24: End of an Era?
Episode 1.11: "Day 1: 4:00pm – 5:00pm"
By
Chris Wright
Based on the television series 24
24: End of an Era – Day 1: 4:00pm - 5:00pmJACK (V/O)
"Right now, terrorists are in possession of an experimental virus, intending to use it in Los Angeles. My daughter is missing and may still be in danger. President Palmer's cabinet has been targeted. And higher powers may be involved in all three. I am Federal Agent Jack Bauer, and this is the darkest day of my life."
"Previously on 24…"
Go further up the board! It's all there!
FADE OUT.
Day 1: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
JACK BAUER (V/O)
"The following takes place between 4:00pm and 5:00pm…"
FADE TO.
INT. WARNER HOUSE – 4:00 pm
Kate and Jack are still talking when they hear the sound of footsteps on the gravel path outside. There is a moment of silence then the sound of the front door opening. Jack braces himself, having not seen Bob since they argued all that time ago over how he was treating Kate. She probably didn't even know about that argument, but then Jack knew first hand how protective fathers could be of their daughters. He thought of Kim again, trying to shake the deep feeling of worry he had. He and Kate stand up while she moves out of the room to greet him. He smiles as he sees his oldest daughter, but it turns to a frown as he sees an apprehensive Jack Bauer.
JACK
"Hello Mr. Warner."
BOB
"Well this is unexpected. I trust your not here on a social visit?"
JACK
"Kate, I need a moment alone with your father."
KATE
"Surely anything you have to say can be said in front of me?"
Jack has flashbacks of their previous relationship. She never understood the points of his job, the sacrifices he had to make and the protocols and rules he had to follow. Fortunately, Bob did.
BOB
"Kate, please. We won't be long."
Kate nods, leaving reluctantly, going towards the back of the house. Bob leads Jack into the side room, incidentally, the exact same room that Reza was interrogated in all those years ago. Tony would love this, Jack thought.
BOB
"So what's this about Jack? Or is it too classified to tell a CIA freelancer?"
Jack turns away from Bob, pacing slowly behind him.
JACK
"I assume you've been hearing about the hostage situation at Monochron Laboratories this morning..."
BOB
"Hasn't everyone? It's been all over the news in between the political reports."
JACK
"Well what you won't know is that the hostages were taken to facilitate the theft of an experimental virus."
Jack turns to look at Bob, but he stays silent. There is a look of surprise on his face, bordering on shock.
JACK
"The plan was originally to infect a living host with this virus and release him into the general population."
BOB
"You say, originally?"
Jack paces round to face Bob, making sure he has his full attention. He speaks in a gruff but assured voice.
JACK
"What can you tell me about a man called Gary Brady?"
BOB
"I've never heard of him."
JACK
"You're sure about that?"
BOB
"Yes, I've never heard of that name. What's this about Jack?"
JACK
"Just over an hour ago, one of our agents died and another only just survived after searching the house of Gary Brady…"
BOB
"So how do I come into this?"
JACK
"Before the explosion, they managed to send over partial data from Brady's home computer. The files were heavily encrypted…"
Jack sits down, taking his time before revealing his motives and aims. He looks up, looking directly into Bob's eyes.
JACK (CONT.)
"…your name came up."
Jack continues to look into Bob's eyes, hoping to see a flicker of hesitation before he responds. He sees nothing.
BOB
"So you found my name? Does that prove anything?"
JACK
"I'm not accusing you Bob, but we did find your name, it must be there for a reason."
BOB
"So I'm a terrorist. Again. You'd think CTU had learnt its lesson after the last time I was accused."
JACK
"Bob…"
Jack leans in towards Bob, lowering the tone of his voice, making sure he knows he is serious.
JACK (CONT.)
"You know exactly what this means. Until we find out otherwise, you are a suspect. I'm not going to interrogate you. I'm not even going to ask anymore. All I ask is that you think, and I mean really think, about this name, and what it means to you."
Bob tries to lean back a little, to distance himself from Jack. He breathes a small sigh of relief as Jack slowly rises from his chair, turning around and pacing slowly away from him. He tries to retain his air of superiority over Bob, but doesn't know what else he can do while there is no evidence against him.
BOB
"Jack…I don't know what else to say…"
Jack turns around, staring at Bob once again.
JACK
"You have ten minutes to think."
