Chuck and Sarah Ch. 02

Chuck again looked around and suddenly laid his eyes on something he had seen the whole time, but hadn't realized it's avail.

Sarah had succeeded in cutting two of the bodyguards loose and handed them secretly two knifes, so the two could help freeing the other guards, Sarah couldn't reach. Every guard got a knife. It may not have been the most impressive armory, but at least the men didn't had to fight with their empty hands.

Right now Morgan came up the stairs, he had found leading downwards, and whispered.

"The stairs lead to a cave at the beach, and there is also an exit, the hostages can escape through to the beach. I guess, if the navy really got the call, help will be here soon." he secured his gun and put it away. "How's the situation in there, Alex?"

Alex stood at the peep-hole and kept an eye on both hostages and hostage-taker.

"Everything is yet all right... The guy with the tinsel on his uniform seems quite tense, but I guess they don't consider the guards a threat anymore. Some minutes ago three of them went upstairs, but if you've closed the door properly, we'll be safe in here."

Although the situation was more than dangerous, Morgan felt the sudden urge to kiss Alex. She was really her father's daughter, but it didn't discouraged him... On the opposite, it encouraged him way more he'd every thought. Unshakeable as she was since the hostage-taking had begun, she could have been a member of a SWAT-team or an agent. He didn't only felt attracted, but also motivated and stimulated. Now he understood Sarah's and Chuck's relation back then when it started.

But it wasn't neither the time nor the place for this, so Morgan restrained himself – without knowing that Alex could read his mind right from his face. She stepped to him and kissed him softly on his cheek.

"I'm positive, you've closed the door properly, or they would be here by now." then she returned to her observation of the room at the other side of the wall.

Morgan wanted to say something, but this very moment, the shooting started, and Sarah dragged him through the secret door into the hall – where all hell broke loose.

Marquez was astonished, when he had climbed the stairs and looked through the one-way-mirror. All guests and staff were laying face down on the floor, and General DeVilla strode the room like a caged predator. Obviously the General had expected Goya to be delivered on a silver plate, so he could humiliate him in front of all the dignitaries.

Fortunately he hadn't discovered Theresa behind the bar yet, otherwise he'd had a mighty leverage too.

Apparently he stayed somewhat patient, thinking he could elicit Goya anyhow or get him arrested by his men.

DeVilla had never forgiven Goya for having him arrested and convicted. The prime minister had ignored for a long time, that his former comrades didn't believe in the visions anymore, they had once when they had overthrown the old regime.

It's not true that a head of state is always completely informed about the deeds and actions of his subordinate and fellows – especially when the subordinates and fellows, that were supposed to keep him informed, were the evildoer.

When Goya had realized the whole extent of the crimes, it was a question of honor and his obligation to his people, to end this situation and to punish the culprit.

DeVilla, considering himself being above the law, felt like being personally insulted and vowed revenge. He was supposed to be in the capitol's state prison, along with most of his men. There would have to be much investigation about how DeVilla and his men could possibly be at the palace at all, when the hostage situation is solved.

Marquez tried to get a general idea about the situation inside and then climbed up the stairway he had seen in his flashlight's flare. Apparently the stairs led to the next floor, where – as far as he knew – agent Walker and agent Grimes were protecting a civilian. Maybe they could together come up with a strategy to prepare the ground for the support's actions.

He climbed upstairs without making a sound, and carefully opened the door at the end of the stairs. A quick glance proved the hallway being empty and safe. Right in front of him was agent Grimes' room, he instantly entered cautious, only to find it empty, quite and a little cluttered, but pretty clean. He pulled back and slid to the Woodcomb's room, he entered next. This room was also empty and silent.

Just when Marquez had left Elli's and Devon's room, the three soldiers, DeVilla had sent up, left the suite, Colonel Casey stayed in with his daughter, and immediately started firing their AK 47, when they saw him.

Marquez dropped where he stood and shoot three times while falling. One bullet drilled itself into the wall beneath a window, the second smashed an attacker's mandible, before entering his brainstem and instantly killing him. The third bullet punched through the second assailant's lung and ripped his aorta in pieces.

