DEBRIEF: Leviathan

8:00 to 9:00 P.M.

8:00 P.M. EST

Outside of The Pentagon, Washington DC

Chloe heard the blast; her SUV shook from the original explosion and almost tipped over from the aftershock. She screamed as her laptop slip off her lap and she collided with the shattered glass. Parts of the window cut her skin, but it was nothing serious. After checking her cuts and scraps, she opened the door. Everyone outside were in complete hysteria. They were shouting and pointing. She wondered what got into them and turned around.

In horror, she saw the damage down to the Pentagon by the bombs that went off. Part of the south side had collapsed, the entrance to the lobby gone. Fire covered the vegetation. Glass and concrete covered the pavement leading to the Pentagon. Little bursts of flame would spew out from the cracks, but it seemed most of the damage had been done. After registering the current situation, she ran for her laptop. She placed it on the seat and checked if it was damaged.

It didn't look too serious, a few keys were missing and scratches covered the screen. She cringed, but she continued working. Putting the headset back on, she tried making contact. "Jack? Jack? Are you there?" There was noting but static. Fear gripped Chloe and she tried getting the hold of someone else. "Agent Strand? Are you there?"

"Yes, Chloe," Cassandra replied. "One of the terrorists triggered several bombs throughout the Pentagon." She looked around at her men, several of them were hurt by the explosions.

"Yeah, I just saw. It doesn't look good." Chloe said feeling the large bump on the head.

"Can you locate Jack for me?" Cassandra asked as she helped lift a door off one of her junior agents.

"I've been trying but all get is static."

"Same with me, we'll have to look for him the hard way." Cassandra scanned the faces of her men. Many wounded morally by the bombs. "Okay, agents. We need to find Jack. He was last seen pursuing Matt Dowley. Lets start moving; we need to find him before we leave this building. But be careful, we don't know how stable the building is." The others nodded. "Split up." Cassandra started heading for the stairway with a small group.

8:10 P.M. EST

The Pentagon, Washington DC

"Chloe?" Cassandra radioed.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know where Jack was before the bombs went off?"

"I remember him speaking about chasing Matt up some stairs."

"Okay, thanks. I'm already there, we'll be heading up to the roof right now." Cassandra wasn't too concerned about further conflict with terrorists, but she still had her gun drawn. After a few minutes of climbing up the stairs through the rubble, they reached the top. She carefully opened the door. The roof looked clear and Cassandra quickly kicked the door open. There were several bodies everywhere. They were all terrorists; no one resembled Jack or an agent. She sighed and started searching the roof.

"Don't move," she heard a voice behind her. It was familiar.

"Jack?" she asked.

"Cassandra?" She turned around saw Jack, wounded. He was holding his gun up with his left hand and he was leaning on a woman she'd never seen before.

"Oh my God, Jack," Cassandra said. "Quickly, get me a medic! Now!"

8:14 P.M. EST

Outside of The Pentagon, Washington DC

"Chloe?" she heard over the comm.

"Yes?"

"We've found Jack."

"Where?" Chloe sighed gratefully.

"But he's wounded."

"What? How?"

"A piece of shrapnel had pierced his right side. It doesn't look fatal. He's coming right now."

"Okay."

"Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"We also found someone else with him."

"I don't know, I didn't ask for her name."

"Is it Audrey?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it is."

"Oh thank God." Chloe started to smile. Even though Jack was hurt and Audrey was probably hurt emotionally, they were still fine. She closed her laptop and sat against the tire of the SUV. It was a close call, but everything seemed like it was going to be okay.

8:17 P.M. EST

Roof of The Pentagon, Washington DC

Cassandra and her group continued to search the roof for any survivors. She was amazed by all of the number of terrorists had slaughtered. There were at least half a dozen terrorists covering the floor. All of them with similar kill shots. She was more then impressed with Jack's efficiency and marksmanship. A fantasy to be as good as him crossed her mind. She fancied the thought, but it disappeared when she saw a body several yards away.

It was Matt's body in the distance. She walked over to the body slowly. The fire from the bombs had scarred his body, but she could see where Jack had hit him. Blood had stopped running, however, she could see where it had escaped. A small a hole could be seen in his jugular. She smiled slightly at the sight of this and hoped it was a painful death.

Even though it didn't matter, she lifted her gun up. She started to shoot the lifeless body that was once one of America's greatest enemies. Her magazine was empty, but she kept pulling the trigger. Pausing for a moment, she dropped the gun onto his corpse.

"You deserved a worse fate," she whispered to herself. "Jack let you off easy you son of a bitch." Taking a few breaths and collecting her thoughts, she walked towards the stairway. Her men were waiting for her.

"Ma'am?" one of them asked.

"It's nothing Agent Carfield. Just letting some old wounds heal."

"Was that the man responsible for the murder of Bill Buchanan?"

"Yes it was… Yes it was."