Jack turns again, opening the door and leaving the room. He stands outside, intending to give Bob his ten minutes.
INT. CTU LOS ANGELES – 4:08 pm
Chloe continues to work on the data Ryan sent over, still not getting anywhere with her current tactics. She groans and then eventually shouts in anger at the screen, not understanding why she can't break this. She breaks everything to do with computers. Melanie looks over at Chloe, smiling at Chloe's misfortune. She continues to watch as Chloe tries in vain to crack the code. She then decides to aggravate the situation a little.
MELANIE
"Having trouble Chloe?"
CHLOE (dismissively)
"No."
MELANIE
"Looks like you are. I thought you were the best at this kind of thing – guess it must be really annoying you being beaten like this."
CHLOE
"Shut up. I need to concentrate. Shouldn't you be doing some work? There is the possibility of a terrorist attack any minute you know?"
MELANIE (completely ignoring Chloe)
"Well I suppose I should stop distracting you…Jack might phone again…"
CHLOE
"What?"
MELANIE
"Well it seems like any time Jack calls, you drop everything. Even if there is a terrorist attack due 'any minute' (imitating Chloe)"
CHLOE
"That is none of your business Melanie."
MELANIE
"Sure, whatever you and Jack get up to in your spare time is your own business…but, just in case you've been too wrapped up in your work to notice, he does wear a wedding ring. You better watch out for his wife."
Chloe had been ready to ignore everything Melanie had said up to that point, but her last remarks got her blood boiling. She felt just about ready to kill her.
CHLOE
"There's nothing going on between me and Jack. I work with him and we happen to trust each other, and that's something I'm sure you should do a little reading into…"
Melanie keeps the self satisfied grin on her face.
CHLOE (CONT.)
"…And I know he wears his wedding ring, he's a widow. His wife was killed by someone who used to work here, right in this building…"
The colour drains from Melanie's face.
CHLOE (CONT.)
"…so next time you decide to be a complete bitch to someone, at least get your facts straight."
Chloe turns back to her computer, leaving a beaten Melanie behind her, her face going from chalk white to bright red as the embarrassment of her mistake hits her. The embarrassment doesn't last long though, and soon she is just plain angry. 'No-one talks to me like that and get's away with it. She's going to pay.' Melanie thinks to herself. She leaves her station for a second and moves into the corridors quietly. Chloe doesn't notice in her mood of rage and hurt at Melanie's words.
EXT. UNION STATION, LOS ANGELES – 4:14pm
The Securicor van pulls up to one of the vacant spots outside the station, not really caring that there's no parking in this area. Mikhail and Cassel exit the vehicle, while the third man climbs through to the front and then also exits. They are all dressed in the uniforms of the security firm, and anyone passing by would never guess that this was the first time they had worn them. All except Mikhail maybe, whose trousers were a little too short for him, which Cassel had delighted in pointing out. The three men walk purposefully into the station.
MIKHAIL
"Where's your girl with the merchandise?"
CASSEL
"She will be waiting for us in one of the offices…just like I told you she would."
The tone of their voices suggests that the journey over here hadn't been a smooth one. They walk through the entrance to the station and take in the splendid view that greets them. The station had always been beautiful, but they planned to change that with a little addition of dead bodies soon. Cassel noticed how busy the station was, and was suddenly a little apprehensive. He had always been afraid of Mikhail, and he knew that if he screwed up this operation then he would be killed immediately without hesitation. He knew that Mikhail worked for some powerful people, even if he was never trusted to know them exactly. The three men stride across the floor, people seeming to clear space for them as they do. 'Amazing what a uniform can do for you…' Mikhail thought. As they walk by, the camera pans to show Chase and Kim still seated, waiting for their next train to be called. Kim has since purchased a magazine from the shop nearby and is busy reading up on the latest fashion tips. Chase, ever the agent, is scanning the horizon, still trying to do his bit to protect his girlfriend. He notices the three security men, and looks away at first, but then has a double take. He stares at the lead two men who seem to be missing their transponders, even while the second man has his. It was a long time since Chase had worked security, even before his CTU Washington days, but he knew that all staff, especially ones affiliated with Securicor, had to have their transponders with them at all times. Kim stirs from her fashion induced trance.
KIM
"What's up baby?"
