. Sarah saw fear in his eyes and worry.

"It's nothing just a scratch," she said but Chuck knew better. She pulled him into her and kissed him. "What matters is you're here with me."

"Mister, we've got to go," yelled Razib, as he pulled on Chuck.

"You're right," said Chuck. He grabbed Sarah up in his arms. "Razib, we're not going to be able to make it out in time. Is there a kitchen with a walk-in freezer or something like that nearby?"

"Follow me, there's a private kitchen for Mr. Omar this way." Chuck carried Sarah and ran down the hallway behind Razib into a private pantry and through the dim light he saw what he was looking for.

"Open the door Razib for me," yelled Chuck. The door slammed shut behind them by the force of a loud blast that shook the whole building. Chuck pulled Razib close to Sarah as he tried to shield both with his body as things from the shelves around them came tumbling down. The whole room shook as if there had been an earthquake but soon everything went silent, deadly silent. Chuck tried the door but it was hot telling him there was a raging fire on the other side. The one good thing about the fire was that it raised the temperature inside making it tolerable.

"Razib, Razib where are you?" yelled Chuck in the dark then out of the darkness came the boy carrying two large battery powered lamps that lit the room.

"Thanks we owe you," said Chuck. Then he turned his attention back to Sarah and slowly removed her blood stained vest. She saw that same look as before a mix of fear and concern.

"I was supposed to be rescuing you," said Sarah as she tried to caress his face but cringed in pain.

"Sush, stay still and let me take care of you," said Chuck as he lifted up her blouse.

"I bet you never thought you'd be taking off my clothes like this," she said laughing. "Ugh, now I see what you mean about it hurting when you laugh."

"The bullet is still inside. Looks like it went in the side of your vest."

"It was a ricochet off the wall. You know just when you think you're safe that's when it gets you."

"Like you got me," said Chuck as he kissed her. "Listen there isn't much I can do for you here."

"Chuck, Sweetie, you're going to have to take it out. You're going to have to remove the bullet."

"What? No, I can't."

"Yes you can, just like you did with Casey. Listen it has to come out before sepsis sets in or it moves causing a hemorrhage. We're trapped in here and no one knows where we are. I'm guessing from the sound of that explosion the whole compound is gone which means it can be days before anyone comes looking."

"First things first, Razib is there another way out," asked Chuck.

"Over there is a supply tunnel," Razib pointed to the back.

"Love," said Chuck as he ripped off his shirt and made it into a badge then put it over her wound. "Hold this in place until I get back," he said placing her hand gentle over it. "Razib, stay here with our angel I'll be right back."

Razib nodded then sat down next to Sarah and smiled at her. She smiled back then caressed his face. She could see wonder in his eyes along with care and love.

"Why do you call me your angel? I don't know you and I haven't done anything for you."

"You remind me of my mother that is, what I remember of her. She had blond hair too and had a voice like yours or that's the way I remember her."

"How old are you?" asked Sarah the way he talked in the dark he could've passed for a man.

"I'll be ten next month I think. I really don't know when I was born it's just a day I picked to celebrate like the people I served. Everyone had a day so I picked my own. I know it sounds stupid."

"No, no it doesn't. Razib, I'm sorry," said Sarah.

"Sorry for what you didn't do anything this is my destiny. This was set before I was born the same as yours and that man."

"That man is Chuck my husband and the love of my life. We have a little girl, Sam waiting for us back home and I intend to get back to her."

"Sam is a funny name for a girl."

"Yes it is. If you want, can you please tell me more about what you remember about your mother," said Sarah as she cringed when a new wave of pain hit. Her golden hour was almost over and she could start to feel the pain increasing.

Chuck found the door that Razib had indicated but it had an electronic locking mechanism that had been fried by the EMP.

"Crap, crap, carp," Chuck said as he repeatedly kicked it then tried to control himself.

"Come on Chuck," he said to himself, "breath in, breath out." He had to think of Sarah and had to take care of her. She couldn't see him like this. He looked through the boxes and things, until he gathered what he needed a bottle of pure alcohol ninety proof, a bottle of fruit juice, a paring knife, a pair of cooking thongs and duct tape. Then he went back to them.

"How are you doing?" asked Chuck. He didn't like the way she looked. She was pale and cold. He took her pulse it was accelerated. He worried that she might pass out at any moment.

"I'm doing fine. Chuck, I told Razib that we'd find his mother. You have to promise me you'll find her for me if, well-"

"I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you. You're going to be alright even if I have to dig us out barehanded." Chuck mixed a little of the pure alcohol with the fruit juice and had her drink it. "I want you to drink this," he told her.

"Is this one of your new cocktail recipes? I've got the perfect name for it, 'a shot in the dark'."

"Yeah, drink up this will help you with the pain."

"Reminds me of shōchū but with a kick, Zondra and I drank shots in Hokkaido after a mission. Not bad actually but wow does it go to your head."

