Chuck Vs Chuck

Chuck stares through the glass. He watches the machines keeping Elle alive beep, pump, and do whatever else they do. Captain Awesome sits holding her hand. It is clear to any observer that the Captain Awesome has not slept in some time. Chuck is saddened even more when he sees just how beaten down Captain Awesome is. "He was always so up beat until" Chuck thinks holding back a sob. Chuck doesn't have the luxury of crying. He cannot afford any weakness. It is up to him and he will not fail.

Chuck turns at the sound of Casey cursing. Chuck can see the nurses changing Casey's bandages again. Casey hates being stuck in that bed but he should be grateful he didn't lose his eye. A broken leg and 3rd degree burns on his right side are not minor injuries but he would have died if he had been even a foot closer to the car. Chuck feels renewed guilt when he thinks about those burns. The burns will give Casey too distinctive a face for undercover work. Just one more reason why Chuck needs to do this.

He looks at his watch. "God it has only been an hour!!" he screams to himself. "Sarah will be in surgery for at least 5 more hours. How can he endure that long a wait?" passes through his mind. He knows he should be preparing himself for the worst but he can't bring himself to give up on her. The best surgeon in the area told him her chances we not good but Chuck still won't consider anything other than seeing her smiling face.

Chuck doesn't even jump when a few hours later a figure appears next to him. Even in a heavily guarded hospital with agents just a few feet away Chuck is not surprised in the least by the figures arrival. Chuck turns his head slightly to acknowledge the figures arrival.

"Hi Chuck. I was surprised to get your message. Are sure about this? You know it costs more than money to retain my services." says the figure.

"You took out Sarah and Casey without breaking a sweat. I figure you are my best chance. The question is will you help?" says Chuck with a detached calm.

"You are a good person Chuck. It is why I let you live the first time we met. If you do this, there is no going back. It will change you." says the figure with genuine concern in his voice.

Chuck is surprised by that but he has made up his mind. He will get the bastard responsible for this so he says "I changed the moment they got hurt. I will pay your price whatever it is. When do we start?"

"Give me a few days to track them down. When I have a location, I will come get you. In the meantime really think about what it will be like to kill someone. You should let me take care of it for you." the figure says.

"They were all hurt because of me. That makes it my responsibility." Chuck says with more menace than he ever though he was capable of.

"As you wish" is the figure's reply before he disappears.

The old Chuck, the Chuck of just a day ago would have wondered how he does that. It is a cool trick. Unfortunately, that Chuck died yesterday. This Chuck is not even aware the figure is gone. All he can do is replay that awful morning again and again in his head. He sees Casey make a whatever roll of his eyes as Sarah pulls Chuck aside to once again remind Chuck how they cannot be together. He sees Casey push his car remote and then fly thru the air as the car explodes. He remembers Casey screaming because his whole right side was engulfed in flame. Chuck never realized that Casey could scream. In his mind's eye he sees Casey rolling desperately on the ground trying to put the flames out. Then Sarah's hand on his arm is pulling him down behind the fountain as she drew her pistol. The shots that rang out as the goons charged them. Sarah gunned them all down with practiced ease. Chuck was relieved she had managed to save him once more when he heard the gun shots. Somehow one of the goons had circled behind them and opened fire with his Uzi. Sarah spun even as Chuck saw the bullets strike her. He recalls the five spots of red that appeared on her blouse. As she was falling she managed to bring her gun into line with this last goon and fired. Chuck had never seen someone's head blown off. The fascinating horror of it distracted him for a moment.

The thud of Sarah's body hitting the ground brought him back to reality. He kneeled next to her as she begged him to run. "There may be more goons around. Run Chuck Run." she begged with blood on her lips.

He just couldn't. Her blood was flowing out in so many places he had to try and stop it. He just sat there trying to hold her life in.

He is not sure how long it was before paramedics took Sarah from him. They slapped bandages on her body and called for the Life flight helicopter. One paramedic looked Chuck over while Chuck stared at the paramedic's working on Sarah. Then still in his blood soaked clothes Chuck got up and started to follow Sarah into an ambulance. Some agent tried to stop him but Chuck surprised everyone including himself by decking the guy.

He didn't even know about Elle until he was climbing into Sarah's ambulance. Then he saw Captain Awesome covered in blood and talking rapidly with some paramedics. His sister's body appeared next strapped to a gurney. He could see a paramedic working on a large red spot on her chest. It seems a stray bullet had found Elle when she opened the door to see what all the noise was about.

At the hospital, agents swarmed him. Telling him they had to get him someplace safe. That was when he played his hand. Neither agency expected that Chuck was smart enough to have come up with a winning hand but he showed them. If they tried to throw him in an underground safe house like that other guy, every news agency on the planet would receive detailed information on what the US government is up to. Not very happy but also not able to do much about it the agencies set about securing the hospital. They have agents on every floor, every entrance, and several on the same floor as Chuck's wounded sister and friends.

