Chuck vs, The Absentee Father

[The scene begins with a wide late night shot of The Egyptian Museum at Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, California. You then cut to the door of Dr. Isaac Strickland. Professor of Egyptian History and inside you see a 4year old boy playing to his heart content with Dr. Strickland, who is wearing an interesting necklace, looking on smiling at him all-the-while working on his computer. A quick shot of his screen reads Project Osiris and files being downloaded on to a disk both from his computer and laptop. All a sudden he hears a commotion leading him to look down through the blinds from his window to see several men in dark suits with weapons getting out of 2 vans. Dr. Strickland immediately hurries to take out his cell phone to contact someone to where you hear him say: wingedsphinx…hostile contact….send extraction team immediately. From the look on his face he doesn’t have much time and he makes the decision to sacrifice his life to save his son. He picks up his son/laptop and runs to the extraction point located in a hidden room in his office. He puts him, along with the laptop, in the hidden room. He gives him a kiss, smiles at him one last time, puts his necklace around his neck, closes the hatch, and then prepares himself for wait awaits him. The suited men enter, words are exchanged, one shoots him, and then he walks over to his computer inevitably taking the files from the computer. that concern Project Osiris. The scene ends with a slow zoom in close up shot of Strickland’s son. Cue Chuck intro]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins the next day in Casey’s apartment as Chuck, Sarah and Casey are in the progress of being briefed on the situation at hand by General Beckman and C.I.A Director Graham about Dr. Isaac Strickland. They play the audio of what he said before his untimely death and then show a picture of him in which Chuck flashes on]
Chuck: [snaps out of it] Dr. Isaac Strickland…widow…a son named Hunter. He was a C.I.A operative working at The Egyptian Museum at Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, California….his cover was an Egyptian historian…he’s been gathering intel on a radical group known as the Sons of Osiris. There sole mission is to bring death by fire to the infidel in order to establish their own twisted paradise whereby bringing a dawn of a new day with the use of nuclear weapons technology funded by foreign organizations with money to spend.
Beckman: You are exactly right Mr. Bartowski. This is a very dangerous group and not to be taken lightly. Unfortunately our people found Dr. Strickland dead away from the place he was supposed to be at, but when they did go to the extraction point they found the laptop along with his 4 year old son safe and sound.
Sarah: What did they find on the laptop concerning Project Osiris?
Graham: Its password protected and our people haven’t had much luck getting into it and that’s where you come in Mr. Bartowski.
Chuck: [pointing at himself and looking around]Me? I’ll see what I can do.
Graham: This mission takes top priority so we need all three of you on top of your game for this one. Essentially, the information in Strickland’s laptop is of great importance because it lists not only the members of the Sons of Osiris, but also their key contacts as well. Once we have the info we can take systematically take them down one by one. A death of one man may have possibly saved the lives of thousands maybe millions of people
Casey: What are our orders?
Beckman: [giving a stern look at Casey that Sarah notices]Your orders are to go to the warehouse where Strickland’s laptop is located and pick it up. Access laptop and find the info we need.
Chuck: And the son? What about him?
Beckman: At this point he is irrelevant…[looking at file]his father was an only child, his mother passed away at childbirth and he has no other living relatives. So, it’s in his best interest that we hand him over to the state.
Chuck:[with anger in his voice]In his best interest? He’s a small boy…it may not look it to you, but to me he is relevant. He needs as much protection as does the information in that laptop. If you’re not going to take responsibility for him than I will…at least for the time being so he won’t be around people that he doesn’t know…give me that much please.
[Cut to Sarah smiling at him and Casey looking seemingly proud that he’s standing up to Beckman]
Sarah: [chimes in]General, just in case anyone asks the boy is simply my sister’s son…my nephew… who is visiting me for several days till she comes down and picks him up.
[Chuck mouths the words thank you to Sarah]
Beckman: Very well…you all have your orders.[screens goes off]
[The scene ends with Casey, Chuck, and Sarah heading to the warehouse to pick up the laptop and Hunter]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins at the warehouse where Chuck, Casey, Sarah arrive to retrieve the computer and meet Strickland’s 4 year old son Hunter for the first time. Casey and Sarah are a bit leery/cautious/uncomfortable because they’ve never been around children, but Chuck doesn’t seem to be as he works over and then kneels down to get on his level]
Chuck: [fun/happy tone in voice]Hey buddy…[looks at necklace]Pretty cool necklace…give me a high five?[Hunter gives chuck a high five and laughing]All right!
Sarah: [walking up to boy and kneeling down]Hi…I’m Sarah…can I get a high give?[Hunter gives Sarah a high five and smiles]
Chuck: [smiles at Sarah]I think he likes you.
