(WARNING DESPRATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPRATE MEASURES.)

The following occurs between the hours of 8:00 and 9:00 p.m.

8:00

Tony was in his office with Michelle, Chase, Palmer, Kim, and Kate. They were talking about what had transpired at the hospital when Chappelle walked in to the office.

"Are we having a powwow?" He said before he noticed the President sitting on the couch. "Sorry Mr. President I didn't notice you were in here. Please for give me."

"We were discussing what happened at the hospital and Chase's theory on the events of today." The President said, allowing his anger to show, something he rarely did.

"What theory is that Chase?" Chappelle asked.

Chase outlined what he thought about the kidnappings and other events that had occurred.

"I can see why you might think that, but what's the link? The last link we knew of between the President and Jack was Drazen. The other link was killed in the abandoned warehouse today. So what else could there be?" Chappelle asked trying to figure out what it might be.

Palmer looked up and said, "I cannot think of a link between Jack, Nina and myself. I've been racking my brain since Chase mentioned the idea. I have no clue."

Tony added, "Maybe it's a group who hates Jack for doing something in the past, they hate you because of something else, and it's Nina's organization trying to get rid of her?"

8:10

Jack woke up and squinted his eyes in the dark room. There was someone sitting on the end the bed. He sat up to look at the foot of the bed. He barely whispered, "Nina?" His voice was quiet and scratchy and it hurt to speak.

Nina jumped at the end of the bed. She was not expecting anyone to call to her. She looked at Jack sitting up in the bed, "how are you feeling?'

In a hoarse whisper Jack said, "I've felt worse. Where am I?"

"You're at my Uncles house. My people called me and told me to kill you. I didn't do it as you can tell, but if I didn't someone else would." Nina said softly as she got up from the bed.

"Why?" Was all Jack could say. He didn't understand. They hated each other and wanted to see one another dead. He knew if she didn't kill him they would kill both of them, and Nina was a selfish person who would kill anyone in a heartbeat to save herself.

"I don't know." She said lying. She knew why. She had crappy childhood, and an even crappier adulthood. This was her way of trying to fix things. This was her way of stopping the cycle she got caught in as a child. "You must be hungry. I'm starving let me see if they have anything to eat here." Nina said walking out of the room.

She ran into her Aunt in the kitchen and asked, "Can we have something to eat?"

Her Aunt who had always loved Nina even when she was at her worse said, "Sure honey. What would you like?"

"Do you have chicken and noodle soup for Jack?"

"Let me look." She walked over to the cabinet and opened it up, "Yeah. I can make that. What about you? I know your hungry and your so skinny. Why don't I heat up the leftovers from dinner for you? We had meatballs."

"Thank you. Do you have more of that tea you had me give Jack earlier?"

"Sure I'll heat some of that up too."

The two ladies were busy heating the food and drinks up while Nina's Uncle walked into the room Jack was now sitting in.

"Hello. I'm Nina's Uncle Rick."

Jack said, "Hi. I'm Jack."

"I know who you are. I've read about you in the papers many of times. You are one hell of a guy. You were in the Army originally correct?"

"Yeah. I left as a Captain."

"I retired as a Major."

"Thanks for having us in for awhile." Jack said trying to hide the pain of talking.

"No problem. After I found Nina turned I didn't want anything to do with her. I couldn't believe my little niece who was everything to me could do that to her country. But when she showed up today I remembered the frighten little girl from her childhood. I remembered all the stuff she has gone through, and than it occurred to me that she was always heading in that direction, it doesn't make what she did right, but I see how it was my fault for not getting her away from her mom and dad."

Jack did not say anything to Rick. What could he say? He still had hate for Nina. The hate would always be there because every time he tried to remember the good times with her remembered holding his dead wife in his arms. He would remember the look on Kim's face, and the struggle to get Kim back afterwards, and the hate came back again.

Nina came back into the room holding a tray with a bowl of soup and a cup of tea on it. "I didn't think you should have anything solid yet so I figured chicken noodle soup would do. I also had my aunt make some more of the tea you drank earlier as it seems that it helped you." Nina said setting the tray down by Jack. "We are going to be leaving soon. I think I have a plan."

"What that?" Jack asked, wondering if she would revert back to her true form and hand him over to her employers.

"We'll talk about it later. I don't want them to hear anything incase they trace us here. Do you want to call and let Kim know your fine?"

"I should. She's probably worried sick to death."

