I originally wrote and posted this story just after the end of season 3. I considered the writers' ending to be unsatisfying and opted to venture into the AU and write my own ending. It was my first attempt at fanfiction. I recently reread it and decided that it needed to be edited (because my writing style has changed) and reposted (because there are never enough T/M fanfics). So here it is: a revised and reposted version.
Basically, this story picks up near the end of season 3, episode 24. There are some minor changes from the show. Jack is never forced to cut off Chase's arm. Chase is still in one piece and the final scene with Jack leaving the hospital doesn't happen. Also, David Palmer never tells Jack that he is not running for re-election as he does in the show. For my purposes, it is important that he remain president.
The usual disclaimer applies: I own none of the publically recognizable characters. They belong to Fox. All others are mine.
Hope you enjoy! Please review!
ESCAPE TO AGRENTINA
Chapter 1: The Plan
Tony sat at the table in CTU's holding room. He was exhausted and weak; his neck was throbbing. The virus threat was over; Saunders was dead, all of the vials of virus accounted for and most importantly, Michelle was safe. All he wanted was to hold his wife in his arms but even that was being denied him.
From the moment he learned Michelle had been kidnapped, all he wanted was to find some way to save her. He had sold his soul to do it and now he was paying the price. It was worth it, he thought. He would do it again if he had to. He was sure the charges would never stick. Even if they did, no jury would convict him. He squeezed his eyes closed as if to shut out the pain and fear. What if they did? What if they convicted him of treason? Hammond was right; he could get the death penalty.
The memory of the last 24 hours flooded his brain like a tidal wave. If only there was a way to go back a day and start over. The day had started with such promise. He had been offered his dream job at Langley. Even if they didn't have a job for Michelle, she deserved some time off, he told himself. He would be making more money; she didn't have to work. Maybe it was time for them to start a family.
Then it all started to fall apart.
He remembered the call from Jack; they needed a field team at the mall to apprehend Kyle Singer. Tony could land a chopper there in ten minutes. Don't send Chase, Jack said. There were any number of field agents Tony could have sent, but this looked like an easy collar. Why bother an agent who was in the middle of something else when he could just do it himself. Cover for me, he told Michelle, I'll be back in a couple of hours.
Tony met with mall security. Singer had been spotted. This is a piece of cake, Tony thought. The next thing he knew, he was knocked down hard on the tile floor, people were shouting and running and his neck was burning. What was happening? His vision clouded and he tried to call Michelle's name. He could see her face so clearly in his mind and he wanted to talk to her, touch her. Everything else was a blur until he woke in the recovery room hours later. Michelle was there to kiss him and tell him that he scared her half to death. He was sorry, he told her.
Soon he was leaving the hospital against the advice of the doctors and his wife. Michelle was so angry. He had almost died, she said. He needed to stay in the hospital, rest, be monitored. He refused and they returned to CTU. The covert operation that he and Jack and Gael had put into motion was revealed. The thought of Gael tore him apart. Gael was dead; there was nothing he could do to change that. How could the day possibly have gotten so out of hand?
And why had he treat Michelle so badly? She loved him so much, like no other woman he had ever known. Why did he make her watch while he interrogated Nina? Someone else could have monitored equally well, why did he pick Michelle? Then came the hours she spent at the hotel. Not knowing if she would live or die were the most agonizing hours of Tony's life. He hadn't even kissed her goodbye. He wanted to go to the hotel, be with her, hold her in his arms and die with her if necessary. He remembered the relief when she called him to say she was okay; she wasn't infected. They would go to Virginia, he thought. He was glad they didn't have a job for her at Langley. He didn't want her in another job where her life could be at risk.
His relief was short-lived.
Again, it was a blur. The phone call from Saunders, the IP address, the fear in Michelle's face as it came into focus on the computer monitor, the call to Agent Baker… He forced himself to stop thinking about it; pushed it all to the back of his mind as he stood and paced the holding room. It wasn't like he had never been in the room before, but this time the walls seemed to be closing in on him.
He shook his head as if to clear it and touched the intercom button.
"Paul," he said to the guard outside the holding room.
"Yes, sir?" was the response.
"Is there any chance I could see my wife?"
"I'm not sure, sir. I'll look into it," Paul answered. Paul knew the answer. Hammond had made it perfectly clear: Almeida was not to see his wife. He was a prisoner and would be afforded only the rights any prisoner would receive. No special treatment. Period. End of sentence.