Sarah: He’s so precious
Casey: [walking up to boy and standing over him ]What’s up soldier? Can I get a high five?[cut to boy crying and kicking him in the left leg]Owww! The little bugger kicked me.
[cut to Hunter running behind Chuck and hiding]
Chuck: [patting him on the back]Did Uncle Sugar Bear scare you?[cut to the Hunter looking up at Chuck, nodding his head yes, and sticking his tongue out at Casey]
Sarah: [slapping on the arm]Casey, don’t scare him
[Casey gives a low growl ]
Casey: Watch it walker, he’s sneaky. He’ll lull you in a false sense of security and then pounce. Look, you can see it in his beady little eyes…he’s up to something.
Chuck: Oh…come on. He’s 4 years old. Maybe you came on too strong…try again?
[Casey regroups and composes himself to try to have another go at it]
Casey: [bends down with reluctance]Hey little man…can I get a high five?
[Hunter slowly walks over to Casey, smiles, and then kicks him in the left leg again causing Casey to reach for his gun]
Chuck and Sarah: Casey!
Casey: [massaging his left leg]He assaulted a federal agent…twice. I think we should arrest him.
[cut to several other agents in room laughing at what they are seeing]
Chuck: [looks at Casey]Seriously, you’re going to actually arrest a 4 year old for kicking you in the leg.
Casey: [thinking about it and then holds up two fingers] Twice Bartoswski…twice!
[cut to Sarah walking past Casey, slapping him in the arm again, and then taking the laptop from an agent]
Sarah: [holding the lap top]I got it, let’s go.
[The scene ends with Chuck giving Hunter a piggy back ride with Sarah patting rustling his hair, and Casey keeping his distance from him in order to not get hit or kicked]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins at Casa Bartowski where Sarah introduces Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan to her ‘nephew’ Hunter. As Sarah distracts them Casey and Chuck go to his bedroom in order to find a way to get into the laptop]
Casey: So boy genius…how are you going to get in?
Chuck: Well…I could see why Graham’s people couldn’t get in. There are encryption codes that are virtually unbreakable. When you think you gotten through one another one seams to pop up out of nowhere. Dr. Strickland didn’t want anyone getting into his computer that’s for sure.
Casey: Do you know how to get past it?
Chuck: Well…if I access the central processing unit, key escrow the data so it all decodes at once, get past the firewall, and then from there I can probably can get in from the backdoor.
Casey: Enough talk…just do it Bartowski
[As he typing, Sarah walks in and after 30 frustrating minutes later Chuck is able to get through. When he does, a video immediately pops up on the screen that shows Dr. Strickland]
Sarah: What is this?
Chuck: Dr. Strickland probably programmed his computer to automatically show this video if someone were able to get actually access his computer. Luckily we got to it first instead of the bad guys.
Voice/picture of Strickland on the video: If you are watching this, I’m probably dead [cut to Chuck looking at Sarah] The information you’re about to see is about Project Osiris. [cut to three of them looking at video of the radical extremist group] You see, in case of my untimely demise I backed up the intel I gathered on my computer, which may have been already taken by them. However, the intel in my computer and in my laptop does not contain the entire date[All three look at each other] You see I stored the completed data in a very secure place that nobody is able to find. All I will say about the location of the data is that the knowledge you seek is kept within the heart of the son. One last thing, please keep Hunter safe, tell him his father loved him with all his heart, and let him know it was done in mind for the greatest good on behalf of the greatest number of innocent lives that will be saved because of it.[The video stops]
Chuck: [speaks up] Utilitarianism Ethics
Sarah: What?
Chuck: John Stewart Mills…The greatest good for the greatest number. In other words, we choose the choice that best gives the majority of the people what they want.
Casey: What do we want?
Chuck: [looks at Casey and Sarah]A chance to live
[The scene ends on a close up of the video still of Dr. Strickland]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins with Chuck, Sarah, and Casey talking with General Beckman and C.I.A. Director Graham in Casey’s apartment. They discuss what Strickland said about the possible whereabouts of the completed date on Project Osiris ]
Sarah: General…he said ‘The knowledge you seek is kept within the heart of the son.
Beckman: Agent Walker…are you suggesting that the safest place he kept the data is in his son’s heart?
Graham: [looking at file, Beckman and then team Chuck]Well…Hunter did have open heart surgery several months ago to repair a blocked artery…so that would give him a great hiding place that no one would ever look.
[cut to Chuck in disbelief]
Chuck: [angry tone in voice]How could a father do that to his own child. Risking the life, safety and well being of his own son in order to keep something vitally important in regards to saving the lives of millions of innocent people and he hides it in his child’s heart of all places, which is in my honest opinion is totally irresponsible!