CHASE
"I don't know. Those security men…"
He points them out to Kim.
CHASE
"…the lead two don't have their transponders, but the third one at the back does."
Kim tries to look interested.
KIM
"What does that mean?"
Chase is silent for a second, running over the possibilities in his head. He starts to get up.
CHASE
"I'll be back in a second."
KIM (rolling her eyes)
"Sure, you go meet your security friends, trade exercise techniques…whatever."
Kim goes back to reading her magazine as Chase follows at a safe distance behind the three men. They slip through one of the side doors, just below the control rooms, looking around them before they disappear. Chase waits a second and then jogs over to the same door, pressing his ear against it to try and hear anything on the other side. Nothing. He slowly opens the door, taking a peek around it but seeing no-one. He enters, pulling out the silenced pistol he took from the dead assassin. He goes right back to CTU agent mode, stalking around the corner with his weapon raised, just like Jack taught him to do so well. His attention is drawn away by the sight on the ground ahead of him. It's a dead worker, a dark red stain spreading across the chest of his resplendent train driver's uniform. He checks the pulse, cursing under his breath upon realizing he's dead. Chase kneels on the ground beside the man as he takes out his phone, dialing CTU's number, at least hoping it was still the same as when he was in service. It rings, but he can tell it's a bad line.
CHASE
"I need you to put me through to Chloe O'Brian, tell her its Chase Edmunds."
INT. CTU LOS ANGELES – 4:18 pm
Chloe's desk phone rings.
CHLOE
"CTU O'Brian."
CTU OPERATOR
"Miss O'Brian, I have a Chase Edmunds on the phone for you, should I put it through?"
CHLOE (confused)
"Alright, did he say why he was calling?"
CTU OPERATOR
"No, I don't think so. It's a terrible line."
CHLOE
"Put him through."
The screen splits to show Chase and Chloe.
CHLOE
"What is it Chase?"
CHASE (scrambled and full of interference)
"Chloe, I think I know where the next attack is going to be."
CHLOE
"Chase, I have no idea what you just said, the line's awful."
CHASE
"Listen to me Chloe. The next attack will take place at Union Station."
CHLOE
"Union Station? What about Union Station? Chase, I can't make you out – is the station a target?"
CHASE
"Yes, Chloe. You need to get men down here now."
Chloe goes to reply in confusion again but she then hears a clear crack on the line as Chase is struck from behind over the head. He falls to the ground, as does the phone. The third man heard Chase talking and came to silence him. He reaches down and hangs up the phone, leaving Chloe hanging. The screen returns back to Chloe as she batters her keyboard in frustration. Tony and George have been talking on the other side of the floor but Tony notices Chloe's frantic phone call, so both men come over to investigate.
TONY
"Who was on that line Chloe?"
CHLOE (concentrating)
"Shhh. I need quiet."
George is taken aback by Chloe's rudeness but Tony is used to it. He watches the screen intently as Chloe fires a search string into the mess of data she is trying to decrypt. The screen is blank for a few seconds before one result pops up on the screen. The data is still a complete mess of indecipherable symbols, letters and numbers, but right in the centre there is two unmistakably English words. Union Station.
CHLOE
"It was Chase on the line, he said something about Union Station. That's where the next attack is going to take place."
Tony and George wheel away after their moment to let the terrible truth sink in. George moves over to the stairs to his office, getting to a higher level, then addressing his troops like a beleaguered general.
GEORGE
"Listen up people, the next target has been identified. I want all department heads to report to Tony to hear their duties. Curtis will lead two teams out of here to Union Station and Jack will join when they get there. Let's retake this virus people. No mistakes."
The congregated staff break up and almost run back to their stations, while department heads do as they are told and join Tony for their briefing. George hears the phone ringing up in his office and he runs up the stairs to get it. He answers it and realizes that they've picked the truly right time to call. It's Dr. Palens, with her findings from examining the infected Dr. Phillips.
DR. PALENS
"Did I call at a bad time, Mr. Mason? You sound out of breath."
MASON
"No Doctor, you called at precisely the right time. The next target for the virus has been identified by one of our agents. It's Union Station, Los Angeles."
DR. PALENS
"Oh my god…"
MASON
"Please tell me that you have found a cure, Doctor Palens."
DR. PALENS
"Primary indications suggest that there is no cure for this strain of the virus."