8:22 P.M. EST

Outside The Pentagon, Washington DC

Jack was laying on a gurney when they brought him out of the Pentagon. They had already removed the shrapnel and were applying bandages to the cut. It wasn't too deep and he was lucky that it didn't hit any organs. Audrey walked beside him, holding his hand.

"Will he be okay?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Yes, Ms. Raines," one of the field medics said. "He won't need stitches but he will need bandages." Several ambulances started to enter the parking lot. One of them came to a screech halt in front of them. "We'll take him in this one."

"Can—can I come along with him?" The medic paused and stared into her eyes.

"Yeah, you can." He responded.

"Th—thank you." Audrey replied gratefully. Before they closed the door to the ambulance, Chloe came running.

"Wait," she shouted, waving her hands. "Where are you guys going?"

"We're taking him to hospital at George Washington University off of 23rd Street." The medic said, trying to close the door.

"Just one more question," Chloe put her hand between the doors. "Audrey, how are you?"

"I'm fine Chloe," Audrey smiled, tears running down her face.

"I'll stop by when this is all over." Chloe said before the medic forced the door close. She could see Audrey nodding through the window. The sirens started blaring, the red lights flashing and Chloe watched the ambulance drive off.

"Chloe," Cassandra called out to her. She turned around and saw Cassandra and her team approaching.

"Agent Stand…"

"Please, call me Cassandra. I think we're past the point of formalities."

"Okay… Cassandra… What happened?"

"Before he died," she sighed, "Matt detonated the bombs that had been placed throughout the building."

"How many?"

"Over 200 wounded and 35 killed from the bombs and still counting."

"Oh my God."

"But the most damage was done to the building itself. People will see this as another 9-11. They'll be afraid to leave their homes again. Others will blame the government for allowing it to happen. The economy and people will suffer."

"Wow… I never really saw it that way. What about Matt's brother? If we catch him, would that make things better?"

"Don't know, people might feel safer knowing he's captured as well. This has been some day."

"Yeah. At least the worst is over."

"Not exactly," Agent Schmidt interrupted them.

"Who are you?" Chloe asked.

"I'm Agent Ryan Schmidt, ma'am."

"Uh—hi."

"What did you mean 'not exactly?'" Cassandra asked.

"DOD just picked up more chatter concerning Alaric Amery and his group."

"What were they talking about?"

"We have a working theory that Alaric has more then one copy of the Leviathan virus and that he is trying to sell it to other terrorist factions."

"Oh my God."

"And it does not end there."

"What could be worse?"

"We found out what Matt was downloading from the Archive Room."

"What did he take?"

"He has information on several different operations the government is running several different conflicting countries, including: Iraq, Kosovo, and China."

"Do we know when the deal is going to happen?"

"We're not sure yet, but we believe midnight."

"Do we have any working leads?"

"We have few."

"Can we tag along?"

"Sure."

"Chloe?" Cassandra asked her.

"Yeah… whatever…" Chloe responded, shrugging.

"When are we leaving?" Cassandra asked Agent Schmidt.

"In a few minutes. We're rearming and we'll be heading out soon."

"Good. Chloe will you be on comm?"

"Okay. But I'll need another laptop." Cassandra nodded and led her remaining agents to the canopy set out in front of the Pentagon. There were several tables covered with weapons, magazines, grenades and much more. It was like they were preparing for war, and in several ways, they were. Cassandra grabbed magazines for her MP-5 and quickly grabbed a pistol. Her men followed her lead and quickly reloaded.

"Here, get something to eat first," Agent Schmidt said as he chewed on a piece of bread. Cassandra just took a cup of coffee while her team decided to take more then just coffee. While they were eating bread and snacks a few SUVs drove to them. "Okay, we're moving out!" Cassandra nodded and her team gathered into the second SUV while Agent Schmidt's team took the first one.

8:31 P.M. EST

Hospital, George Washington University

Jack was finally able to let himself relax. They had bandaged his cut in the ambulance and were just making it more secure in his room. It was comforting, regardless of the morphine flowing through his veins. He never really liked using IVs, but he wasn't going to argue with the doctors. Windows covered the wall to his left. Some were opened while others were closed. Hanging on the ceiling in the corner of the room was television set, in satisfactory condition. In front of him stood a tray with food, which he wasn't in the mood for. Then he felt a slight pressure on his right hand. He turned his head to the right and stared into her eyes; her beautiful, soft blue eyes.

"Hey," Jack said softly, taking a hold of her hand.

"Hi," she smiled weakly.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm—I'm fine. I should be asking you that question."

"I'm doing good. Better then I have in months."

"But you're in the hospital."

"But the company is better." She smiled at this response and squeezed his hand tighter.

"I don't mean to ask you this question now, but I've wanting to ask you this question for some time. I know it's not the right time, but I need to know. What happened when you left?" Jack looked away for a brief second but looked back into her eyes.