Casey: Calm down Bartowski
Chuck: [looks at Casey]No!
[Chuck storms out of Casey's apartment]
Beckman: We’ll notify the medical staff in the warehouse to begin preparation for surgery and have one of heart surgeons flown over from HQ. It will take several days, but in the meantime, delve deeper into the files in hopes to find more answers to the whereabouts of the complete info on Project Osiris. You have your orders…IF you can obey orders Agent Casey.
[Sarah looks at Beckman and then Casey]
Casey: Yes General…I can.[The screen goes off]
Sarah: All right, level with me…what was that all about and don’t say you’ll tell me later. Now Casey!
Casey: All right Walker. Beckman called me on New Years day just as I saved Bartwoski at the beach from Clark. She told me that the new beta intersect is fully operational and the computer is online. She then ordered me to eliminate Chuck.
[cut to Sarah with a look of disbelief]
Sarah: What!?
Casey: Well…I was about to go through with the order when all of a sudden I had a moment of clarity. Now…Beckman is ticked off as you can you see and her last words to me were watch my back. [changes the subject]Listen…this isn’t about me right now. Its about Hunter and you’re hot headed boyfriend out there. Walker…I suggest you find him and see what is going on.
[The scene ends with Sarah walking out the door and then cut to a serious look on Casey’s face]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins with Chuck sitting at the beach looking at the waves washing against the shore. He flashes back to when he and Ellie were young coming to grips with their dad leaving them high and dry. The anger he thought to have been lone gone years ago and came to terms with resurfaced once again. You then cut to Sarah walking up to him and then sitting next to him]
Sarah: Talk to me Chuck…what’s the matter?
Chuck: Looking at Hunter, I couldn’t help but see myself in him, but a little older.[cut to Sarah looking at him] He doesn’t have a father to call out to when he cries hurting himself, to play catch with when he gets older, give them speech about the birds and the bees…you know the usual dad stuff.[cut to Sarah nodding] My dad walked out on my mom, me and Ellie when we were young leaving us to fend for ourselves. When my mom died, Ellie stepped up and became both mom and dad giving me a whole new respect for her not just as my sister, or a woman for that matter, but as an all around human being. When General Beckman said Hunter was irrelevant it hit me to where all that unresolved pent up anger returned and in some aspect it felt like being in his shoes all over again. I don’t know…maybe I’m just scared that I may end up being like my dad one day and leaving my family…I don’t even know if I have what it takes to be a potentially good father. Is just too much to take in.
Sarah: Chuck…I think….I know you have the potential to be a great dad.
Chuck: Really? How?
Sarah: [smiling]Remember when we first met?
Chuck: [grinning]How can I forget…I was rapping Vicky Vale…badly.
Sarah: [smiles]Well…do you remember dealing with a freaked out father running up to you who mistakenly forgot to put the tape in his camcorder to record his daughter’s ballerina recital and instead of ignoring him to focus on me or handing it off to Morgan you focused on him, as well as, his daughter.[cut to Chuck listening intently] I watched a man who I hardly even knew calm a little girl down because she felt insecure about her size and you basically reassured her that real ballerinas are tall. Plus, the way you interacted with Hunter makes you a natural born father and a woman like myself would be absolutely lucky to have you as not only the father of my children, but as a man who I would be proud to call my husband.
[Chuck and Sarah look at each other sharing another moment together]
Chuck: [leans over and bumps her]Thanks for the vote of confidence
Sarah: [leans over and bumps him back]Chuck, I need you to do one more things for me other than trust me.
Chuck: [looks at the water and then at Sarah]What?
Sarah: Believe me.
[The scene ends with Chuck smiling at Sarah . The camera slowly pans back as they continuing to watch the ocean waves beating down on the shore]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins the song Beautiful Boy by John Lennon as a montage of the clips Chuck and Sarah interacting with Hunter during the day as they’re at the beach, eating lunch, wrestling around on the floor at Casa Bartowski, and cutting to a point where Hunter is sleeping on Chuck’s chest who is sleeping as well. You then cut to a point where Ellie finds Chuck, Sarah, and Hunter together leading her to pick up Chuck’s cell phone and take a picture of all three of them leading her to think out loud]
Ellie: [looking at picture]Awe...One happy family
Chuck: Ok sis, don’t start getting all weepy now.
Ellie: I can’t help it because I looked at you two and think…
Sarah: Think what?
Ellie: You two are meant to be together...it just feels right
[cut to Chuck and Sarah looking at each other]
Chuck: [breaking the moment by looking at his watch]Well…I was meant to be at Buy More about an hour ago…I better go before Big Mike chews me out.