Eventually Morgan arrives. He sees Chuck standing in front of Elle's room just staring in. It is not just Chuck's blood soaked clothes that clue Morgan into the fact something about Chuck has changed. The way Chuck is standing just radiates hate. Morgan tries to comfort his friend by hugging him but fails. All words of comfort flee Morgan's mouth when Chuck turns his cold eyes to him. Morgan has known Chuck his whole life but he does not know this person. This person scares him. Lacking words Morgan just stands next to Chuck.

After several hours a doctor approaches Chuck. He looks concerned even a little afraid. He says "She survived the surgery but there was a lot of damage. I can't guarantee she will live but I swear I did everything I could. Hold onto hope."

The way Chuck turns to the doctor reminds Morgan of the way the robot from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" looked at people right before his eye beam vaporized them. This Chuck is really freaking Morgan out.

"Your efforts are appreciated." Chuck says in a cold dead voice. The air around Chuck nearly freezes his voice is so cold. "Morgan Thanks for coming but I need to go home and get some sleep." Chuck says and he heads for the elevators.

As Chuck approaches the elevator, an agent moves to block his path but the look Chuck gives him drives him back to his post. Chuck gets into the car waiting for him out front of the hospital. The agent driving takes him home and then stations himself outside. Chuck breaks the yellow police tape and heads into Elle's apartment.

He makes his way to the bathroom where he undresses in the shower. His clothes make a wet pile on the floor. He washes the blood away, Sarah's blood. It is now the tears come. It is now the guilt overwhelms him. He sobs the night away.

By morning, he is back in control. The soft old Chuck locked firmly in the back of his mind. The new Chuck dresses, eats breakfast, and then takes out the gun Casey hide in his room. He never much cared for guns but today it seems like his best friend. Chuck carries the gun outside which causes the agents on duty to tense. Not sure what Chuck is going to do, an agent tries to move closer to Chuck.

Chuck glances at the agent trying to close with him. He laughs. "This idiot thinks I mean to kill myself but that is not who I intend to kill." Chuck thinks. He raises the gun taking aim at a statue he always hated. He fires. The round just barely hits the statue's elbow. Adjusting Chuck tries again. This time he hits the body of the statue. See all those video games were good for something. Once Chuck gets used to the weight and kick of the gun, he easily hits the statue. Comfortable with gun, Chuck walks up the bullet riddled statue and says "nice to meet you." He then puts one round thru the statues head while imagining the head of another. "Not so hard" he thinks. He walks back inside and waits to here from his contractor.

"This is Agent Thomson. We have a problem. Chuck is seriously unstable and I think he is planning something stupid." the agent who just watched a computer nerd master a 9 mil in under 15 minutes says into his cufflink.

General Beckman tries calling Chuck. He answers with "Any missions will have to wait till I finish my business." and hangs up.

Concerned by Chuck's strange behavior, the General orders increased security on chuck. "Any agent who loses sight of Chuck will answer to me." she warns her agents.

Chuck doesn't go to work the next day. He does practice with the pistol again. The agents guarding him were reluctant to give him more ammunition but he made it clear he would not be denied.

His guards grow increasingly nervous about Chuck's behavior. He went from not ever touching a gun to hitting some very small targets in less than 24 hours. Their files describe Chuck as fun loving and easy going. They see no sign of that Chuck. This one is driven and merciless. All he does is get up, eat, shoot, stare at the phone and go to bed. They expected him to go to the hospital or at least call but he doesn't.

About 2 AM Chuck is awoken by his contractor. The fact the contractor slipped thru a ton of agents and is standing over Chuck does not even startle Chuck. Chuck opens his eyes and just asks "You found him?"

"Yes I have locked on to the target. I have a window to acquire the target in about 3 hours. Where do you want the package deliver?" the contractor asks.

"I don't want the agents interfering so not here. Are they watching Sarah's? Chuck asks.

"No. They just sealed her apartment." is the reply

"Bring him there then. When you have him secured, come and help me lose these agents." Chuck says.

"As you wish." the contractor says as he fades back into the night.

Chuck rolls over goes back to sleep.

By the time Chuck gets up, eats breakfast and gets dressed, his contractor is back.

"Ready?" he asks.

Chuck nods.

The contractor smiles and pushes a button. Outside flash bombs, smoke grenades, and sonic grenades go off all over the complex. The agents on guard are completely unprepared for this level of attack. In the chaos it is a simple matter for the Contractor to slip Chuck out.

Ivan Malago wakes up tied to a chair. For the first time in his existence he is afraid. Until today fear was for other men. Ivan truly considered himself completely without the emotion along with compassion, mercy and a few others. Then the man in black had showed up on his front gate camera. At first Ivan thought this man was just another fool. When the man in black wiped out his gate guards, Ivan upgraded him to a minor threat. When Ivan's bullet proof/blast proof security doors came crashing down, Ivan was impressed. No one had made it that far before.

Still 40 of his elite guard stood around him in the most heavily fortified part of his house so he did not fear the man in black. It was not until the ceiling came crashing in and he saw up close and person, the man in black literally dismantle his elite guard before his eyes did he felt fear. Ivan did not recognize the emotion at first. He just stood there while his men died all around him. Some part of his brain said run but he knew there was no point. Nothing would stop the man in black. He decided fighting this man would gain him nothing so as the man in black stalked toward him, he stiffened his backbone and waited. Ivan intended to die with what dignity he could muster. It was at this point he noticed his mouth was speaking and tears leaked from his eyes. It was at this point that Ivan realized he was afraid. Ashamed but unable to stop himself, he watched as he begged for his life like so many others had begged him. His last thought before the blackness came was "This is no way for a man to die."