"Good now just lie down flat," said Chuck as he gently removed her hand and badge."

"Razib, I need you to pour this into her wound as I hold her down. Love, it's going to hurt. Scream as loud as you want, are you ready?"

"It has to be done," Sarah said as she grabbed hold of his arms. Her screams echoed in the freezer as Razib poured the alcohol flushing out her wound.

"Razib, trade places with me," said Chuck. He poured the rest of the alcohol over the knife and thongs. In a few minutes he removed the bullet but he had nothing to make sutures with so he closed the wound as best he could duct taping his shirt over it. After the operation he let her rest but monitored her he didn't want her to slip into a coma. She had lost a lot of blood and her breathing was shallow. He knew they couldn't wait around to be found. He needed a plan to get them out but the door they came in through was still hot and the other was lock. He had to find some way out or something to use to get them out. He had a computer in his head that his father had built to help people now he needed it to help him.

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Topside Colonel Casey was working with the MEU Commander. Together they had secured the area and at least for a little while they owned this square of desolate mountain top. But already powers back in DC were haggling with foreign governments over jurisdiction and threats were flying back and forth to take the question to the UN Security Council as it seemed the African Union was about to go toe to toe with NATO.

"Colonel Casey, I've got a call for you in the Communications tent," said a young Marine who saluted him.

"Son put your hand down," barked Casey, "You know we don't salute in the field. Take me to the comm tent."

"Right this way sir," said the Marine as he lifted the flap for the Colonel. Inside he found General Beckman on the monitor waiting for him.

"General, nothing has really changed here the MEU Commander and I have a plan for searching the site we just need the fires to die down a little more so we can get teams in. Already we're working the perimeter in silvers. "

"Whatever you do you need to do soon I'm getting static from the State Department about us violating the sovereign territory of a foreign state."

"What do they have to say about harboring a known terrorist? Do they have anything to say about that?" said Casey.

"The Moroccans are denying the Toy Maker was ever there and since he blew himself up we can't prove it and with Yasmin Tazi's dead they want the site."

"What about the plot against NATO in Naples that Tazi mentioned? We need to investigate to find out more about that?"

"Listen Colonel, you're preaching to the choir and between us I'd let you plant a flag there but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to fight off the wolves. How is the rest of your team holding up?"

"Agent Bartowski, Mary stayed to help with the recovery and frankly it's all I can do to keep her from suiting up and going in. The rest, I sent back to Gibraltar. I'm coordinating efforts with the MEU and our people on the ground. Thanks for sending Lieutenant Nash he's working out quite well and has been of immense service."

"Colonel, I hate to say this but just keep in mind there may not be anything to recover. Do you want me to talk to Mary?"

"No we're not there yet, but thanks General."

"Very well. Beckman out."

John had just walked out of the Communications tent trying to figure out what to say to Mary. How to prepare her for what he hoped would not have to be said but it was looking minute after minute the truth when he heard his name called.

"Colonel Casey can I see you in the command tent," yelled the MEU CO. Casey ran over hoping that this might be the break he was looking for. He needed something it couldn't all be rain.

"What is it?" asked Casey as he walked in.

"I'll let your guy explain," said the CO, "go ahead son."

"Well Sir, I've been studying the satellite images since the incident occurred and I've been to the crater's edge to compare them."

"And have you discovered something?"

"Well the compound had at least four levels below with a maze of interconnecting tunnels the question that came to me was how did they get air down to the lower levels. So I expanded the satellite image and looked for ventilation shafts and this is what I found. There are hidden tunnels here, here and here," said Rick as he marked them on the map. Casey face lit up and gave Rick hard slapped on the back.

"I think you've earned you pay check today. What are we waiting on?"

"Nothing," replied the CO, "I've already sent a search and rescue squad over to investigate and map out where they lead. We should know something soon. The only thing we can do now is wait but you might want to tell Agent Bartowski."

"Not until we're sure. If she finds out about those rabbit holes I won't be able to keep her out."

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Back down below Chuck was sitting next to Sarah and Razib. Chuck didn't like the way Sarah was acting, she seemed lethargic and she felt hot to the touch. Something had to be done and it was up to him to do it. He couldn't help but feel he was letting her down.

"Come on intersect," he screamed as he banged his hands against his head. "Come on flash, flash, I need a plan damn it!"

"Hey, don't hurt yourself," said Sarah. "at least the air is fresh in here with all this stuff around us going bad."

"You're right, you're a genius love, my beautiful genius," said Chuck as he kissed her on the forehead then jumped up and frenetically started scouring around the floor tossing boxes and things out of his way until he found what he was looking for. Sarah tried to get up to see what he was doing but he pushed her back down. "Lie still we'll be out soon I promise."

"What is it," asked Sarah feeling light headed she felt as if the room were spin around and she fought to stay conscious.

"Aluminum powder."

"Aluminum powder?" she felt too weak to think. "What for?"