George curses under his breath, realizing that this multiplies the severity if the virus is released.
MASON
"Is there any way to suppress it then? Anything at all?"
DR. PALENS
"The best course of action, as for other strains, is inoculation of the uninfected."
MASON
"What about the infected? What does inoculation mean for them?"
DR. PALENS
"At best, they would cease to be contagious."
Mason swallows with trouble, letting the impact of Dr. Palens words hit him.
MASON
"Dr. Palens, if this virus is to be released, what are the chances of inoculating the entire station on demand."
DR. PALENS (taken aback)
"It's usually a single injection process, there's no real way to mass-innoculate. Unless…"
MASON (hopeful)
"Unless what?"
DR. PALENS
"Unless we could make the substance airborne through the ventilation system. If we do that, I would say at least 90 of the uninfected will become immune, and the infected would cease to be contagious. The outbreak would be contained."
MASON
"How much of the substance do you need?"
DR. PALENS
"More than we have…"
MASON
"I want you to use everything at your disposal to make as much of that stuff as you can."
DR. PALENS
"And how much time do we have?"
MASON
"You've got thirty minutes."
Mason hangs up, realizing that he has to make the hardest phone call yet. Well, he thinks to himself, it will only be hard if you mention that Chase is there. He picks up the phone and dials Jack.
The screen splits to show Mason and Jack back at the Warner house. Jack is just about to go back into the room with Bob when his phone rings. He answers, annoyed.
JACK
"Yeah?"
MASON
"Jack, we have the next target."
JACK
"Where is it?"
MASON
"Union Station. I need you to go there now and meet Curtis and his teams."
JACK
"How reliable is the intel?"
MASON
"Chloe found it in Brady's files. It's where its going to happen Jack. We need you there."
JACK
"What about Bob Warner George?"
MASON
"I'd like to say bring him in but that didn't do us much good last time. As long as he doesn't jump ship, he'll still be there to question in a few hours. I'll send someone over to keep an eye on him."
JACK
"Fine. I'll call you when I'm with Curtis."
Jack hangs up the phone and takes a deep breath. He puts a hand on the door handle but hesitates. Going back in there and saying he has to leave would be like admitting defeat. After all, another agent would be here in a few minutes. Jack takes his hand off the door and moves through to the back of the house, finding Kate sitting pensively chewing her fingernails in the kitchen.
JACK
"I have to go now Kate."
KATE
"What about my father?"
JACK
"We still need to ask him a few more questions, but he isn't in any trouble. Another agent will be over in about fifteen minutes."
Kate nods and Jack begins to leave.
KATE
"Be careful Jack."
Jack stops and slowly turns, smiling at Kate, remembering all the happy times he had with her. He turns back, shaking them from his head and leaves.
INT. OMNI HOTEL, PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - 4:29 pm
The scene is a much quieter one than the last time we saw President Palmer. He decided to send most of his staff home early after the events of the debate and of Daniels resignation. The issues would still be there tomorrow he told them, as they couldn't believe their luck. Mike and Lynne, as always, stay with the President, and so has Nicole. All four are in the main room, watching the television intently. We don't see what is on the television, but we hear the commentator.
COMMENTATOR
"…well it's been a very tough day for everyone involved in American politics today. Combined with the earlier election debate, and the resignation of Senator John Daniels from the Presidential race, we have now learned that Secretary of Defense William Nolan has been killed in the bus bomb that went off outside the Los Angeles Convention Centre earlier today."
Palmer hangs his head, as does Mike, both suddenly realizing that they have yet to pay tribute to the tragic death of a colleague and friend.
COMMENTATOR
"Details are sparse about the attack and responsibility is, as yet, unclaimed."
David wouldn't let on, but he had a very good idea who was behind this attack. The same people who were behind sending a decoy out in place of Cassel all those years ago in Operation Land Hawk.
COMMENTATOR
"Rumours have been flying that…"
The newsreader cuts over the commentator's report for a second with breaking news.
NEWSREADER
"I'm sorry Dave, but I'm just being told that we can go live to Senator Daniels headquarters where he is making a statement."
