Author Note: Almost finished only a really cheesy ending left. Don't say I
didn't warn you.
Jack sat and thought he felt like he was stuck in an episode of the Twilight Zone. First he found out that he did not kill Nina, but someone who looked like Nina, than her she is being nice to him, she was almost human. Was she right when she said people like them couldn't retire? Someone else had just told him that not too long ago. Who was it? It must have been Darla. Were they right? Was he doomed to continue leading the life he had thought he escaped? He missed the action, but he didn't miss days like today. He was semi-happy in his retirement, he had his guitar, his crappy apartment, and the TV. Not that there was ever anything on TV, but what more could he ask for? He even tried to sit down and write for a while, but every time he wrote something the next morning, he would look at it and know it was crap and erase it off his laptop. He had caught up on all of the books he had always meant to read, such as Catch-22. He rationalized with himself that all of these things were fine for him to do in life, and he denied the fact that he had even missed days like today. His life had become humdrum, for awhile that was what he wanted because he had never had, but it did not turn out that way. It was the dream he had always dreamed since he was able to remember. Like almost every other dream like that when he finally achieved it, he learned that was not what he wanted at all.
He heard the footsteps of people coming. The loud echo of shoes hitting the cement/tile floor echoed through the forsaken place. He waited patiently he knew they would stop here eventually to gloat that they, whoever they happened to be, had caught him again. He was no longer in the mood. He was hurt, tired, hungry, and pissed off. He did not need this anymore.
A few minutes after he heard the feet the door opened and someone pushed Darla into the room. She fell to the floor looking up at Jack who just sat against the wall. She asked him, "Are you okay?"
Jack did not have time to answer because Nina, Mandy, and some other man Jack had never met walked into the room. The man looked at Jack and said, "Nice to meet you finally, Jack. I've been a fan of yours for awhile. I was really sad when I heard you had retired, who was going to keep the evil out of the world. You already know everyone else."
"What do you want?" Jack asked not caring about anything at the moment.
"Ah. You want me to get to a point. That's good. Lets not worry about the little pleasantries. Well being the nice guy I am, I thought you would like to know something about your friend, Darla. She's not what she has made herself out to be. Not in the least. Are you Darla?"
Darla looked at the man she was going to deny it all until she turned blue. She knew the minute she told him Jack would be crushed. It would be Nina all over again. She looked at the man with her jaw locked.
"You are not going to tell him. Do you want me to tell him? I think it would be a lot better coming from you."
Darla gave him a cold stare, but did not say anything. The man pulled out his Glock 17 and walked up to Jack. He pointed the gun at Jack's good shoulder. "Darla, darling, why don't you tell him so he doesn't have to loose his only good arm at the moment?"
"You wouldn't do that." Darla said her eyes having a piercing look to them as if she could kill them with her look.
"Darla, I would. The only reason why he is still alive is because of a wish of my associate. I find it much easier just to either leave him alone or dead."
Jack sat on the floor and said, "We agree on something. As a matter of fact, why don't you just let me leave and I'll forget about all of this and go back to living my life."
"Because you won't, Jack. We both know that. Darla, last chance." The man said giving her the look that said I will do it. He pulled back the slide to chamber a round and started to pull back on the trigger.
"I'll tell him. Just take the damn gun away." Darla said at the last possible second before the trigger was pulled to far back and the bullet would be released spiraling at the untouched shoulder of Jack's.
"Talk." He said pointing the gun away from Jack.
"I'm so sorry, Jack." She started off because she knew when she got done talking he would not listen to her anymore. "I was young and they had my family and were going to kill them. As long as I helped they said they would help me and my family escape Kosovo and go somewhere normal." She paused because she knew all she was doing was making excuses. "They asked me to occupy you for awhile. They wanted you busy for at least an hour so that they could sneak in and check the different equipment you had and other things. They knew at the time you where not there just to keep the peace."
Jack looked at her and he felt guilt and pain all at the same time. It was Nina betraying him all over again only this time he helped in the death of his men. He had chosen to allow his feelings to interfere with the mission and doing that allowed Darla to do what she had to do. In the end, he aided in his own men's deaths because he let his guard down. His face only showed all of the pain and guilt for a second.
The man looked at him and said, "Get up."