Nina tossed Jack a cell phone and said, "Please don't tell them where you are at. I think CTU is still compromised and with all of the other things that have happened today I wouldn't be surprised if the President still had moles inside."

Jack dialed the number to CTU. He figured that is where Kim would be since he was missing. The phone rang a few times before Chloe picked it up.

"CTU, Chloe speaking."

In his scratchy voice Jack said, "Let me speak to Kim Bauer. . . I mean Edmunds." Jack was still getting used to her marrying Chase.

"Hold please." Chloe hit the intercom button and waited for Tony to pick up the phone, "Almeida?"

"Tony. I think I have Jack on the other line, I'm not sure his voice is rougher and quieter than usual."

"Patch him through and start a trace."

"Hello." Tony said when he heard the other line click in.

"Tony? It's Jack. Let me speak to Kim."

"What happening Jack?" Tony asked.

"Everything is fine. Nina and I are working on something. I just wanted to call to let Kim know I'm fine and not to worry. Everything is ok."

"Jack you should be in the hospital still. Nina had no right to take you out at gun point. Is she there with you?"

"Not in the room. I got to go. We need to move to a new location. Keep the President and Kim safe. Don't let them leave your sight if they haven't already."

"I already figured that Jack. Maybe you two should join us at CTU?"

"Can't. Sorry." Jack said as he hung up the phone. He set the phone down and began to devour his food. He was starving he felt like he hadn't eaten all day. Going down it hurt at first, but later it became soothing.

When they were finished Nina asked her Uncle if she could barrow some clothes for Jack. Both me were about the same size. He Uncle was a little bit bigger around the waist, but other than that everything fit, even a pair of shoes. Jack thanked him for the clothes and walked out to the car with Nina. They got in and drove off into the night.

***********************************************************************

"We got the trace. They are outside of L.A. at a vineyard." Chloe told Tony over the phone.

"Good send some people there. Chase and Richardson are going to head out now." Tony ordered.

Chase jumped out of his chair and headed towards the parking lot where he would meet Richardson to go get Jack.

8:35

Keller and others outlined a plan to cover up the CIA's secret plan of hiring terrorist groups, such as second wave, to reek havoc in the U.S. This would make the CIA's budget rise and undermine David Palmers Presidency. They all cursed one another for allowing the other plan of having Jack and the President taken out, but they couldn't blame themselves for being ambitious. Keller cursed himself for thinking that Treadstone could handle it all, but he took out that link. All there was left was Nina Myers. She knew too much. She had Bauer and that made her easier to track because Bauer was hurt so they were slower. All he had to do now was capture Nina and move on with the plan. Palmer was unreachable, but maybe he could deal with the man. Everyone had a price, even Palmer. Jack on the other hand was beaten. The poor man has been so messed up over the past few hours that killing him would not be worth it. Nina was the only target. She disobeyed an order and was loose cannon now.

8:40

Nina and Jack were on a country road heading towards Treadstones friends house. Nina had been there twice and she knew well that if Treadstone left anything behind it was with this man, and he would pick up the torch and run with it.

Nina was driving when a car pulled up behind them. She hadn't noticed it till it was right on them. The driver had the lights off, she sped up. The car turned its lights on and was much faster than the car Nina was driving so it easily passed them. Nina breathed a sigh of relief when the car passed because it passed there was no reason to pass them if they wanted to stop them. But that sigh only lasted a moment because another car came up behind them and rammed them hard.

The impact of the car behind them sent Jack flying forward in the passenger seat. The seat belt pushed him back, but he let out a groan of pain because it was his hurt shoulder that the seat belt was on. Nina went to speed up but the car that passed them earlier was stopped in the center of the road. She swerved past it almost hitting a ditch. Recovering she got back on the road and drove until a loud cracking noise filled the night air. One of the tires blew out and Nina fought to keep the car under control, but it was worthless. The car turned sideways and than began to flip over until it lost its momentum and landed upside down.

8:50 (TIME DRIVING EXPLAINS JUMP IN TIME)

"Tony we rerouted a satellite to that area and there were three cars driving two of which didn't become visible until they were right up on the third. The third car flipped. I think that was the one the Jack and Nina were in. But I'm not sure." Chloe relayed to Tony.

"Where at?"

Chloe gave him the coordinates and Tony called Chase to relay the coordinates given to him.

"We're about twenty minutes out." Chase said. "Can you follow them on the satellite?"

8:57 8:58 8:59