The view changes to a hastily arranged press conference in a large conference room at Senator Daniels' hotel. David stifles a chuckle as he notices how busy his former opposite's room is compared to his own. Every paper and every news station had someone at this conference, but Palmer knew that there would not be much news given out at this time. The camera follows Senator Daniels as he enters the room, and the inevitable din of reporters yelling questions is heard. The Senator reaches the podium and the country's collective eyes see a tired looking man, much older then he had appeared before. He motioned for quiet and began to speak, his strong voice contrasting to his appearance.
SENATOR DANIELS
"My fellow Americans – I know that you are expecting answers form this press conference, mostly to do with why I am stepping down as the candidate for the White House. However, I am afraid that I cannot divulge that information at this time."
The din of questions rises again.
SENATOR DANIELS
"All I can tell you, is that the Republican party will choose the best possible candidate for the upcoming election, and he will have my full blessing. Thank you."
The crowd are a little taken aback by Daniels abrupt message, but after a few seconds the din picks up again, following him off the stage. The news bulletin cuts back to the newsreader who clearly looks disappointed at Daniels performance, and for a second even has a look of, 'what am I going to talk about now?' on her face. Palmer turns to Mike, trying to smile.
MIKE
"Well it wasn't the Gettysburg address, but it's a cause for celebration. Like I said, no-one can stand up to you after this. The Republicans have shot them
selves in the foot big time."
PALMER
"I hope you're right. We could do with a little luck."
Nicole smiles at her father warmly.
NICOLE
"Dad, you were going to win anyway. Who can resist you?"
Palmer smiles back, really enjoying spending time with his daughter like this. Mike's phone begins to ring and he steps aside from the happy exchanges between David and his daughter to answer it. Palmer cannot hear what is being said, but he can tell from Mike's body language that it is bad news. Mike hangs up and turns to the President.
MIKE
"It seems that CTU has identified the next target for terrorist attack."
Palmer looks solemn, but still strong.
PALMER
"Where?"
MIKE
"Union Station, Los Angeles."
Palmer exhales loudly, more by shock than anything else.
PALMER
"Have CTU inform me when they have a specific timeframe for the attack."
MIKE
"They've already got one Mr. President. They expect this virus to be released any time in the next hour."
INT. UNION STATION, LOS ANGELES – 4:35pm
The scene opens on a large staff room, strangely empty for the busiest time of day. The camera pans until we see Chase, with his hands and feet bound, crouched against a wall. He seems to still be out cold until with a cough and a splutter he wakes up, having trouble opening his eyes. He blinks a lot before finally squinting his eyes open. He focuses on the wall facing him, which has large windows all along it. He remembers them, but then realizes that he was looking at them from the other side. 'If I could get free, I could probably see Kim from here,' Chase thought. He shakes some of the grogginess out of his head but at the same time feels a crushing pain start to throb away in his head. 'Must've been hit pretty hard,' he thought. He tries to move but stops suddenly as he hears the booming sound of an American voice. He crouches back against the wall, trying to stay un-noticed. The sound is coming from around the corner.
MIKHAIL
"Gentlemen, today is the day we have been planning for. For years we have waited for this day to hit back at this country, and now we shall. You have all been infected with the E511 virus in its most weaponized form. In around thirty minutes, you will become symptomatic. By then you will become the most powerful weapons ever to be used in the fight against this country and its corrupt Government. You shall become heroes…and martyrs."
The eleven men around Mikhail whoop and cheer in agreement with Mikhail, while Cassel stands beside him, looking pensive.
MIKHAIL (CONT.)
"For now, we get ready. (he turns to Cassel) Let's go and see how our hostage is doing."
The men walk around, only to find Chase still 'out cold'. They walk up to him and slap him around the face once, waking him from his assumed slumber. He struggles to focus on the two men.
CHASE
"Who are you guys?"
MIKHAIL
"Chase Edmunds. What a pleasant little surprise you were."
CHASE
"What do you mean?"
Cassel cuts in.
CASSEL
"Well when we were told to take out Kimberley Bauer, we thought it would be a clean hit. But then you turned up. We had the chance to kill Jack Bauer's daughter AND former partner."
CHASE
"Well you didn't do a very good job of it, did you?"
CASSEL
"No, I suppose we didn't. But then, joy of joys, you both turn up at our target. How convenient."
Chase winces a little as he tried to move towards the two men. They laugh as they turn away from him. They start to walk away, Cassel calling back.
CASSEL
"You will die along with the rest of the people in this station Chase. Including Kim."