Jack stood slowly trying to hide all the turmoil inside. He wanted to hurt Darla as he had wanted to hurt Nina. The man handed him his gun, "It has one bullet in it. Shoot her. If you turn the gun on me or anyone else I'll pull the trigger on my gun and you'll be dead."
Jack grabbed the gun and held it pointed at Darla with his one good arm. He thought about pulling the trigger. He had moments like this before when he killed Victor Drazen, and when he thought he had killed Nina. Each time, he did not get anything from it. He did not feel better after he killed Victor, who he thought had killed his daughter, and he really did not feel better after he killed who he thought was Nina. He actually felt worse, he felt like he had lost purpose. He had to have that someone to fight to keep going, and Nina had turned into that one person. Before Nina, it was his father who was his enemy. When his father died, it was changed from mission to mission. After Kosovo, it was himself, and after Nina, it was himself again. Only this time, it was not enough.
Darla looked up at Jack. She knew she had just hurt him and she waited for him to pull the trigger. She knew she deserved it. She had sold him and his men out for nothing. In the end they did not keep their promise. They made her do more, and in the end, her family was killed and she went through a lot just so that they could capture Victor Drazen.
Jack lowered the gun. He was not going to do it again because in the end, nothing would change. It was just as much his fault as it was hers, and he knew she had paid for it because they did not get her out, and her family was killed. Jack handed the gun back to the guy and said, "No thanks. I won't do it. Kill me if you want, but I won't do it."
Nina almost smiled to herself. Jack had yet again surprised her. He had a way of doing that. Every time she thought she had him figured out she was wrong. It had happened with Kit. She thought Jack would have broken and not have done what he did with Kit, but he did exactly what she assumed he would not be able to do. Jack, like most people, was a paradox and that is where the terrorist lost to him because they always assumed he was simple, as simple as a dichotomy. He was not black and white, but there was a lot of gray.
"Fine." The man said putting the gun in its holster. "Get up and face Jack." The man walked behind and acted as if he were going to cuff her.
Jack saw him raise the gun to Darla's head and Jack went to pull her towards the ground, but he was not quick enough. With tears running down her face, her expression showed the moment she knew the bullet had entered her head and she fell to the ground. Jack flinched away as he felt the bullet graze past him, her blood and brain matter flying onto his face and clothes. Jack fell backwards in his flinch and landed hard against the wall as he slid towards the floor. Darla lay at his feet, blood and gray matter pouring out of her head onto the floor by Jacks feet. Jack looked at her eyes all of the life was gone from them, she was gone forever.
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Chase ran up to Tony who was sitting in his office. His head were in his hands trying to figure out what in the hell was going on. He was not sure why these people wanted Jack or even Darla for that matter. Operation Nightfall had haunted Jack more than once and you would think they would have figured it out by now. Tony knew that Jack had tried to find all of the information surrounding it throughout his years at CTU.
"Tony." Chase said trying to get his attention as he burst into Tony's office.
"What do you want Chase?" Tony said looking up. The wear and tear of the past few days showing on his face.
"The APB on Jack and the woman worked out. We believe they were at a hotel together and possibly have a location on where they went." Chase said smiling, they finally had a break they had been sitting around for hours with their thumbs up their butts with nothing to do and no leads to follow.
Tony hurriedly got out of his chair and grabbed his coat putting it on over his gun. He and Chase left CTU in a hurry. Tony called Michelle from the car informing her where they were going and to call him if anything else came in.
Tony drove expeditiously towards the hotel when his cell phone rang. "Almeida?"
"Tony we have another APB on them the old mental hospital. I have a team in route should only be about twenty minutes before they get there. You should be there in ten. Please wait for them, Tony." Michelle pleaded knowing he would most likely go in guns a blazing.
"Good-bye Michelle, we're headed off to the hospital. Get whatever information you can on the people who own it now." Tony ordered when before he hung up his phone.
"What was that?" Chase asked in the passenger seat.
"We have a new APB on him. The old mental hospital, they might actually still be there." Tony said with slight excitement in his voice. The adrenaline was already pumping through his veins as he new he had a chance to get Jack free for once. He felt guilty the year of the nuclear bomb after he found out what happened to Jack. He never even thought about sending a team or someone out to get him or check on them even after it took longer than expected for them to reach CTU.
"Let's go." Chase said pulling out both of his guns to make sure he had them both loaded and ready to go.
