A/N: So…hello. If you follow any of my stories, you know that the last time I updated anything was over a year ago around the time of the series finale. Long story short, I haven't been able to write anything to do with Chuck since then. I've tried but all I have to show for it are partially written chapters. I haven't watched a single episode since the finale, and I'm just not a fan of the show anymore, but I hate that I've left three stories unfinished so I've been trying to correct that. It wasn't until I started writing this little story that I actually made any headway in writing these characters again. I'm not promising anything, but I will try to update, for those of you that are still interested. If nothing else, take this as an apology for not finishing my other stories.
I hope you enjoy.
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Recalled: The Bangkok Turn
June 27, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand
Three years now. Three years he had been on the run, away from his family. Ellie, Morgan, Awesome: three years since the last time he had been home.
Three years since—Seriously, what's with the heat?!
Chuck groaned aloud in protest. He wiped his forearm across his forehead as he walked through the half-empty Bangkok street, littered with burnt-out cars and half-collapsed walls. He'd been better places, but beggars couldn't be choosers; or, in his case, wanted walking, talking computers on the run couldn't be choosers. His shirt was slowly being consumed by sweat. He'd been there less than two weeks and already he could not wait to get as far away from the heat as possible. He was irritable and miserable. It had been a while since he'd heard from his dad and at this point he didn't know how much longer he could wait.
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May 15, 2011
He wants me to go where?
Chuck had just finished reading the latest message from his father.
What is he nuts? Chuck shook his head after reading the words again. Civil unrest had broken out the previous year and it was now one of the most dangerous places in the world. On the one hand, Chuck supposed, it was a perfect place to get lost; on the other hand … he really didn't want to die. For all the help his father had given him throughout his years on the run, Chuck still couldn't defend himself. He wasn't much of a fighter and neither was his dad, so no help there. If only there was a way to use the Intersect to teach him to fight. He'd have to talk to his dad about that…
In the meantime, Orion hadn't steered him wrong yet, so Chuck started gathering his few belongings and started planning his trip … to Bangkok. Chuck sighed as he once again shook his head in disbelief.
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June 27, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand
Chuck was walking back to the run-down hotel room he'd been staying in since he'd arrived. He had tried to stay in his room as much as he could. With all the fighting going on, people were being killed in the streets left and right. He didn't want to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time; but he needed supplies, and eventually he was forced to go outside.
It was amazing what he could get used to if he had to. The old Chuck would have freaked at the sight of dead bodies; now, they were just another reminder of how unforgiving the world could be. Another reminder of why he had run in the first place.
Chuck turned the corner toward his hotel. He couldn't wait to be back in his little hole in the wall. It wasn't much bigger than a closet but it was safer than being in the streets; not much safer, but still, it was better than nothing. Suddenly, a pair of hands shot out and pulled Chuck into the alley half-way down the block.
They'd gotten him… Oh, god…
The color drained from Chuck's face; he felt his stomach drop. He'd been so distracted thinking about the heat, he'd forgotten to be on the look-out. Now, he was either dead or about to be thrown in a deep dark hole somewhere.
The thought terrified him; he began to struggle. Shifting violently in the arms of his captor, struggling to break free and screaming through the hand covering his mouth, "Hmm!…Hmmm!"
"Chuck," A voice hissed, "Calm down!"
Chuck froze, he knew that voice. "Dmmm?" He wasn't going to die!
"Yes, it's me," Stephen answered. "Now, I'm going to let you go, so calm yourself. Okay?"
Chuck nodded and he was suddenly free. "What the hell, Dad?" He barked angrily. "I thought I was gonna die!"
"Good," Stephen scolded. "What was that, Chuck?" He accused. "You're supposed to be more careful than that!"
"I am more careful than that!" Chuck defended. "The only reason you found me is because you sent me here."
"Oh, yeah?" Stephen spun Chuck around and pointed down the street toward his hotel. "Take a look at that."
It was Casey, followed by his team.
"How did they find me?" Chuck asked as he carefully watched the group make their way into the hotel. "I was so careful…"
"This is the government, son," Stephen responded. "They have their resources: a very determined Colonel Casey, for example."
"We have to get out of here," Chuck urged.
"Hold on, Chuck."
"What? Why?"
"I have something for you."
"Gee, thanks, Dad," Chuck said quickly, "but this isn't really the time for presents!"
"Put these on," Stephen commanded as he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and handed them to Chuck.
"An update?"
"It's so much more than that, son," Stephen assured. "This is going to change everything."