He sees them round the corner confidently, leaving him in a fit of rage at not being able to do anything. He fights against his shackles and is surprised that they give way a little. He rubs against the corner of the wall, trying to break them and to his surprise he succeeds, the restraints on his wrists coming off easily. He shakes them free and goes to work on his ankles, freeing them quickly. He jumps to his feet, almost falling back down again, still a little unsteady. He checks himself and then leaves from the opposite side of the room to the other men, only stopping to grab his weapon from the floor where the men must have thrown it when they brought him in.
He moves through the corridors, trying to find his way back to the place he was knocked out all that time ago. What time was it anyway? He didn't know. He finds the same dead body he had been checking and runs out of the door. He gets strange glances from people in the station as he rushes past them, almost knocking them down. He looks up and sees Kim, still buried in her magazine. 'Typical,' Chase thought, 'I get held by terrorists and Kim continues to read her fashion magazines." He rushes up to Kim, grabbing her by the wrist and almost lifting her off her feet in his haste to get away. Kim looks confused and a little scared by Chase's sudden return and actions.
KIM
"Chase, what's happening? You're hurting me."
CHASE
"We need to get out of here."
KIM
"Why? What's happening? I thought you said we were safe in here."
CHASE
"Something terrible is going to happen, we need to get somewhere safe in this building. We don't have much time."
Chase drags Kim off with him, to no place in particular. He is panicking, and doesn't know where the virus-infected men will strike.
EXT. UNION STATION – 4:41 pm
Jack's CTU vehicle screeches into the parking lot and pulls up alongside the CTU van Curtis and his team came in. Jack counts 8 men including Curtis, and wanders if it will be enough to secure this outbreak if it happens.
JACK
"I thought George was sending two teams Curtis."
CURTIS
"The other team had to stop off to meet some people. There bringing something to help us fight the virus."
JACK
"When will they get here?"
CURTIS
"They should be here in about ten minutes Jack."
JACK
"Alright (To the team, but still quiet enough so that passers by would not hear) Listen up people, we need to go in quickly and quietly. No alerting anyone to our presence. You see anyone acting strangely, you confirm before you take them down. I don't want a panic in there, especially if the virus is loose. Local law enforcement teams are narrowing the perimeter around this area so we should have virtual quarantine soon. Let's go."
The men calmly file into the station in scattered groups of two. To any oblivious civilian, they look just like any other person, their weapons well hidden. Curtis and Jack move on their own, scanning the sea of people for anyone acting suspiciously. Jack begins to feel a little overawed as he realizes how hard it is actually going to be to spot someone acting like that in such a crowd of people. He radios in Curtis.
CURTIS
"What is it Jack?"
JACK
"This is a waste of our time. For all we know they could release the virus while we're searching down here. We need to search the less populated areas."
Jack hears Curtis' phone ringing on the other end of the radio. He goes off Comms to answer it. Jack is taken aback by how abruptly Curtis cut off radio contact, and when he looks over at his colleague, he has his back to him. He walks up to him, only hearing the end of the conversation.
CURTIS
"…Chase Edmunds is in here? Alright, put him through."
Jack moves up behind Curtis and silently reaches over his shoulder, grabbing the cellphone from the Agent's hand deftly. Curtis wheels around in shock and has a look of regret on his face as he sees who took his phone.
CURTIS
"Jack, I'm sorry. I was told to keep you out of the loop on this one. It wasn't my call."
Jack ignores Curtis and waits for Chase to be put through. The line crackles into life.
CHASE
"Curtis, I want to be put through to Jack."
JACK
"This is Jack."
CHASE
"Jack, I need you to listen to me. Eleven men have been infected with the virus. They are in the north control room and they're going to release any second. It's heavily guarded."
JACK
"What the hell are doing in here Chase! You're meant to be looking for Kim!"
CHASE
"I found her Jack. We're in the back rooms of the station right now, she's safe."
JACK
"Safe! You brought her to the fucking target Chase! If anything happens to her you better hope it happens to you too."
CHASE
"She's fine Jack. We're in the back store rooms, you'll see them on the West side of the schematics. I'm coming out to the concourse to meet you, I'll be at the north door that leads to the control room."
JACK
"You've already put enough people in danger Chase. Stay with Kim."
