Work Text:
Chuck vs. The Bounty
by Lopaka Tanu
"Good morning, Mr. Bartowski, good of you to join us!"
Hearing the smug, superior tone of his boss made Chuck cringe on the inside. He pasted on a fake smile and turned to face the man. "I clocked in on time today, sir."
The man was halfway through a cruller before he spoke again. Sticky fingers wrapped around the pastry, he scowled at Chuck. "I was out here five minutes before your shift, you were not here like you are supposed to be!" As he spoke, he raised his chin so he was looking down his nose.
"That is your rule, sir, not corporate." He grit his teeth to keep from shouting. It was a test of wills everyday. Chuck wasn't even sure why he put up with it. There were definitely better places he could have applied. "I've checked with Coporate HR, you cannot enforce rules that they have not signed off on."
That only made the man's sour expression become more pinched. "You should watch your tone, young man. That attitude will help you see the far side of the door fast." His piece said, the man flared his eyes before stalking off. Every couple of feet, he would pause to sneer back.
Chuck watched him go until he passed by the large display of stacked DVD players. Then he turned back to his station. There wasn't much to see or do this early in the day. None of the real problem electronics arrived until lunch.
Of course, that also meant someone was going to be taking up his time real soon.
Closing his eyes, he mentally counted back from ten. He wasn't to three before he heard them. Three sets of feet were heading in his direction. They were moving slowly, almost hesitant. One would move, stop, and then the other two would follow. Sneaking. They were sneaking around, he realized with a sinking feeling in his gut.
With a sigh, he typed in his password to the terminal. The store's site came up and he had to sign onto the intranet. Once he had access to their systems, he turned around to face them.
Morgan, Jeff, and Lester stared at him from behind three different stacks. Between them, they kept an eye on him and out for the manager at the same time.
"Oh, this isn't going to be good." The sinking feeling increased until he had a hole where his stomach used to be. "What did you guys do now?"
Lester poked his head up from the stack of CD-RWs. Keeping his eyes open wide, he searched the store. "Mutiny, Chuck!" His voice sounded strained when he spoke. "Are you with us?"
"Oh, is that all?" Nervous laughter bubbled up in him. Chuck half smiled at them then followed their lead and searched for the manager. "Suppose you succeed? Who are we looking to get promoted in his place?"
"Lil Mikey," Morgan answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
A shiver ran through Chuck. He was beginning to panic. This was already going down hill. "Guys, I've had this job for a month. I can't get fired after only four weeks. It doesn't look good on my resume!" He tried to appeal to their reasonable side.
The three betrayed looks he received in return made him back up a step.
Eye twitching, he fumbled behind him. Eventually he found the mouse and clicked it to sign out. "I'm going to take my break. You've got fifteen minutes, then I'm going to disavow any knowledge that any of you exist."
"Fine. But make sure you stay out of our way." Lester gave Chuck one final warning look, then ducked down. His hand rose up to gesture for the other two to follow him.
Morgan shared a look of disappointment with Chuck, then he disappeared behind the X-box display.
~~~~~~~~~~
Sitting in the breakroom, Chuck blew soothingly over the cup of hot coffee. He didn't even want the stuff, but he had to do something to justify being there. As it was, he kept glancing nervously at the door.
"Would you just relax?" Morgan's plaintive suggestion was barely a whisper.
Not that Chuck particularly cared. This had all been a disaster from the start. His ire rising, he turned on his friend with narrowed eyes and a tightening jaw. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't be so nervous if you idiots hadn't done it!"
In the corner, Jeff groaned. His black eye was now covered by a frozen bag of peas from the display model in the fridge department. "It had to be done. Lester was right."
"Lester is always right." Chuck caught his snotty tone of voice with a hand to his mouth. Did he really sound that bitchy? Had he truly been reduced to this? "Guys, am I the only one who's having flashbacks to highschool?"
Morgan groaned as he leaned over the table. "Nope. Only, you're Ellie this time." Letting his head fall forward, he buried his face in his crossed arms. "If I hear Principle Slatterly's voice, I'm wetting myself in hopes of waking up."
"Good news!"
Jerking around from the surprise, Chuck nearly dropped his styrofoam coffee cup. As it was, some splashed out over the edge and into his lap. He grimaced from the pain but otherwise kept it under control. "Yeah," he grit out between clenched teeth?
Standing in the doorway of the break room, Lester had his thumbs under the edge of his collar. They pushed it up to give him a flared look. The satisfied smirk only added to the air of nerdish smugness.
That was when it hit Chuck. "Oh my god, it actually worked. I can't believe it, you guys actually pulled a coup."
"It's cou-puh." Raising his head, Morgan smiled at Chuck. It was a arrogant, self righteous one. "There's a P on there, Chuck."
Eyes narrowing, Chuck leaned towards his friend. "Yes, Morgan, and the P is...silent!" It felt good, seeing the stunned expression on his friend's face. He was being petty, but it really felt good. The urge to call him a troll or some such was some how there too. He really needed to get these Ellie urges under wraps.
end