When they reached the abandoned hospital, Tony noticed the van from earlier. There were only two there and one he knew for sure was the one he saw earlier. He drove past the hospital into a wooded area where he parked the car. He and Chase got out and watched the hospital for any movement on the inside or outside. Tony noticed two men smoking outside the back entrance. He looked at his watch, and the teams were still ten minutes off. He thought, What could go wrong in ten minutes? A lot.
Chase looked at Tony and said, "I'm going in with or without you. We don't know what is going on in there or if he is really in there, but I cannot sit here much longer."
"Yeah, I know." Tony said noticing a woman that look like Nina leaving the place. "Let's go."
The two ran quietly towards the hospital trying to keep out of sight and at the same time get close enough to the hospital to go in. They decided entering through the front would be the best option since there were clearly people in the back. Quietly, Tony opened the front door holding his breath hoping that it did not set an alarm off. Once inside, he let the breath go and went on to the next door. Anxiety was building up in him as he was anxious to get in and out quickly with Jack hopefully in tow on the way out. Slowly they walked down the empty dirty hallway towards the voices they heard not to far off. Tony heard footsteps coming. He and Chase rushed into one of the rooms closing the door behind them after they entered. Tony listened by placing his ear next to the door as two men struggled carrying something past the door. When he was sure they were clear, Tony waited another minute and opened the door. The first thing he noticed was the blood trail on the floor.
Chase looked at Tony and both had the same look of worry on their face. They continued quietly down the hallway following the blood trail. If Jack was dead, then the trail would lead them to the room of the people who killed him and they could kill them, or arrest them. The arresting was a last option in both men's minds.
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Michelle sat at her desk biting her nails. She hated when Tony went out in the field she knew what could happen out there. Out there, it would be seemingly funny for her to think of a world outside of CTU building being the field. She and her colleagues unlike most Americans knew the danger of the world and lived with it every day. She knew it took a special person to work for CTU. Most normal people would have left the United States by now to live in Switzerland, the country no one would ever attack because everyone's money is there and they are neutral. She fought the urge to call Tony's cell phone to see if he were waiting for the team. She was again watching a team going in to save someone who Tony was already going in after.
Kim walked up to her, "What's up, Michelle?" Kim said still worried about her father and having nothing to do. She and Adam had chased down ever possible lead and now were trying to think of more things to figure out.
Glen walked by and stopped to ask Kim how she felt.
Michelle not noticing Glen in the back ground answered, "We got an APB on your father did you not know that?"
"No, Adam and I have been running around chasing everything else. Do we think it is really him?"
"Yeah. Tony and Chase are there now. A team is on its way too."
Glen walked past Kim and Michelle on towards the exit of the building. When he got outside and to his car he took out his phone and called the people. "You have to get out of there now. They have a team coming. Two agents are already there."
"What? Are you sure?" The deep voice asked on the other line.
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Chase and Tony reached the end of the blood trail it led into a what looked like a padded cell. Tony watched the hallway while Chase peeped into the small window. Chase opened the door slowly as to make sure he made no noise. He was not sure if anyone was there. He walked up to Jack who sat on the floor with his head leaning back against the wall. Quietly Chase said, "Jack."
Jack's eyes opened and he looked up at Chase. Blood splattered on his face and shirt, and some of his own trickling down his neck onto his no longer clean shirt from the nick of the bullet that exited Darla's head. Jack's eyes lit up, he almost had given up on anyone coming. He noticed the worry on Chase's face and he said, "It's not all mine. I'm fine. They killed Darla." Jack looked at the ground hurt at the thought of her being gone. He had every reason to hate her and yet he still could not hate her. He still remembered the girl he saved from the soldiers and how her eyes and face would light up when she spoke of her cause.
"I'm sorry." Chase said noticing the look and Jack face, "Let's get out of here."
"Good idea." Jack said standing up and following Chase out of the room. The three walked down the hallway quietly. Chase gave Jack a back up gun in case he needed to use it. When they were close to the room Chase and Tony had hid in earlier a woman's voice said, "Stop right there or I'll shoot."
Jack spun around to see who it was and noticed Amber and Nina behind them. Tony had noticed Nina and the shock registered on his face as it had on Chase's.
Nina ordered, "Put the guns down now."
Jack held his gun steadily pointed at her.
"Jack put the gun down. Are you going to kill me again?