Paul felt terrible; he liked Tony. He had been with CTU for many years and had been through several directors, both good and bad. Jack was the best and would always remain Paul's favorite, but Tony was right up there among the very good ones. He remembered the day Tony had been named acting director of CTU. He smiled as he thought about Tony drugging Chappelle and locking him in one of the holding rooms. He had almost been charged with treason. The story had become CTU legend, growing bigger year by year. The story was recounted at every CTU gathering: Christmas parties, summer picnics, going away parties. Every time, Tony would blush with embarrassment and end up laughing with everyone else. Just about everyone secretly wished they had been the one to do it. Chappelle was a mid-level bureaucrat with designs on a higher position in Washington. He generally made everyone crazy with his rule-following and demands. Of course, no one wanted to see him die the way he did. Paul felt badly for thinking ill of him.
He picked up the phone to see if he could track down Agent Dessler. She was in medical being examined, he was told, expect her to be there about 45 minutes.
Paul didn't care what Hammond said. Director Almeida was going to see his wife. Paul had little to lose. He had a stellar record with CTU and enough years in to retire. The worst he could get for allowing the reunion was a reprimand.
"Mr. Almeida," Paul said through the intercom. "Agent Dessler is in medical, just routine, you know. She'll be about 45 minutes. I'll make sure you see her when she's released."
"Thanks, Paul. By the way, do you know how Pete is doing?" Tony was asking about the guard he had knocked out with a stun gun while escaping with Jane Saunders.
"He's fine, sir. He's resting in medical, but he'll be able to go home in a few hours." He paused. "Pete and I have been friends for years, sir; he won't blame you for what you did. He'll understand that you didn't have any choice."
Paul heard footsteps approaching and looked up. It was Jack Bauer.
"Hey, Paul," Jack said. "Any chance I can get in to talk to Tony?"
"I'm not supposed to, Mr. Bauer," Paul answered with a smile. "But for you, I think I can make an exception." At the same time that Paul pressed the lock release on the holding cell door, he also disabled the visual and audio recording equipment.
Jack smiled as he heard the electronic devices click off. "Thanks, Paul. I owe you."
The holding room door opened and Jack walked in. He looked like hell.
"How ya doing, Jack?" Tony asked.
Jack wasted no time on pleasantries. "I'm okay. Right now it's you we need to talk about. Look, everybody has talked to Hammond: me, Michelle, Chase, Chloe, Adam. He won't budge on this. He's talking 20 years to life, but he keeps bringing up execution. I talked to the Attorney General's office. They are on board with him. I tried to call the President but his ex-wife was killed a couple of hours ago and he is neck deep in a police investigation and dealing with the media. He took my call but refused to take up your case, at least for now."
"Thanks for going to bat for me, Jack. I'm not sure…"
Jack interrupted. "Tony, we don't have much time here. They are going to take you down to Federal soon to process you. Word is Hammond is going to say you are a flight risk and ask for you to be held without bond. Some of us have talked and if you want to escape we can get you out of here."
"Escape! Jack, are you crazy? You can't possibly get me out of here. Even if you could, I'm not sure that's the best thing for me to do."
"Think about it, Tony. If they hold you without bond, you're going to sit in a cell for a year just waiting for a trial. Then there is no guarantee what happens when it goes to a jury. I can arrange for you to get to Argentina. I have a contact down there who will help you out. He has a business that could use your communications expertise. There's no extradition from Argentina."
"What about Michelle? Does she come with me? Does she come later?"
"Tony, you can't take Michelle with you. You're going to be traveling through Mexico and other Latin countries. You'll blend in. She won't. You guys will be spotted in a minute and be dragged back to the U.S. Then you're both going to jail. If you want to contact her later and get her to Argentina, that's your choice. Just remember, unless we can get the charges dropped or a Presidential pardon, you can't return to U.S. soil or to any other country with an extradition treaty to the U.S. So, if Michelle goes, she is in the same boat."
Tony looked pensive, his eyes downcast as he considered the proposal. "I've got to talk to Michelle."
"No, Tony. You don't have time to talk to Michelle. I've got paper," he said as he pulled a sheaf of lined, yellow paper from the inside of his jacket. Tony could see that it had been hastily torn from a legal pad and folded in thirds. "You can write her a letter explaining yourself, but you can't talk to her. We've got about 30 minutes until they transfer you to Federal."
Tony closed his eyes for a moment considering his options, then he looked directly at Jack. "What's the plan?"
"Okay. I've got a listening device for you to put in your ear. Tell Paul you need to use the men's room. He'll make sure the men's room is clear, then wait outside the door. Chase and I will create a diversion around the corner to draw his attention away from the men's room. Adam will monitor using the security cameras. When it's clear he'll tell you. Leave the men's room and go toward the back exit. The security monitors are on a 20 second loop. Adam will let you know when you can turn each corner."
