It felt as if her entire body was screaming in agony. Her limbs, her head, her still bleeding neck wound. Having found a way out of CTU, she had begun to run and hadn't dared stop for several blocks. Moving through the dark streets and alleyways, she knew she needed distance. CTU would realise soon enough that she had left the building.
Deciding to risk a break, she collapsed against a wall. Breathing hard, she glanced around and appreciated the solitude. For a few seconds, she closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment without worry.
Panic rose within her as she regained her strength. Standing back up, she noticed a brick on the floor. Picking it up, she walked over to the nearest car and smashed it into the window. Wasting no time in climbing inside, she took a deep breath. It had been a while since she had hot wired a car.
Jack was growing frustrated as he moved through the back corridors of CTU. No sign of Nina, or anyone else. It had been some time since she had left Medical, but he wasn't going to consider the worst outcome.
Approaching a room, he was about to enter when he froze near the doorway. This room, he remembered, was where Teri had died all those years before. It was bare now, apart from a few vital parts of the system. Could she be in there? Was this where it might all end at long last?
"If you're in hereā¦," he whispered as he turned the corner, only to lower his gun. Nobody was there in that dusty relic of a room. For a moment, he looked at the exact spot where Teri died, before he moved on. She had to be somewhere.
Nina was driving as fast as she dared as she headed for the meeting place. She had known all along where Alvers and Amador would be, because she knew them both. Amador was a treacherous snake, careful to silence those he double-crossed. This time he had failed, and he was going to pay.
"Dammit," she muttered as a sharp pain struck her neck. Her wound had stopped bleeding, but it still needed medical attention. She wondered if it was the thing that would finally kill her. At least it wouldn't be Jack.
"Agent Bauer," came the voice from behind him, a lot more sympathetic than it usually was.
Jack muttered to himself, trying to ignore the voice. If he acknowledged him, he would have to come to terms with the truth.
"Jack, it's no use. She's gone."
He spun around and glared at Ryan Chappelle. "She's here somewhere."
Ryan shook his head. "A woman matching her description stole a car a few blocks away," he replied. "That includes a bleeding neck wound."
Jack scowled. How the hell had she managed to slip out of the building? Then he noticed the silence. No alarm was blaring out through the corridors anymore. She must have overridden the lockdown, but to do that she had to be in that room. Had he missed her by minutes?
Ryan moved closer. "We'll look for her, once this is all over."
Nina parked up and allowed herself another moment to rest as she examined the building. It had been the first place she had met Amador, the first time she had been back in Los Angeles since the pardon. The arrogant fool had relied too much on his little bomb, it seemed.
Climbing out of her car, she took a good look around. Nobody in sight, the back entrance looking a lot less secure than it should have been. She checked the bullets in her gun before making her way inside.
Jack was pacing in the bullpen, waiting for any information. He knew the virus took priority, but he couldn't get her out of his mind.
Kim walked over and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Tony thinks we'll know more soon. About Alvers and Amador, I mean."
He nodded. "I'm sorry you had to see her tonight, sweetheart."
She shook her head. "We had to bring her back here, find out if she knew anything."
"She almost walked away, right at the start. Amador convinced her to stay."
Taking hold of the door handle, she listened out for any sounds from within. Creaking the door open, gun at the ready, she wasted no time. As soon as she saw Alvers, she put a bullet into his head before moving into the room.
Amador stared at her as she appeared, his hands flying up as if he thought it would help. "Nina?!"
She smirked before glancing at the tank of white powder. "That's the virus, I'm guessing?"
He nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. "It is, but you're not here for that, are you?"
Nina walked closer to him, her gun aimed at his forehead. "I'm here for the money."
Amador nodded, lowering his hands and walking over to his laptop.
She stood next to him, her gun pressed into his side. "Your phone, too."
For the first time, he noticed the wound on her neck. He examined it as he handed over the phone. "How'd that happen?"
"CTU," came the curt reply.
Jack was speeding through the streets as he and Chase headed for the meeting place. He knew the virus was the priority, but if there was a chance of getting her, too?
Chase glanced at him, knowing what was running through his mind. Like he had said to the woman herself, he had heard a lot about her. He had warned her, told her that Jack would kill her if she messed with him again. Nina hadn't been the slightest bit fazed.
"We should be there in five minutes," Jack announced as he swerved around a corner.
Amador cleared his throat. Even though she had been watching his every move, he still felt the need to confirm things. "It's done," he spoke in a quiet voice, knowing what was to come. He had known it since her arrival. Since he had discovered far too late that Nina had not died back in Mexico.
She smiled before moving her gun up his back and pressing it into his neck. She held it there for a second, before firing once.
Walking over to Alvers, she fished through his pockets. Finding car keys, she wasted no time in getting out of there. CTU had to know about this place by now.
Kim was helping Chloe the best she could, but her mind was on her dad and boyfriend. So soon after getting back from Mexico, they were once more on a dangerous mission. It was the nature of their jobs, of course, but it still made her nervous. The involvement of her mother's killer, now loose in the city, was not helping. She only hoped that Nina was more interested in escape than revenge.