Tony lowered his Beretta to the ground knowing the team would be there in a few minutes so it would not matter if they were all taken into custody. Tony touched Jack's good shoulder and said, "Come on, Jack put the gun down."
Chase lowered his Beretta and looked at Nina in amazement. Jack lowered his P228 handgun and had it at his side.
"Drop the gun on the floor Jack." Nina ordered with her gun trained on Jack. He in the end was her only real threat. She knew she could take Chase because she had before. Tony and Chase both were not capable of seeing through her bullshit like Jack so she could easily manipulate the two. Jack could see through her and got harder to manipulate after every time he lost to her.
Jack let the gun fall from his hand and glared at Nina. He really wished now he had killed her he thought, but he knew it was not the truth. He hated Nina and detested her, but at the same time he knew she was the one person who ever figured him out. She was the only person he had ever even allowed a piece of himself out in the open. Teri knew the side of Jack she wanted to know and so did everyone else. Nina was the only person who knew the real Jack and how he felt and thought.
"Let's go." Nina said walking forward with Amber next to her. The guys listened to her and walked forward. They reached the front entrance and Nina ordered them to stop. The three turned around to look at her. "When you guys exit here, take off for the woods. I'm sure that is how you came in. I'm going to distract some of the people by taking one of the vans out of here. I would appreciate it if you didn't follow me. After all, I am helping you guys." Nina said noticing the look of shock on everyone's face.
Amber pointed her gun at Nina and asked, "What the fuck are you talking about? They are going to be pissed once they find out."
"Amber, I've been in this business longer than you and have seen more than you could ever dream of. This is my advice to you, leave with them, and hope that someone steps up for you and go live your life. Let go of whatever is bothering you." Nina said looking the woman in the eyes. Nina turned her gaze to Jack who recovered from the shock of Nina helping them escape, "Jack, will you help her out? She's too damn young to have to live a life like we have."
"Yeah." Jack said swallowing hard. "She did help me out."
"See? Now go with them." Nina said walking past Jack and the others.
They exited the building quickly running across the open area to the woods where Tony's car was parked. They all piled in and waited for Nina to take off. "What's going on?" Tony asked.
"Tony, do me a favor. Forget about Amber here. She helped out, that is all. She was forced to help them out and never really knew what she was in." Jack said looking Tony in the eyes trying to convey that Jack did not want anything to happen to Amber.
"Jack, I'm not sure about that." Tony answered wondering why Jack was trying to help her.
"Tony, please. I cannot explain it right now, but please just do this favor for me." Jack pleading.
Ever since Tony knew Jack the man had asked for very few favors and he never pleaded for Tony to help him before. Tony was not sure what the woman meant to Jack, but he decided to follow through with Jack. "Fine Jack, but please find one day when you can explain it to me."
"I will. I promise." Jack said feeling as if he had just righted a few of the wrongs he had done in his life.
Amber was relieved. She wanted to get out of the situation ever since she signed up for it and only continued in fear of being killed. She had a way out and possibly a clean way out she never figured she'd have.
Nina sped off down the road distracting the men who were no longer smoking, but just talking. When she was out of sight, the team landed and went in on their attack of the structure. They ended the battle in ten minutes taking some men into custody and others were off to the morgue. The main guy was no where to be found. Some of the men who were only injured stated that he had taken off a few minutes before the team landed out the back via the other van.
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When Tony and the others got back to CTU, Ryan Chappelle took on the task of interfering again in the business of CTU. Chappelle himself debriefed Jack and tried to probe on more information about Amber. Chappelle was sure Jack was hiding something about the woman, and tried to get the information, but Jack would not give it up.
Finally Chappelle gave in and said, "I hope she is worth protecting."
Jack looked up at him and his eyes told him that Jack knew what he was doing and there was no way Chappelle would ever get the full story.
Tony walked into the integration room Chappelle had been debriefing Jack in and said, "You'll never believe this."
"What now?" Chappelle said tired and upset that he could not get everything out of Jack.
"We just got a package. It's a virus that the people must have been trying to buy. The person who brought it claimed he was paid to deliver it and tell Jack Bauer that this was all of it, and good luck." Tony said looking at Jack as if to find out who Jack thought it was. Tony had his own theory that it was the woman who looked like Nina.
Jack smiled and said, "She never stops throwing me off."
"I have one last question Jack before you leave. Why did they need you? I understand the idea of getting back at you for whatever Kate Warner and her family thought you had done, but why the other group?" Chappelle asked, wondering himself what the answer was.
