The last thing Chuck expected when Beckman called him in was to see her.
"Miss me, Carmichael?"
Karina Miller strolled into the Carmichael Industries briefing room like she owned it, blonde hair shining under the fluorescents, black leather jacket slung over her shoulder. Same smirk, same dangerous confidence.
Chuck sat a little straighter, keeping his tone professional. "Karina. Been a while."
"Not long enough," Casey muttered from the corner, arms folded.
Beckman's voice cut in over the monitor. "Carmichael, Miller — you're going to be working together again. A weapons smuggler, Viktor Rojas, is moving a shipment through Los Angeles. Karina, you'll go in as the buyer. Carmichael, you'll go in as her consultant."
Karina shot Chuck a wicked grin. "So, like old times."
Chuck clenched his jaw. Not like old times.
The Mission – Downtown Los Angeles
The nightclub pulsed with neon light, heavy bass shaking the floor. Rojas loved to blend business with pleasure, and tonight was no exception. His guards lined the upper balconies, scanning the crowd for threats.
Karina, wrapped in a shimmering dress that caught every beam of light, slipped up to the bar where Rojas waited. She leaned in, all charm. "Mr. Rojas. I hear you've got merchandise worth buying."
Rojas smiled, charmed already. "And you are?"
"Karina Volkova," she purred. "This is my consultant, Mr. Carmichael."
Chuck, in a sharp tailored suit, extended a hand, playing the part. "I handle logistics. Making sure your shipments get where they need to go… without interference."
Rojas chuckled, clinking his glass. "Smart woman. Always good to have a man who handles the boring details."
Karina shot Chuck a sly look. "Oh, Carmichael's never boring."
The Back Room
While Karina distracted Rojas with easy conversation and a dangerously well-played smile, Chuck slipped into the adjacent office. He connected a flash drive to the smuggler's laptop, fingers flying across the keys.
"Downloading manifests now," he whispered into his comm.
"Make it quick," Karina's voice teased back. "I can only pretend to like this guy for so long."
Chuck smirked despite himself. Some things never changed.
Moments later, the files were his. Weapons routes, drop points, client lists — everything the CIA needed. Chuck slipped out just as Rojas leaned in too close to Karina.
She stood smoothly, brushing off his hand. "We'll be in touch, Viktor."
And with that, they were gone, slipping into the night. Mission: success.
The Next Day – Westside Medical
Stephanie was pouring herself coffee in the staff lounge when a confident voice broke in.
"Dr. Barnett?"
She turned, surprised to see a striking blonde leaning casually against the counter.
"That's me," Stephanie said slowly. "And you are?"
"Karina," the woman replied with a smirk. "I know Chuck. Pretty well, actually."
Stephanie blinked. "Oh?"
Karina chuckled softly. "Let's just say, back when he was still figuring himself out, we had… a night." She tilted her head, watching Stephanie's reaction. "Situational. Fun. Nothing serious."
Stephanie kept her professional mask in place. "Funny. He never mentioned you."
Karina shrugged, straightening her jacket. "Chuck's modest. Doesn't like to brag." She stepped closer, her eyes glinting. "You've got yourself a good man, Dr. Barnett. Don't let him slip."
With that, she was gone, leaving Stephanie staring after her, unsettled.
Later – Carmichael Industries Garage
Chuck nearly dropped his keys when he saw Karina leaning against his car, smug as ever.
"What did you do?" he demanded.
Karina grinned. "Relax, Carmichael. I didn't blow your cover. I just said we had history. Which we do."
Chuck groaned. "Karina, she doesn't need to know about that night."
"Maybe not," Karina admitted. "But I wanted to see how she handled it. And how you handle the fallout."
Chuck's eyes hardened. "You don't get to use her to test me."
Karina stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Everything's a test, Carmichael. You know that by now."
And with a wink, she sauntered off, leaving Chuck glaring after her, caught between frustration and the sinking realization that Karina wasn't finished with him — or Stephanie.