CHASE
"But Jack…"
Jack ends the call, handing the phone back to Curtis. The screen stays split as Chase begins to wipe his nose with his sleeve. He sniffs a little, feeling blocked up all of a sudden. The screen goes back to just showing Jack and Curtis.
JACK
"The terrorists are in the north control room, let's go."
As Jack, Curtis and his men move in the directions Chase gave them the screen splits, and we see one of the men infected with the virus frown a little. He seems to be looking at the security feeds from around the station. He turns around to Mikhail.
VOLSKY
"We have a problem Mikhail."
He points on the screen to the CTU agents advancing quickly through the crowds. Cassel turns around and glances at the screen and sees Jack Bauer's face clear as day.
CASSEL
"Shit."
Mikhail and Volsky look round at Cassel,
MIKHAIL
"It's Bauer isn't it?"
CASSEL
"Yes, and he'll be here any second."
MIKHAIL (shouting to his men)
"We're moving to contingency alpha gentlemen. Everyone to their positions."
Six of the eleven infected men move over to the entrance Jack and his men are likely to come in by. They begin to turn over tables for cover and duck behind them, making sure their weapons are primed, loaded and ready to kill. Cassel, Mikhail and the other five men leave via the back door, entering the fire escape stairs and descending to concourse level. They wind through a series of corridors until they reach a branch in the paths. Mikhail, Cassel and Volsky stop, watching the remaining four men go the other way. Mikhail shouts after them.
MIKHAIL
"You will be heroes. Always remember that."
The men walk on, and the three leaders also continue on their path. The corridors they are following seem identical but the camera pans to the sign against the wall, pointing them in the direction of the ventilation room.
EXT. UNION STATION – 4:48 pm
The second team screeches to a halt in their CTU van, just beside Curtis's. They exit the van, one man staying behind to make sure Dr. Palens makes it off the van safely with her briefcase full of samples of the vaccine. The leader radios in to Curtis to let them know they've arrived.
AGENT PRICE
"Curtis, we've just arrived at the insertion point. How should we proceed?"
CURTIS
"Proceed to the north door leading to the north control room. It's on the schematics. And hurry, we have the location of the terrorists. Do you have Dr. Palens with you?"
AGENT PRICE
"Yeah, she's hopeful that we can stop this thing."
Curtis and Jack wait just inside the door for the second team to arrive, noticing the same dead body Chase had. He turns to Curtis, making sure they know the plan inside out, they don't have much time to execute it.
JACK
"As soon as we make contact, we need to get Dr. Palens to the ventilation room. She needs to get that vaccine through the vents and out onto the people in the station. As long as we can do that without raising a panic, then we'll be alright."
Curtis nods in approval and looks up as the north door opens. The beta team files through, with Dr. Palens bringing up the rear. Jack silently signals the teams to move forward towards the control room. Jack and Curtis hang back, telling Dr. Palens to wait with the agent that brought her in. They follow the teams in, but jump back as they hear gunfire. In front of them, they see two of their men fall dead to the ground. The rest have taken cover around the corner and are sporadically firing back. 'They've got the drop on us' Jack thought. The lead man fires a flashbang around the corner towards the shooters, allowing the team to advance and take out all of the men with only one more loss to their own personnel. Jack and Curtis move around the corner and watch anxiously as their charges search the bodies. They turn up nothing. Jack shouts Palens around the corner. As he is waiting, he turns to Curtis.
JACK
"Chase said on the phone that there were eleven people infected. That's at the most six down. We've got five more out there, possibly on the floor. I'll head one team on a search mission and you take Palens and the other team to the ventilation room."
Chase smiles at Palens as she enters, trying to calm her down a little. Her shell-shocked face was chalk white after witnessing a Counter Terrorist team in live action. She and her bodyguard agent follow Chase in the direction Mikhail and co. went, while Jack takes the other team back the way they came. They get back out onto the concourse, with Jack sure that it's even busier than when they came in. He sends 3 men north, 3 west and 2 east, with him patrolling the whole concourse. He made sure his trusted agents went in the direction Chase said he and Kim were hiding. 'They should be safe now' Jack thought, 'until I get my hands on Chase'
INT. STORE ROOMS – 4:53 pm
Chase sneezes again, sending a vapour like cloud of mucus into the air. He knows something is wrong, he hasn't stopped sneezing since he escaped his captors. Kim had tried to ignore it at first but on the last sneeze she gets up and slowly walks over to help her boyfriend. Chase looks down at his arm and sees a red mark, sort of like a pin prick. He runs his finger over it and is a little surprised to feel pain as he touches it. He freezes for a second, not sure whether to believe his own thoughts. He senses Kim approaching.