"I'm not sure why they wanted me. At first, I thought it was another blowback from Operation Nightfall, but in the end, they gave me more information on it. I don't know why. Maybe the woman who I believe was Nina needed to let me know she was not dead and could still fuck with me. I seriously do not know."
"Fine. The President wanted to speak to you when you got back. I'll have Chloe bring in a phone for you." Chappelle said before he left the room.
Jack called the President, and began the conversation with, "I'm sorry about earlier. It was a little extreme for me to go too. If you want to press charges, I understand sir."
"Jack, I owe you the apology. I had not right to keep you here or make others believe you were dead without your permission. At the time, it made sense. I called to tell you that I did know about the other team, but I did not or would ever order the deaths of innocent American soldiers. I do not know how they got the information or who was behind it. I did get a warning from my CIA friend and they have gotten to him. I'm going to let things cool off a little and then when you feel like it, I want you to look into the matter."
Jack smiled at the thought that someone was finally going to let him look into the horrible mission and he said, "Sir, I doubt I should be the one to do it. I am very biased of the information."
"I know that Jack, but I want you to do it. You can choose whoever you want to help you. And I will make sure that you have everything you need. The investigation would be top-secret of course."
"Yes sir. I'll call you when I've recovered. At the moment, I just want to go off and get away from everything sir."
"I don't blame you. Thank you Jack. Good-bye."
Jack hung the phone up and made another call.
A woman's voice answered, "Hello?"
"Carol it's Jack. Do you still have the cabin in the mountains dad left us?"
"Yes, of course Jack. Why?"
"Can I use it for awhile?"
"Yeah, but you have to stop up and see me. I have not seen you in so long, nor have you called me."
"I will be up in a few days then." Jack answered. Jack said goodbye and left to look for Kim. He found her standing with Chase.
"Excuse me. May I talk to her privately for a moment?" Jack asked Chase.
Chase was a little leery about leaving Kim. He was afraid that Jack would get on her about their relationship again. Kim looked at him and said, "I'll meet you downstairs honey."
Jack looked at his daughter he was not sure where to begin. "Are you okay?" He asked noticing the tired look and the bandages.
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm good. I'm going to go up to Aunt Carols cabin for a few months. If you need me, call my cell phone."
Kim hugged her father and kissed him on the cheek. Jack turned to walk away and turned back around, "Kim."
"Yes dad?"
"I'm sorry about everything. Chase is a good guy for you." Jack turned around and walked away leaving Kim stunned by his words. Jack found Tony and got his cell phone and other things from earlier and left CTU. When he was in the garage he found Chase waiting for Kim to join him. Jack walked over to him and said, "Treat her good or I'll kill you."
"What?" Chase said stunned by Jack.
"Don't hurt her."
"You approve?"
"No. I'm just giving you advice." Jack said smiling as he turned from the young agent. He was not completely happy with Kim's choice in men, but Jack understood all too well you cannot control the people you love, and she has had worse. As an after thought he thought, So have I.
Jack sat and thought he felt like he was stuck in an episode of the Twilight Zone. First he found out that he did not kill Nina, but someone who looked like Nina, than her she is being nice to him, she was almost human. Was she right when she said people like them couldn't retire? Someone else had just told him that not too long ago. Who was it? It must have been Darla. Were they right? Was he doomed to continue leading the life he had thought he escaped? He missed the action, but he didn't miss days like today. He was semi-happy in his retirement, he had his guitar, his crappy apartment, and the TV. Not that there was ever anything on TV, but what more could he ask for? He even tried to sit down and write for a while, but every time he wrote something the next morning, he would look at it and know it was crap and erase it off his laptop. He had caught up on all of the books he had always meant to read, such as Catch-22. He rationalized with himself that all of these things were fine for him to do in life, and he denied the fact that he had even missed days like today. His life had become humdrum, for awhile that was what he wanted because he had never had, but it did not turn out that way. It was the dream he had always dreamed since he was able to remember. Like almost every other dream like that when he finally achieved it, he learned that was not what he wanted at all.
He heard the footsteps of people coming. The loud echo of shoes hitting the cement/tile floor echoed through the forsaken place. He waited patiently he knew they would stop here eventually to gloat that they, whoever they happened to be, had caught him again. He was no longer in the mood. He was hurt, tired, hungry, and pissed off. He did not need this anymore.