Chuck was doubtful but he didn't have time to argue, so he put on the glasses and immediately went into the trance he was so used to. A few moments later, he was back in control. "Okay, I uploaded your update, now let's get out of here," Chuck insisted.
"Just one more thing."
Before Chuck could ask, Stephen pulled out a card with an image printed onto it.
As his eyes drifted to the image, Chuck flashed. A more intense flash than he'd ever had before; this one was a whole different kind of flash. Chuck shook his head clear only to see Stephen's fist coming at him as soon as he opened his eyes.
The next few moments were an out-of-body experience for Chuck. He saw himself raise an arm to block his dad's punch; then his other arm moved to strike Stephen across the cheek with his balled-up fist. He saw every movement as the events unfolded in the slow motion of hyper-awareness; but there was nothing he could do to stop himself. It all happened in less than a second. By the time he'd registered what had happened it was all over.
The punch connected with Stephen's chin, sending him reeling back a few steps.
Chuck's eyes widened. "Oh, my god, oh, my god," he uttered in disbelief. "Dad! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Chuck," Stephen answered as he rubbed his aching chin.
"You just tried to punch me!" Chuck accused. "Wait, what the hell just happened? What'd you do to me?"
"I may not be able to teach you how to fight, son, but I can teach the Intersect." Stephen answered. "Now you'll be able to defend yourself if you have to."
"What are you saying? I can flash-fight now?"
"Fighting, climbing, gymnastics, guitar playing: if it can help you, it's all in there," Stephen assured.
Chuck nodded knowingly. "Wait, wait, wait. Does this mean… I know kung fu?" His eyes lit up at the prospect.
"Well, yes, in a manner of speaking, I suppose you do," Stephen replied. "Wait, Chuck, what are you doing?"
Excitement got the best of Chuck and before his dad finished speaking he was already flashing on another new ability. With a wide smile, he was jumping, flipping, and pulling his way to the rooftop of the building bordering the alley.
"Chuck," his dad cried out.
Chuck lied down on the roof and crawled to the edge, where he watched as Casey and his men tossed the room across the street looking for any clues that might lead them to Chuck.
"Damn it, Chuck. Get down here!" Stephen ordered. "I wasn't done yet!"
After a few more seconds of watching, Chuck made his way down. "Dad, this is amazing. Thank you!"
"You can't be screwing around like that," Stephen scolded. "The Intersect isn't a toy."
"What? I know it's not—"
"Listen to me," he interrupted Chuck, "put this on." Stephen continued as he handed Chuck a watch, "Don't take it off, ever."
Chuck's eyebrows rose as he took the watch. "Not that it's not a nice-looking watch, dad, but, come on, never?"
"Never," he reaffirmed. "Not as long as you have the Intersect in your head."
"What's that got to do with anything?" Chuck asked as he put the watch on.
"The Intersect," Stephen started, "it's not without its dangers."
"You're telling me," Chuck mumbled.
"Quiet." Chuck acquiesced. "Right now, it's slowly destroying your mind."
"I'm sorry, what's that now?" Chuck's head shot up to full attention.
"Don't panic, you'll be fine."
"Don't panic? You just said—"
"That's what the watch is for, you'll be fine," Stephen assured. "The point is, the human brain wasn't meant to hold and access so much information at once. It would've eventually overloaded and killed you."
"That doesn't help with the no panicking, just sayin'," Chuck interjected.
Stephen ignored him and continued on, "I designed this—the Governor," he pointed to the watch, "to, well, govern and regulate the way you access information from the Intersect and keep it from doing any damage," he explained. "As long as you wear this, you'll be fine. Now do you understand why you can't take it off?"
"Yep, uh-huh, got it," Chuck nodded. "This? Not coming off, no, sir."
"Okay, then." His dad patted him on the shoulders. "There are some other things I need to tell you, but first, let's get out of here. We're too close to Casey for my comfort."
"I think I can take him now," Chuck joked.
"Not yet, you can't. You have to learn how to control your new abilities first."
"Buzzkill," Chuck spoke under his breath.
"You say something?"
"No, no."
They walked deeper into the alley, away from Casey and his team, and closer to the next phase of Chuck's journey. He was getting one step closer to going home.
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A/N: If you want to leave me a review, I'd appreciate it; but, please, nothing about the finale. It would probably just end up making me not want to write further, and I really do enjoy writing for this particular setting. Recalled is my favorite of the stories I've written and I still like writing it, I don't want to ruin that.