CHASE
"Get away from me!"
Kim jumps back, terrified again by Chase's actions.
KIM
"I was only trying to help Chase, you've been sneezing since we got in here and…..oh my god."
Chase freezes again.
CHASE
"What?"
KIM
"You're bleeding."
Chase reaches slowly up to just underneath his nose and feels a moist sensation. He brings his hand down and sees it covered in blood.
CHASE
"Kim, I need you to get out of this room. Go to another room and lock yourself in it. Don't come out for anyone, you understand me?"
KIM
"But Chase…"
CHASE
"GO!"
Kim jolts forward into action at the sound of Chase yelling at her. She runs for the door, getting out of the room in seconds and running for another store room. Chase starts to hyperventilate, suddenly realizing why he hadn't been feeling so good. He was infected.
INT. UNION STATION LOS ANGELES
Jack's cellphone rings. He finds this unusual, no-one should be calling him on that line, everyone he needs is on comms right now. He takes the phone out of his jacket pocket and answers it, knowing the voice immediately.
CASSEL
"Hello Jack. Long time no speak."
JACK
"If you're anywhere in this building Kevin, I'm going to find you, and I won't make any mistakes this time."
CASSEL
"Save it Jack. I'm calling to break some news to you. It's about your dear friend Chase."
Jack freezes at the mention of his daughter's current bodyguard.
JACK
"What about him?"
CASSEL
"If you had bothered to check the men you have already killed in the control room, then you would have noticed that each of them have an identical raised mark on their right forearms, indicating that the virus was administered by syringe not so long ago…"
JACK
"We know your plan Kevin…"
CASSEL
"You didn't check them did you Jack?"
Jack is silent.
CASSEL
"One doesn't have that mark Jack."
Jack is almost physically sick at the implications of what Cassel just said.
CASSEL
"That's right Jack. It would have been silly of me to have wasted one dose of the virus on one of my men when Chase so kindly walked right in here with your daughter."
JACK
"Listen you son of a bitch…"
CASSEL
"Reap the sorrow of my revenge Jack."
Cassel hangs up the phone, leaving Jack not sure of what to do. He's about to move when his radio crackles into life again.
AGENT SAMUELS
"Jack, you there?"
Jack swallows hard. Agent Samuels was searching the area Chase was last in.
JACK
"Yeah, I'm here."
AGENT SAMUELS
"We found Chase Jack…he's infected."
The screen splits into the separate panels of the story. The first shows Cassel and Mikhail fiddling around with one of the dials in the ventilation room, while the second shows Palens, Curtis and his team advancing towards the same room. The third shows Palmer sitting worriedly at the table in the suite's study with Mike and Lynne, waiting for news from CTU. The fourth shows Kim truly terrified in a further away store room, hiding in the corner of the room. The fifth shows Jack Bauer, literally sprinting towards Agent Samuels' location, while the last one shows Chase Edmunds, quite clearly in the grip of the virus. The screen goes back to showing Chase in the room, looking through the reinforced window of the airtight door. He was still sneezing and bleeding from the nose when he sees Jack approach form around the corner. A minute ago, Jack had been ready to kill Chase, but as he sees him now, all he feels is sorrow towards him. He walks slowly up to the door.
CHASE
"I'm sorry Jack. I didn't know I was infected."
JACK
"It's alright Chase. I need you to tell me where Kim is."
CHASE
"I told her to run…when I became symptomatic. I'm sorry Jack. I'm so sorry."
Jack turns to Agent Samuels and whispers for him to send an APB out for Kim, not wanting to think that she may be infected too.
JACK
"It's going to be alright Chase, you're going to get out of here."
CHASE
"No. I'm not. No-one survives these things."
Chase reaches around the back of his stained and tatty jeans and pulls out his weapon.
CHASE
"I'm sorry Jack. Save Kim."
JACK
"NOOOOOO!"
Jack is too late to stop Chase as he squeezes the trigger, sending a bullet into his brain, killing instantly.
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