A few minutes after he heard the feet the door opened and someone pushed Darla into the room. She fell to the floor looking up at Jack who just sat against the wall. She asked him, "Are you okay?"
Jack did not have time to answer because Nina, Mandy, and some other man Jack had never met walked into the room. The man looked at Jack and said, "Nice to meet you finally, Jack. I've been a fan of yours for awhile. I was really sad when I heard you had retired, who was going to keep the evil out of the world. You already know everyone else."
"What do you want?" Jack asked not caring about anything at the moment.
"Ah. You want me to get to a point. That's good. Lets not worry about the little pleasantries. Well being the nice guy I am, I thought you would like to know something about your friend, Darla. She's not what she has made herself out to be. Not in the least. Are you Darla?"
Darla looked at the man she was going to deny it all until she turned blue. She knew the minute she told him Jack would be crushed. It would be Nina all over again. She looked at the man with her jaw locked.
"You are not going to tell him. Do you want me to tell him? I think it would be a lot better coming from you."
Darla gave him a cold stare, but did not say anything. The man pulled out his Glock 17 and walked up to Jack. He pointed the gun at Jack's good shoulder. "Darla, darling, why don't you tell him so he doesn't have to loose his only good arm at the moment?"
"You wouldn't do that." Darla said her eyes having a piercing look to them as if she could kill them with her look.
"Darla, I would. The only reason why he is still alive is because of a wish of my associate. I find it much easier just to either leave him alone or dead."
Jack sat on the floor and said, "We agree on something. As a matter of fact, why don't you just let me leave and I'll forget about all of this and go back to living my life."
"Because you won't, Jack. We both know that. Darla, last chance." The man said giving her the look that said I will do it. He pulled back the slide to chamber a round and started to pull back on the trigger.
"I'll tell him. Just take the damn gun away." Darla said at the last possible second before the trigger was pulled to far back and the bullet would be released spiraling at the untouched shoulder of Jack's.
"Talk." He said pointing the gun away from Jack.
"I'm so sorry, Jack." She started off because she knew when she got done talking he would not listen to her anymore. "I was young and they had my family and were going to kill them. As long as I helped they said they would help me and my family escape Kosovo and go somewhere normal." She paused because she knew all she was doing was making excuses. "They asked me to occupy you for awhile. They wanted you busy for at least an hour so that they could sneak in and check the different equipment you had and other things. They knew at the time you where not there just to keep the peace."
Jack looked at her and he felt guilt and pain all at the same time. It was Nina betraying him all over again only this time he helped in the death of his men. He had chosen to allow his feelings to interfere with the mission and doing that allowed Darla to do what she had to do. In the end, he aided in his own men's deaths because he let his guard down. His face only showed all of the pain and guilt for a second.
The man looked at him and said, "Get up."
Jack stood slowly trying to hide all the turmoil inside. He wanted to hurt Darla as he had wanted to hurt Nina. The man handed him his gun, "It has one bullet in it. Shoot her. If you turn the gun on me or anyone else I'll pull the trigger on my gun and you'll be dead."
Jack grabbed the gun and held it pointed at Darla with his one good arm. He thought about pulling the trigger. He had moments like this before when he killed Victor Drazen, and when he thought he had killed Nina. Each time, he did not get anything from it. He did not feel better after he killed Victor, who he thought had killed his daughter, and he really did not feel better after he killed who he thought was Nina. He actually felt worse, he felt like he had lost purpose. He had to have that someone to fight to keep going, and Nina had turned into that one person. Before Nina, it was his father who was his enemy. When his father died, it was changed from mission to mission. After Kosovo, it was himself, and after Nina, it was himself again. Only this time, it was not enough.
Darla looked up at Jack. She knew she had just hurt him and she waited for him to pull the trigger. She knew she deserved it. She had sold him and his men out for nothing. In the end they did not keep their promise. They made her do more, and in the end, her family was killed and she went through a lot just so that they could capture Victor Drazen.
Jack lowered the gun. He was not going to do it again because in the end, nothing would change. It was just as much his fault as it was hers, and he knew she had paid for it because they did not get her out, and her family was killed. Jack handed the gun back to the guy and said, "No thanks. I won't do it. Kill me if you want, but I won't do it."