"Okay, so I'm out of the building. Exit security cameras will see me leaving. Satellites will find me in minutes just like you did when I took Saunders' daughter."
"Not a problem. There are 8 identical CTU cars parked to the left of the exit. You take the 2nd from the left. The keys are in it. Other agents who want to help will be in the 7 other cars. You all leave at the same time. Then one-by-one they will all go in different directions. Hammond won't be able to track you."
"Jack, I can't ask agents to do that. They'll be suspended. They could be fired or arrested for aiding and abetting."
"Tony, this is their choice. They know the risks. More than likely, Hammond can't afford to charge them. If he does, they'll all go to the media to drum up support for themselves and you. Hammond'll look like a fool to the American public if they know the whole story. "These are your friends, Tony. They came to me with the beginnings of the plan. They don't want you to go to prison."
"Alright, what's the rest of the plan?" Tony asksed.
Jack continued. "Once you're off the CTU lot, you'll drive to Dodgers Stadium. There will be a car parked near the northeast entrance. Take that car and leave the city going south. You're going to need to stay on side streets and back roads and go to San Diego. Are you with me? "
"Yeah," Tony replied, resigned to the fact that this was his only chance to avoid prison.
"Go to the private marina just north of San Diego. A Mexican intelligence officer will be waiting for you."
"Can we trust this guy?"
"Absolutely. He was one of my contacts on the Salazar case. He owes me," Jack answered. "He'll take care of you from there."
Jack stood up. He put his hand on Tony's shoulder. As he did, he dropped the listening device into the breast pocket of Tony's jacket. "Think it over. It's your choice. You put the plan in motion by asking to go to the men's room. Once you do that, I'll do the rest. It's up to you."
Jack turned to leave the holding cell.
"Jack," Tony called after him. "Look out for Michelle, will ya?"
"Of course," Jack said quietly.
Jack walked away. This was a risky plan, it could backfire on all of them and he was well aware of that. Jack saw the world as black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. What the government was doing to Tony was wrong and he wasn't going to let them get away with it if he could help it.
Jack and Tony hadn't always gotten along, but at this point in his life he considered Tony his closest friend. That was saying something since Jack didn't have many friends. He knew a lot of people who might consider him a friend, but he considered them nothing more than acquaintances.
Jack thought back 4 ½ years to the day Teri died. Tony questioned everything Jack did that day. He was nearly insubordinate to him and called in a lock down saying Jack was out of control; all this before 3am. Not 24 hours later, it was Tony who discovered Jack cradling Teri's body in the transformer room. He heard Tony call for a medic as he dropped to his knees and tried to find a pulse in Teri's neck. It took Tony only seconds to realize that there was no pulse and Teri's body was beginning to cool. Tony closed his eyes and bowed his head.
Years later, when Jack was able to look back on that moment with some objectivity, he realized that as Tony closed his eyes, guilt oozed from his every pore. He felt responsible. Tony later expressed those feelings to Jack, but never were they clearer than at that moment. Jack had listened to the pain in Tony's voice as the younger man tried to apologize. He wondered aloud how could he have let it happen, why he wasn't watching out for Teri. He had saved her life just hours earlier, shooting the assassin that held a gun to her head. It was all in vain. In the end, she died anyway. Jack remembered the moment so clearly. Remembered was actually not the correct choice of words. He didn't remember the moment. The moment haunted him. To this day he could feel the weight of Teri's body in his arms. He could see Tony standing in front of him; could hear him offering his condolences. The woman he and Jack had both bedded was a traitor and a murderer and because of her, Jack's beloved wife was dead.
Jack couldn't remember much of what happened next, but he remembered Tony gently coaxing him to let go of Teri, to let him put her on the gurney. He had to talk to Kim, Tony reminded him. Eventually Jack relented and Tony took the lifeless body from his arms, struggled slightly to stand under the weight and placed her tenderly on the gurney. He put his arm around Jack's shoulders and turned him around before Jack could see the medics cover Teri's face. He walked Jack back to the conference room; both of them now smeared with Teri's blood, and stood by as Jack broke the news to his daughter. Tony was there for Jack and Kim through the viewing and the funeral, helping with arrangements, supplying CTU agents to act as pall bearers, he simply couldn't do enough for them. After the funeral, he tried to keep in touch, but Jack withdrew and would communicate with no one. After a year, Tony stopped trying. Everyone else had stopped long before. Tony had been by far the most faithful. Jack would never forget Tony's loyalty. Now Tony needed a favor in return and Jack planned to do just that.