[At that moment Sarah’s cell rings. Its Beckman informing her that the surgeon arrived and everything has been prepped for Hunter’s arrival]
Sarah: [signals to Chuck]I’m going to take Hunter on a drive to the park…we’ll be back later.
Chuck: [look of worry and nods]Later bud…I’ll see ya when you get back.
[Cut to the façade of Buy More and Chuck sitting at the info desk looking at the picture Ellie had taken of him, Sarah, and Hunter on his cell phone. All of a sudden, he notices the necklace around his necklace. To look at it more closely he blows it on the computer. He then has that look on his to where he immediately runs to Casey who is unloading yet another Beastmaster to a customer]
Chuck: Casey! The information on Project Osiris is not in Hunter's heart.
Casey: Are you sure?
Chuck: [quickly talking]I’m 100 % sure. Remember when we were looking through Strickland’s laptop we found files regarding Egyptian Gods. We also found a thesis paper that Strickland was working on that he nearly finished about Ra…The Egyptian Sun God.
Casey: [with a serious look]What are you getting at Bartowski? Where is it?
Chuck: [holding up picture] Its in the sun necklace around Hunter’s neck.
[The scene ends with Chuck and Casey looking at each other and then cut to Hunter being wheeled in the operating room about to have surgery as the camera pans up to Sarah who is observing above. Chuck and Casey who are in the car racing towards the warehouse. Chuck calls Sarah and after several tense seconds that seemed like forever they finally reach her and tell her to stop the surgery because the info is not in Hunter. They inform her that it’s in the sun necklace that he was wearing around his neck. She rushes to the two way speaker and immediately tells them to stop. She then searches through Hunter’s belongings and after several seconds finds the necklace leading her to get back on the phone with Chuck telling him that she’s got it. They here the news and with a sigh of relief Chuck smiles at Casey leading Casey to grin back. You then cut to all three together at the warehouse closely examining the necklace, opening it, and finding what they have been looking for…a small computer chip holding the complete info on Project Osiris]

[Commercial]

[The scene begins that night at the Buy More Home Theatre as Chuck, Casey, and Sarah are in middle of talking with General Beckman and Director Graham]
Beckman: Mr. Bartowski…I have to hand it to you…you’re quick thinking lead to the discovery of the real whereabouts of the info concerning Project Osiris.
Chuck: Quick thinking…it’s apparently been a common theme for me lately.
[cut to Sarah smiling]
Casey: [patting chuck on the shoulder hard]Be proud Bartowski…you’re helping bring down one of the deadliest terror groups out there.
Chuck: [grins]Hey…Its all in a days work for a guy who works $11 an hour at Buy More.
Graham: As we speak…our people are looking at the list of names, contacts, site maps, and whatever else that may help us in hopes completely destabilizing this radical group.
Chuck: General, I would like to apologize for my behavior…I know I was out of line.
Beckman: [smiling]Mr. Bartowski, in all my years in the military I have never been talked to liked that and all I have to say is…[cut to Chuck preparing for the worst]…its very admirable. You stood up for something you believe in and it took a lot of guts to do what you did.
Chuck: [smiling]Thanks General.
Beckman: [smiles turns to a mean look]See to it that it doesn't happen again.
[cut to Chuck’s smile turn into something expressionless]
Graham: Good work all three of you on a job well down[screen turns off]
[Cut to the next day at Casa Bartowski where Sarah’s ‘sister’ arrives to pick him up. Chuck, Sarah, and Casey stand in the living room and you can see in Chuck’s eyes it hard from him to see at him go as he walks to the awaiting arms of the agent posing as Sarah's sister, which causes him to turn around nearly shedding a few tears. Sarah brushes Chuck’s arms to comfort him when all of sudden Chuck feels a tug on his pant leg. He turns around, looks down and sees Hunter]
Chuck: [smiling and kneeling down]What is it buddy?
[Hunter holds up his tiny hands for a high five and Chuck gives him one and so does Sarah. When he comes to Casey he says something that penetrates his oftentimes gruff exterior]
Hunter: bye thooger ber(Sugar Bear).
Casey: [kneeling down and grinning]Bye son.
[cut to Sarah and Chuck Smiling like proud parents]
[Hunter puts his hand up for a high five and Casey has this look of expecting to be kicked, but when he puts his hand up he not only gives the high five, but also hugs Casey’s neck. Casey resists but goes with it and pats him on the back. The episode ends with a slow motion view of Hunter waving as he’s being carried away by the agent posing as Sarah’s ‘sister’ the camera slowly cuts to the picture of Chuck, Sarah, and Hunter on Chuck's cell phone]

[Fade To Black]