Thanks for the feedback :) It keeps me writing.
Kim Bauer walked along Coldwater Canyon Road trying to stay to the treeline. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her
torso. Kim couldn't see that far ahead because of the tears that wouldn't stop.
Could somebody her age still be considered an orphan?
At that thought a fresh wave of tears started. Kim sniffled, she couldn't believe her father was gone. She missed
him so much already. He had always been her rock. Now Kim had no idea what she'd do without him.
Headlights splashed across her causing Kim's head to jerk up. She froze when she saw the familiar markings
of a sheriff's car.
"Is your name Kim Bauer?"The deputy asked through the open window.
Kim remained frozen....she was going to jail. Her Dad would be so disappointed in her.
"I'll take that as a yes."The man replied with a kind smile."CTU has had bulletins about you plastered over every
police band. You have a lot of worried people looking for you."
"I don't believe you."Kim replied her hand inching toward the gun in her purse.
The deputy opened the door and walked toward her. "I know about your Dad and I'm sorry. I worked with him
once years ago. Come on, I'll take you back to CTU."
Kim nodded and reluctantly followed the officer. She was too exhausted both physically and emotionally to fight any
more. Kim just wanted to go home and right now CTU was the only home she had left.
*********
When they arrived back at CTU Tony had to take a minute to regain what little composure he had. He wanted to slam the
door open and demand answers but he knew that wouldn't bring Michelle home. She needed him to think clearly. She needed
him to be the boss.
"You ready?"Jack asked as they stood just outside the door.
Tony nodded tightly. "Yeah."
Carrie met them as they walked into the bullpen. "Tony, we analyzed the data from the trace. The call came from
somewhere near the PCH. And he was using Michelle's phone. We got a lock on the number."
"Good work."Almeida acknowledged as he took the papers from her. "Did you try calling her cell again?"
Carrie nodded. "All I got was the operator. So the battery must be dead or the phone's damaged beyond use."
Tony tried not to think of the ways that a phone could be that badly damaged. "Okay. Keep trying Auda's phone. If
he dumped it maybe we can get a lock and get a general area of where he's been."
"Right away."Carrie replied. "We're still working on the land holdings."
Jack looked over at her. "Need some help?"
Carrie glanced at Tony who nodded. "You two work on that. I'm going to call Chappelle and tell him what's going on."
As Tony reached the stairs to his office Carrie touched his arm. "It's a mute point now that we know Auda has her. But
the lab results came back on the car. The blood was Michelle's."
Tony nodded grimly and slowly ascended the stairs to his office and closed the door behind him.
Carrie watched Tony for a moment her hand on the rail. She and Michelle weren't close that wasn't a secret. But
Carrie didn't wish any harm to come to her no matter what Michelle thought. And watching Tony now Carrie prayed that they
got Michelle home safely. She didn't think Tony could handle it if they didn't.
Kim Bauer walked along Coldwater Canyon Road trying to stay to the treeline. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her
torso. Kim couldn't see that far ahead because of the tears that wouldn't stop.
Could somebody her age still be considered an orphan?
At that thought a fresh wave of tears started. Kim sniffled, she couldn't believe her father was gone. She missed
him so much already. He had always been her rock. Now Kim had no idea what she'd do without him.
Headlights splashed across her causing Kim's head to jerk up. She froze when she saw the familiar markings
of a sheriff's car.
"Is your name Kim Bauer?"The deputy asked through the open window.
Kim remained frozen....she was going to jail. Her Dad would be so disappointed in her.
"I'll take that as a yes."The man replied with a kind smile."CTU has had bulletins about you plastered over every
police band. You have a lot of worried people looking for you."
"I don't believe you."Kim replied her hand inching toward the gun in her purse.
The deputy opened the door and walked toward her. "I know about your Dad and I'm sorry. I worked with him
once years ago. Come on, I'll take you back to CTU."
Kim nodded and reluctantly followed the officer. She was too exhausted both physically and emotionally to fight any
more. Kim just wanted to go home and right now CTU was the only home she had left.
*********
When they arrived back at CTU Tony had to take a minute to regain what little composure he had. He wanted to slam the
door open and demand answers but he knew that wouldn't bring Michelle home. She needed him to think clearly. She needed
him to be the boss.
"You ready?"Jack asked as they stood just outside the door.
Tony nodded tightly. "Yeah."
Carrie met them as they walked into the bullpen. "Tony, we analyzed the data from the trace. The call came from
somewhere near the PCH. And he was using Michelle's phone. We got a lock on the number."
"Good work."Almeida acknowledged as he took the papers from her. "Did you try calling her cell again?"
Carrie nodded. "All I got was the operator. So the battery must be dead or the phone's damaged beyond use."
Tony tried not to think of the ways that a phone could be that badly damaged. "Okay. Keep trying Auda's phone. If
he dumped it maybe we can get a lock and get a general area of where he's been."
"Right away."Carrie replied. "We're still working on the land holdings."
Jack looked over at her. "Need some help?"
Carrie glanced at Tony who nodded. "You two work on that. I'm going to call Chappelle and tell him what's going on."
As Tony reached the stairs to his office Carrie touched his arm. "It's a mute point now that we know Auda has her. But
the lab results came back on the car. The blood was Michelle's."
Tony nodded grimly and slowly ascended the stairs to his office and closed the door behind him.
Carrie watched Tony for a moment her hand on the rail. She and Michelle weren't close that wasn't a secret. But
Carrie didn't wish any harm to come to her no matter what Michelle thought. And watching Tony now Carrie prayed that they
got Michelle home safely. She didn't think Tony could handle it if they didn't.