Chloe noticed the look on her face as she approached. "They'll be okay," she spoke as she placed a file on the desk.
Kim smiled at her. "Were there ever days like this back in DC?"
"Not like this," Chloe replied. Nothing came close to what she had experienced in the last day. It almost felt as if she were in a movie, rather than real life.
Jack was the first to reach the door. Like Nina had done, he listened out for any noise from within. After a moment, he creaked the door open, only to scowl. "Dammit!"
Chase was a little worried as he approached. Had they made a mistake? "What's wrong?"
"Someone's been here," Jack growled as he moved inside, gun at the ready. Alvers and Amador were dead, but was she still here, lurking in the shadows? He lowered his gun once he had confirmed she had not waited for him.
"She left the virus," Chase spoke as he noticed the tank. Of course, it looked heavy but it was worth a hell of a lot. At least it was in their hands now, rather than a slimy arms dealer or merciless terrorist.
"Yeah, she wasn't here for that," Jack replied as he examined the laptop. He wondered what Chloe could retrieve from it. Even if they found Amador's buyer, there was still Nina's client to bring down.
Nina had parked up in a quiet alley. Using the rear view mirror, she examined her neck wound. It needed urgent cleaning and dressing, but that required somewhere safe first. There were few places in Los Angeles like that for her.
Pulling out Amador's phone, she dialled a number. Like the safe places, there were few trustworthy people in LA. This contact happened to be one of them.
A man answered in a thick Mexican accent. "Who is this?"
"It's Nina. Things didn't go to plan."
A few moments of silence before the contact replied. "Didn't CTU get you?"
"Yeah, but I escaped. I need help getting out of Los Angeles."
The contact sounded a little more relaxed. "What about the virus? Heard you won the auction."
"Amador double-crossed me, but he's dead. I had to leave the virus behind."
He muttered to himself. "He ain't gonna be happy about that."
"I got him his money back, that's all I could do. Can you help me or not?"
Another minute or two of silence before the contact spoke. "Yeah, get to the safe house in Palmdale. I'll have Sean meet you there."
Nina smiled as she ended the call. Whilst she knew where it was, but had never actually been there. She could only hope that it lived up to the job description.
Hours later, the threat was gone. It had been another day of blood, sweat and tears, but it was finally all over. The virus was no more, although it was at the cost of several lives. Saunders was dead, his vengeance foiled and his life taken by the revenge of another.
Jack walked into the hospital, noticing Kim and immediately embracing her. The most important person in his life was safe after yet another harrowing day.
"How's Chase?"
Kim smiled at him, her eyes red from crying. "He's gonna be okay. They re-attached his hand, but he's still asleep."
He nodded. "And you?"
"Exhausted, but otherwise fine," she replied.
Slumped on the couch, Nina wanted nothing more than to sleep but she had to fight the urge. At least Sean had helped her with the wound, now cleaned and dressed. It would leave a scar, but that didn't bother her. She already had several others, both physical and mental. One more wasn't going to change much.
Sean, who was sat on a nearby chair, was busy gazing out of the window. "He'll be here in five minutes," he announced.
Groaning, Nina sat up. "You said that ten minutes ago."
He grinned. "He's gotta be careful, can't have him in the system over a traffic violation."
She nodded, only to smile as she heard a car pull up. "Red Volkswagen with Idaho plates, right?"
"Yeah, like the boss said."
Nina stood up and stretched, before looking out of the window at the car. It was going to take her to an airfield and she couldn't care less about the destination as long as it was far away from LA.
Sean stood up and waved out of the window, before turning his attention to Nina. "Look, Schulze's a reasonable guy. He'll be happy he got his money back after everything."
"I hope you're right," she replied as she made her way to the door.
Chase groaned as he woke up, wondering for a moment where he was. A sudden sharp pain in his arm soon reminded him.
"Chase?"
He moved his head to the right and noticed the plaster cast on his arm, before looking at Jack. There was a conflicted look on his face, even though Chase understood. Better to lose an hand than for someone to lose a life. You couldn't re-attach existence onto a person.
"Kim's gonna be back soon, she'll be glad to see you awake."
Chase nodded before looking down at the plaster cast. Everything looked okay, even if it felt odd.
"It should be fine, but you'll need a few months of physical therapy," Jack spoke. He didn't mention that it would mean an end to Chase being out in the field.
As the car pulled into the airfield, Nina glanced over at the small plane on the runway. She had no idea where it would take her, but she couldn't care less. Anywhere would be better than LA right now.
Climbing out of the car, she glanced around. The airfield was in the middle of nowhere, the surrounding area as empty as the clear blue sky above.
Noticing a woman stood near the plane, she approached.
"Nina, right? I'm Sarah, I'll be flying you outta here," the woman announced.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm guessing you won't be taking me straight to Schulze?"
Sarah shook her head. "No, the rest of the journey will be by car," she replied before turning and heading for the plane.
Minutes later, both women were inside the plane and ready to take off. Nina was feeling a little worried, looking out for any imminent arrivals. As the plane ascended, she wondered if she would ever be back in Los Angeles. She hoped not.