"It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I wanted to be with you. I even threatened your father. I wasn't going to listen to him. I wasn't going to obey his orders or respect his wishes any longer. He called me a curse and I hated him for it. But he was right, Audrey. I always get pulled in somehow, and the people closest to me pay the price."

"Jack…"

"You and Chloe almost died today. Bill was killed by Matt. I can't but you in these kind of situations anymore."

"Jack…"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"What?"

"Stop trying to be the hero all the time. I know this country needs you and I'm pretty sure they'll need you in the future. And I'm so proud of what you've done. I've accepted the world we live in today. When Paul died, it opened my eyes to what the world really was. When I thought you died, I didn't realize how much I loved you, how much I needed you, and how much I took you for granted. I know your life is a difficult one, but let me live it with you. I know I'm not like that other agent, but I can handle it. And you know I've been through worse. I'm tired of being the damsel in distress, now it's time for me to save you."

They stared deeply into each other's eyes for several minutes. Jack sighed and let go of Audrey's hand. She shuttered slightly but realized what he was doing. He softly placed his hand against her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. She sobbed a little as she let her face rest in his hand. Smiling, she placed her hand over his.

Letting this moment to sink into both their minds, Audrey leaned over to Jack. She paused and looked once more into his eyes before closing them. Jack brought her face closer and kissed her. It would be an unforgettable moment in both their lives. She placed her hands over his chest as he wrapped his around her. Audrey refused to let herself cry, instead she just kissed him harder. When they broke, Jack lifted his head and kissed her forehead like he used to do. They both smiled at each other as they enjoyed the other's company. Then they started to talk about the past year.

8:43 P.M. EST

395 Interstate Highway, Washington DC

"Where are we going?" Cassandra asked over the radio.

"We managed to track down one of the sleep cells that will be attending the auction." Agent Schmidt replied. The SUVs we're nearing the exit. There were very few cars, Chloe notice as she stared out into the freeway. After the explosion, President Palmer had declared Martial Law in DC, and no one was going to oppose. The Pentagon was just attacked and one of the biggest threats to America was still out there with the Leviathan virus.

"What street are we getting off at?" Cassandra asked.

"We'll be exiting on Little River Turnpike. The building will be on the left as the street intersects Ravensworth Road."

"What's the plan exactly?" Chloe wondered.

"Well, it's a dangerous one."

"What's the plan?" Cassandra repeated Chloe's question.

"It's a bit unorthodox, but it's been done before on several occasions."

"Agent Schmidt!"

"Alright… After we take out the cell, we're going to take their place at the auction."

"Do we even know where it's going to be held?"

"We'll just figure that out along the way."

"You can't be serious…"

"Unless you can think of a better idea, please shoot away."

"Fine, we'll go with it. But if this fails, I'm shooting you."

8:49 P.M. EST

Marriot Hotel, Washington DC

Alaric lit a cigar as he observed the city from the top story. He opened the door to the balcony slowly as he exhaled the smoke. The sounds of the street filled the cold night air. Tapping the ashes from the burnt end, he walked back into the room.

"So how successful was my brother?" he asked.

"Sir, it will take the months to just dig through all the rubble."

"Excellent. And how is Jack Bauer?" He smothered his cigar as he opened his laptop. He pulled out a flash drive and attached it to the terminal. Turning around he placed the remaining copies of the Leviathan virus into his suit case.

"One of our spies just reported that Jack Bauer is at the George Washington University Hospital."

"Really? Poor Jack, I didn't expect Alexander to wound him so badly. I guess I'll have no real adversary. Oh well. Survival of the fittest." Alaric walked over to the mini bar, looking over the small menu. "Would like anything to eat or drink?"

"No, sir."

"What a shame, it would be a waste." He pulled out a small bottle of scotch from the mini bar and glided to the counter.

"What would you like us to do?"

"Send a small team to dispose of Jack Bauer and Audrey Raines," he ordered as he poured the alcohol into a small glass.

"Sir."

8:56 P.M. EST

Hospital, George Washington University

"Mr. Bauer, we have a Agent Cassandra Strand on the phone for you," a nurse said as she entered the room. Audrey was drinking some coffee as Jack rubbed her neck.

"Okay," he said as he sat up against the pillow. Taking the phone, he greeted Cassandra. "Cassandra."

"Hello, Jack. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks. What's going on?"

"Well, Alaric is still out there and he's planning to sell information. But we have a lead and we're going with Agent Schmidt to take down a sleeper cell and pretend to be them at the auction." Jack paused and then smiled at Audrey. He was concerned about this plan, but he had no reason to intervene, nor the strength. It was time for others to take up the torch.

"Okay, keep me updated." He turned off the phone and looked back at Audrey.

"What's happening?" she asked him.

"Cassandra and the others are following up on a lead. They'll contact me when the operation is over."

"Oh, that's good then, right?"

"Yeah, it's good."

"Then everything is going to be alright?"

"Yes, everything will be."

To be continued...