Because of the third soldier not ceasing fire, Marquez had to duck into a alcove, to not be hit. When he heard the clip of the Kalashnikov being empty, he whirled from his cover and killed the last of the three men with a targeted shot in the head, before he could reach one of his dead comrade's weapons or clips.

There suddenly came riot from outside the palace, the characteristic rattle of automatic guns and yelled commands, what meant that the support had arrived. But Marquez didn't want to wait and risk the hostages to be killed before the backup could enter the building. He grabbed the Kalashnikov and a new clip and ran down the hallway, intending to run down the stairs, when he was faced with a sight, he'd never expected.

When Chuck heard the first shot from above, he instantly jumped up, grabbed the camera lying only feet away from him, used the photoflash and shoved the camera into the dazzled intruders throat, while he wrestled the gun from his hand.

From the corner of his eye he saw that Casey himself also had already disarmed an attacker. Simultaneously he registered the painting being pushed aside completely by now and Alex already propelling the hostages through the door behind into safety. Morgan and Sarah gave her suppression fire, and the freed bodyguards entangled the other soldiers into fights and successfully disarmed them due to the members of DeVilla's private army being outnumbered. At the same time, there was even more gunfire upstairs and also noise of battle from outside.

Since the first shot only 30 seconds had passed, but it already seemed like the intruders were overwhelmed, when something incredible happened:

Suddenly one of the released bodyguards attacked Morgan, grasped him, took his TranqGun and pushed him to the General, who grabbed him and put a gun on Morgan's temple.

"STOP! Drop your guns and step back from my men, or his brain will be splattered all over the place!"

Alex tried to run to Morgan but got intercepted and held by the rogue bodyguard. You could see in DeVilla's face that he was drop dead serious and would kill Morgan if they disobeyed. By and by the dropping of weapons was heard, and Chuck, Sarah and Casey could only watch in anger how DeVilla backed out bit by bit towards the terrace door, using Morgan as living shield.

"We don't draw back, fellows. We'll keep our post here. We are the future here, and no imperialistic bastards like them will stop us! They are going to die like this one!"

He cocked his gun.

"Only dare to harm him, and I'll make a sieve out of you." a female voice at once sounded, and the next moment Alex slammed the handle of a gun against the skull of the treasonous guardian, that had held her seconds ago.

"If I were you, I'd think hard about what to do now. You know you can't go anywhere. They are already here and most of your men were out of action..."

"I doubt you've the courage to kill someone coldblooded and intentionally, young girl. Better drop that gun or there will be two corpses here. Do you know at all how to handle a gun?"

"If she doesn't, I definitively know... And I wouldn't hesitate for a second to splatter your blood all over the walls, Ignaćio."

Marquez stood at top of the stairs and looked at DeVilla over the barrel of an AK 47.

"You know, you can't escape anymore, DeVilla..." Casey had picked up his gun again in the meanwhile and also pointed at the General. "Drop your gun, and I'm sure, the prime minister will show mercy as much as he can." he added.

"I will not surrender to the mercy and arbitrariness of this turncoat..."

Morgan changed glances with Casey and nodded almost imperceptive, while DeVilla yelled. "... I'd rather die!"

Before Casey even realized what Morgan was up to, he already had done, what he does best in situations like this.

Morgan did "the Morgan", slapped DeVilla's hand in the process – disarming him – and hissed: "You've asked for it, asshole." before he hit the floor.

Several shots – the rattling of the Kalashnikov and the husky bark of two 9mm P.A.– blasted through the thick and motionless air, and Morgan could feel one bullet passing his ear within only a hairsbreadth, before it hit it's aim. But the only armed person in this direction was Alex.

General Ignaćio DeVilla, commander of the "Lobos Negres", drug lord and failed revolutionist, got flung from side to side, trembling under the bombardment of bullets and finally fell backwards through the glass door, long dead before he hit the ground.

Like a snake, being decapitated, the "Lobos Negres" fell apart without their leader, and immediately surrendered. The unconscious traitor among the bodyguards, who had tried to stop Alex, was arrested by Marquez himself, and the support took all of the aggressors in custody.

