4:00 pm

Tony shielded his ears as the blast echoed around the plaza. He kept his head down for a few seconds then looked up.

"Run!" he shouted. Dozens of the passers-by were looking up at the tower of the City Hall, confused. People started to scream.

"Run!" he shouted again pushing a woman with two stunned children away from the direction of the explosion. Rubble and dust was beginning to tumble down the side of the building.

"Officers!" Tony ran across the street to a group of stunned police officers standing by their motorcycles. One had been knocked to the ground by the blast and was being helped up. Another was talking into his radio. "Clear the street," Tony called out. "The building's going to fall."

The officer with the radio looked up. "Stay away from the building," he shouted, waving Tony away. "Get back. Get back as far as you can."

Tony stopped, holding his hand over his mouth, trying not to breath in the dust.

"You don't understand. I'm a Federal agent. My name's Tony Almeida. I'm in charge of the Counter Terrorist Unit here in Los Angeles. I have to get into that building. I have to prevent anything else happening."

The police officer shook his head, still agitated. Sirens were starting build-up from all directions, merging with the confused shouts. Dust was rushing along at ground level, blanking out the view of "We don't know what's happened here. You just said it's going to fall down. I can't let you in if there's more danger."

"There's more danger if my prisoner escapes. Until the Fire Department, or Homeland Security, or your mother turn up, I'm in charge. Do what you're doing. Clear the people away. I'll report back to you about the situation inside once I've secured my target."

The officer started to protest, but Tony strode off into the rolling cloud of dust.

4:05

Chloe rang the cellphone again. Still no answer from Tony. Still no-one there to pass on her information.

"You would think he would have his cell-phone switched on. He sent me here after all. I didn't want to leave town." She was increasingly distracted by the noise from all the slot machines around. They moved out of the main lounge with its arrays of gaming machines into a cooler side-corridor.

"Don't worry, Chloe. Call in to the office instead. CTU can find Tony and pass on what we've found."

"I'm still amazed you haven't been thrown out of here," she retorted. "You look like trouble." She brushed the shoulders of his black suit jacket with her flattened hands.

Luis nervously fingered the white collar around his throat. "That has never been proven," he smiled reassuringly.

"And I'm not so sure what we've discovered," she whispered. "A man who runs a casino knows some shady characters. What a surprise."

Luis nodded. "Shady characters are my business. You're right. These are just ordinary hoodlums. But someone here has a link to the AmCo indictment."

Chloe scowled. "Thank you for recapping, Luis. I do know how to listen in a briefing. No-one said why we had to come up here at such short notice though. The trial could last for weeks. I had to cancel the lecture I was giving this evening."

"I'm sure your students will understand," said Luis. "You're a very important person." He put on his serious face to reassure her.

Chloe looked a little unwell. "Something about a priest hitting on me in the back corridor of a casino doesn't seem right."

"Why don't we go outside and get something to eat?" He pointed to one of the many 'Exit' signs. "I'm sure I saw some proper, non-lethal, restaurants on 4th." Luis was incapable of self-deprivation.

"I don't want to die here or anywhere. Just be patient and our contact will bring us whatever papers he can find as evidence."

A voice from over Chloe's shoulder interrupted their conversation.

"I'm sorry, Father. Could you and your friend show me some ID?"

4:10

Ricardo hated his job behind the concession counter.

"You want salt on your fries?" he asked.

"No. Where's the ketchup?" asked the old lady holding her purse open in one hand. Ricardo loved animals, but his food cart was in the botanical gardens among the flowers. It was not what he had pictured when he quit college.

"Yeah. It's over there on the little table. There you go. Thanks lady. That's four ninety-five."

The lady was surprised. "What? I just asked for fries. Did you charge me for something else?"

"Sorry, lady. It's four ninety-five in the park."

"But I could get them for a dollar at the drive thru."

He nodded. He had made this conversation on many occasions. "If you go to the drive thru before you get to the zoo, or if you want to go on the way home, you're correct, it's a buck. But in the gardens, with all this atmosphere and the food made for you right here where you're standing - I'm sorry - it's four ninety-five."

"I'm sure there's no need for you to talk to me that way," she replied. She rummaged in her purse for more money. "Can't you do a discount for a senior?"

"Uh, if you've got a park coupon, I can give you back a quarter. But, for myself, I don't get any discount at the wholesaler. Potatoes is potatoes." He shrugged again. "Sorry. Alright?"

The lady looked down again, produced a five-dollar bill from her purse and exchanged it for the folded card box. She said nothing more to him but stood looking into the box.

In the line behind her, a large man waved a ten-dollar bill. "Hey buddy. Just pass me two boxes and I'll be out of your face."

The elderly woman turned to face him. "Please don't cut in, young man. I'm still being served," she announced.

Ricardo shook his head. "Don't worry. We're done here. There are your fries, bud."

4:15