So waking up here was a bit of surprise. Many men would consider waking up a pleasant surprise but Ivan knew better. The man in black intended to torture him. Before this would not have bother Ivan. It would not be the first time he would be tortured but he knew this time would be different. The man in black unmanned him. Ivan knew he would spend his remaining time on this Earth not the powerful warlord he used to be but a poor weak sap who would start by begging for his life and soon would beg for his death. Ivan had always hated those men and now he would die like one. He finds himself sobbing.

At Sarah's apartment, Chuck sees the bastard who did this. Ivan Malago sits tied to a chair. Chuck admires the Contractor's skill with knots. There is no way Ivan can escape but the ropes are tied in such a way that you could free an arm say to cut off the fingers without risking loosing the rest of the ropes. "Truly ingenious." Chuck thinks. He walks around to face Ivan.

"Nice to meet. I realized this must be a new experience for you. I am sure you ruin people's lives all the time without any consequence. Well, you crossed the wrong person." Chuck says. He draws the pistol that has become an extension of his soul and puts the barrel to Ivan's head. He debates about just pulling the trigger now or making Ivan suffer the way his sister is suffering, the way Casey is suffering, and most important of all the way Sarah is suffering. He decides that Ivan deserves to suffer a bit.

When Ivan meets the eyes of the man with the man in black he feels his fear grow. Impossibly, this one's eyes are even colder than the Man in Black's. "How could his source have been so wrong about this man? They describe him as weakling not even a man. The person in front of him now was no weakling. This man before him was a killer with a heart of ice. Ivan embarrassingly wets himself under Chuck's gaze.

"What do you recommend I start with?" Chuck asks the Contractor.

"Personally, I think breaking the fingers is a good place. It causes a wonderful amount of pain and further cripples your subject." the Contractor replies as he hands Chuck a pair of pliers. "Grip the finger with the pliers then lifted up and back till you hear the knuckle snap. Push a bit more and the finger will break at the base." The Contractor explains as he demonstrates to Chuck the proper motion.

Chuck grabs Ivan's middle finger with the pliers. It seems like the right one to start with. He starts to lift. He is enjoying the look of horror on Ivan's face so he goes slowly. He is curious as to what exactly the finger breaking will sound like. "Do the moves have the right noise? I bet that Clint Eastwood movie had it right." he thinks.

In the back of his mind Old Chuck screams and begs New Chuck not to do this. Old Chuck knows this is wrong.

The door to the apartment swings open to reveal Sarah standing there in all her glory. Sarah shouts "Stop Chuck. Don't do this."

Chuck is so startled to see her, he drops the pliers. Ivan breathes a sigh of relief.

"Sarah How? They told me you were still in a coma." Old Chuck stammers. The New Chuck is trying to shove the Old Chuck back into his box but is not quite able too.

"I couldn't let you do this Chuck. This is not who you are. You are better than this. Don't destroy yourself or what we had over him." she pleads as she walks up to Chuck and takes his head in her hands.

In his mind New Chuck and Old Chuck face off in a light saber duel. Their sabers hiss and spark as the blades connect. New Chuck hammers Old Chuck relentless but it is not enough. Old Chuck blocks every attack and when he strikes just once New Chuck sees his hand and saber fall away. "This isn't over you know." he tells Old Chuck.

"That is what all the villains say" Chuck replies as he drives his light saber thru New Chuck. In a very ObWan way New Chuck disappears. Back in control, Old Chuck runs to Sarah.

Sarah takes Chuck into her arms and holds him while he cries. "I almost." He stammers.

She lifts his head, looks him in the eyes and says "Don't worry Chuck I will always protect you even from yourself. Know that I love you Chuck. No matter what remember that." She then kisses him.

Her kiss is the most wonderful thing in his life. For Chuck, time freezes and he sees his life unfold with Sarah. They date, make love, get married, and raise two wonderful girls all in the blink of an eye. Chuck has never experienced anything like this before. He gives himself completely to the moment.

When Chuck regains his senses, he is standing in the doorway all alone. He can taste Sarah's lipstick on his lips but that is the only sign she was here. "Where did she go?" he asks the Contractor.

"Where she had to." he replies. He turns to Ivan, kneels down so he is eye level and he tells Ivan "Chuck is not the only one to get a second chance today. You will make yourself very useful to his superiors or we will meet again." He stands and walks past Chuck. At the door, he pauses to say "I am glad I didn't kill you the first time we met. You are a remarkable man to have some love you as much as she did." With those words still working their way into Chuck's brain, the Assassin is gone.

After he is gone, Chuck hears the ringing of his phone. While fumbling it out of his pocket, he tries to figure out what about the Assassin's words struck him as odd. As he answers the phone, he realizes what it was. The Assassin used the past tense when referring to Sarah. "She dead isn't she" he says into the phone.

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