After a couple of minutes the overjoyed prime minister entered the room, followed by Elli and Devon, and congratulated everyone on their courageous and canny intervention.

Casey already had helped Theresa from under the bar, while the attackers had surrendered, and now led her to her father.

"You have a very brave daughter, Allejandro. She didn't lose her nerves and stayed covered."

"And you have a very courageous daughter yourself, John... She's a lot alike you. Obviously she is able to take care of herself."

Both fathers shared a glance of mutual understanding.

While Sarah and Chuck shared a hug of passion, relief and love, and under kisses retreated to a silent corner, Morgan went to Alex, took the gun out of her trembling hand, kissed her lovingly and whispered:

"Are you all right?" He tenderly looked into her eyes for a while. "You've put yourself into danger for my sake... Why?"

Alex smiled weakly and seemed almost to be passing out.

"Because I love you, you bearded troll." she whispered, before she sank into his arms.

When Casey stood besides them and put an arm around Alex' shoulders, Morgan wanted to leave, but Casey took his arm and pulled him with an encouraging and appreciatory nod into a rather rare hug, and gave him a pat on the back.

"I'm proud of you, Alex..." and after a brief pause, he uttered the words, he never thought, he'd ever say: "And I'm proud of you, Morgan. It was a great action the three of you had improvised. And you didn't lose your nerves."

"It's ok, John. I've learned from the best."

"Take good care of my girl, Grimes... I don't want her to be hurt." With that he draw back and left.

The prime minister was involuntarily eavesdropping and smirked, taking his daughter's hand. He was glad that nothing happened to her but also felt guilty for what could have happened. He knew, he couldn't have protected her then.

"Are you alright, Theresa?"

The young woman wasn't hurt and seemed calm and composed, but Goya wanted to be sure, she had endured the hostage taking without any aftermaths – physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Daddy... Don't you worry about me. I'm your daughter, and it needs much more than this to scare me. I got kind of used to it." she smiled.

Relieved that she already started to joke with him about being a dictators daughter, he relaxed and breathed easier. She knew about the risks, his position implied, since she was a child and although he wasn't the best father in the world, she loved him for some reasons.

"I didn't want to leave you on your own, but..."

"It would have been insane for you to run back into a set up trap. You weren't only my father tonight... You've also been this country's father, and being that, you had to do, what you did. You couldn't had caved in to some terrorists demands."

She kissed his cheek.

"Daddy... I understand that you would have put us in much more danger, if you've surrendered. Believe me, I do understand you. Besides, you haven't put me down... You've left me in the care of Colonel Casey and agent Bartowski – two capable agents, you put your trust in."

The prime minister hadn't missed out his daughter being very impressed by the former Marine and now NSA-agent, and looking at him with gusto and some kind of carnal interest. He again hugged her, relieved that she was ok, and knowing that he would do all he could to prevent her from being endangered like that again. Eventually he had to excuse himself and went to Marquez to express his gratitude and to discuss the next necessary steps.

Theresa approached Casey from behind and tapped him on his shoulder.

"I might be wrong, but I think, you owe me a dance and your company with a meal of my choice." She smiled very promising at him.

"I'm afraid, you're right, Señorita Goya. I hope, you'll give me the opportunity to make it up to you."

"I'd love to. Do you have any plans for tomorrow morning?"

Casey briefly looked at Alex, but she was already engaged in a – apparently very intimate – conversation with Morgan and had no eyes for him at all.

"I obviously haven't any plans." he smiled at the beautiful young daughter of the head of state, although he only saw the gorgeous young lady she was. A gorgeous young woman, he really liked, and who's courage he admired. A woman, who's smile made him smile too.

"When should I pick you up for breakfast, Theresa?"

There was no thinking about sleep that night. All the people involved were way to agitated and amped to get any rest yet.

In the prime minister's office, the high commanders of air force, navy, army and special forces, the directors of the secret services and the secretary of the interior had gathered to investigate what went wrong, and how this assassination could happen. The question, how DeVilla and his men could escape from the prison, gain access to weapons, and finally infiltrate the dinner and the staff, was one of the major topics of this conference. At the end of the gathering, there were several serious changes in personnel, because the responsible people considered the only acceptable reaction to this mess to be to their resignation from their positions.

Furthermore there were strategies developed to prevent such attacks in the future, and they decided – involving Col. John Casey's immense knowledge of all secret passages and weaknesses of the security systems – to develop explicit plans and security procedures for all official buildings, to obviate errors like the ones in the past for the future.

In this night it was also decided to honor and to promote both the commander of the navy units protecting the prime minister's dinner party and the head of the prime minister's personal security.

Casey, Sarah, Chuck and Alex met that night at the residuals of the bar to talk and for the three agents, who had already experienced the feeling of having killed someone, to help Alex dealing with what happened, while Morgan sat on the lawn in the garden, and mused. At some point Elli came out and joined him.

"How are you, Morgan?"

He looked at her awkwardly. "I don't know, Elli... I feel kind of odd, almost weird..." he shrug his shoulders. "It's not like I'm not used to be in the line of fire – ask your brother – and be shot at, but Alex had killed someone because of me. I don't know, how I possibly could ever make it up to her."

When he looked at Elli, she could have sworn he was smiling lightly.

"She had told me afterwards that she loves me... Can you imagine that?"

Shaking her head, she embraced the bearded pest, that used to tease her for years when they were younger, and looked at her husband, who stood a couple of feet away, trying not to be in the way and waiting to intervene if necessary. Her short nod told him to come closer and sit down with them. The three of them sat in the grass, looked up to the sky and tried – everyone on his own – to cope with what happened that evening.

"So much about having a romantic vacation, when the "family spies" were around." Awesome murmured.

Morgan grinned: "You should be used to this by now, Awesome." he stated.

"You aren't a part of this since yesterday. And what do you mean by "family spies" at all? Haven't you been in the field yourself before?"

He nudged him. "You can't say that it is ever boring. Only a short time ago, you couldn't get enough of the adrenaline, and now you wail?"

Devon showed a agonized smile. "I think, I'm getting old..."

"No honey... You just grew up" his wife bantered and blew a kiss on his cheek.

At once Morgan became totally serious. "Do you think, Alex would be ok?"

"I don't know, but she's in the best hands, having the three of them as counselors. They had been through it before, and they can help her the best."

With this words, Elli grabbed three bottles of beer out of a bag and donned each of them one.

"This would help us now the best... Order from the doc."

They clinked the bottles and tried to wash away the evening's dark memories.

It was about an hour before sunrise, when Morgan met Alex at the foot of the stairway. Alex had been in the garden for a walk after she had talked with Sarah, Chuck and her father for a couple of hours, and Morgan had – after he got his "go" from the coast guard – got the "Renovación" made ready, and wanted to catch up with Alex.

"I don't want to stall you, you've been through quite a lot tonight, but I reserved the boat for us and wondered if you'd like to take a ride with me today."

When Alex hesitated, he quickly added: "Of course you don't have to, if you don't want to. If you need some more time to process everything, I would understand..."

"Actually I was wondering if the kitchen could fix us some sort of picnic for the trip." Alex surprisingly answered.

"Well... As far as I know, they were doing extra shifts to cater the security staff, so this shouldn't be a problem at all. But do you really want to do this, or do you just trying to do me a favor?"

Alex sat on a step and peeled her boots off.

"I don't know where my head is, and even less know what to think of this day and what I've done today..." she said, lost in thoughts.

Morgan looked at the ground uncomfortably, because he was the reason, she had killed DeVilla. He felt responsible for the blood on her hands

"... but I do know, that I feel good, when you're around, and even the darkest clouds vanish, when you make me laugh." she finished... Calmer and more composed.

Now Morgan looked up.

"I'll go and change, and you can try and see, if you can get us a picnic basket. If you're still interested, you can impress me with your knowledge about the island on our trip."

Heading towards the kitchen, Morgan almost tripped and fell over his own feet, and while the kitchen prepared a basket with food, he quickly changed himself and came back in time to pick up Alex at the foot of the stairs with the basket on his arm.