Nina almost smiled to herself. Jack had yet again surprised her. He had a way of doing that. Every time she thought she had him figured out she was wrong. It had happened with Kit. She thought Jack would have broken and not have done what he did with Kit, but he did exactly what she assumed he would not be able to do. Jack, like most people, was a paradox and that is where the terrorist lost to him because they always assumed he was simple, as simple as a dichotomy. He was not black and white, but there was a lot of gray.
"Fine." The man said putting the gun in its holster. "Get up and face Jack." The man walked behind and acted as if he were going to cuff her.
Jack saw him raise the gun to Darla's head and Jack went to pull her towards the ground, but he was not quick enough. With tears running down her face, her expression showed the moment she knew the bullet had entered her head and she fell to the ground. Jack flinched away as he felt the bullet graze past him, her blood and brain matter flying onto his face and clothes. Jack fell backwards in his flinch and landed hard against the wall as he slid towards the floor. Darla lay at his feet, blood and gray matter pouring out of her head onto the floor by Jacks feet. Jack looked at her eyes all of the life was gone from them, she was gone forever.
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Chase ran up to Tony who was sitting in his office. His head were in his hands trying to figure out what in the hell was going on. He was not sure why these people wanted Jack or even Darla for that matter. Operation Nightfall had haunted Jack more than once and you would think they would have figured it out by now. Tony knew that Jack had tried to find all of the information surrounding it throughout his years at CTU.
"Tony." Chase said trying to get his attention as he burst into Tony's office.
"What do you want Chase?" Tony said looking up. The wear and tear of the past few days showing on his face.
"The APB on Jack and the woman worked out. We believe they were at a hotel together and possibly have a location on where they went." Chase said smiling, they finally had a break they had been sitting around for hours with their thumbs up their butts with nothing to do and no leads to follow.
Tony hurriedly got out of his chair and grabbed his coat putting it on over his gun. He and Chase left CTU in a hurry. Tony called Michelle from the car informing her where they were going and to call him if anything else came in.
Tony drove expeditiously towards the hotel when his cell phone rang. "Almeida?"
"Tony we have another APB on them the old mental hospital. I have a team in route should only be about twenty minutes before they get there. You should be there in ten. Please wait for them, Tony." Michelle pleaded knowing he would most likely go in guns a blazing.
"Good-bye Michelle, we're headed off to the hospital. Get whatever information you can on the people who own it now." Tony ordered when before he hung up his phone.
"What was that?" Chase asked in the passenger seat.
"We have a new APB on him. The old mental hospital, they might actually still be there." Tony said with slight excitement in his voice. The adrenaline was already pumping through his veins as he new he had a chance to get Jack free for once. He felt guilty the year of the nuclear bomb after he found out what happened to Jack. He never even thought about sending a team or someone out to get him or check on them even after it took longer than expected for them to reach CTU.
"Let's go." Chase said pulling out both of his guns to make sure he had them both loaded and ready to go.
When they reached the abandoned hospital, Tony noticed the van from earlier. There were only two there and one he knew for sure was the one he saw earlier. He drove past the hospital into a wooded area where he parked the car. He and Chase got out and watched the hospital for any movement on the inside or outside. Tony noticed two men smoking outside the back entrance. He looked at his watch, and the teams were still ten minutes off. He thought, What could go wrong in ten minutes? A lot.
Chase looked at Tony and said, "I'm going in with or without you. We don't know what is going on in there or if he is really in there, but I cannot sit here much longer."
"Yeah, I know." Tony said noticing a woman that look like Nina leaving the place. "Let's go."
The two ran quietly towards the hospital trying to keep out of sight and at the same time get close enough to the hospital to go in. They decided entering through the front would be the best option since there were clearly people in the back. Quietly, Tony opened the front door holding his breath hoping that it did not set an alarm off. Once inside, he let the breath go and went on to the next door. Anxiety was building up in him as he was anxious to get in and out quickly with Jack hopefully in tow on the way out. Slowly they walked down the empty dirty hallway towards the voices they heard not to far off. Tony heard footsteps coming. He and Chase rushed into one of the rooms closing the door behind them after they entered. Tony listened by placing his ear next to the door as two men struggled carrying something past the door. When he was sure they were clear, Tony waited another minute and opened the door. The first thing he noticed was the blood trail on the floor.
Chase looked at Tony and both had the same look of worry on their face. They continued quietly down the hallway following the blood trail. If Jack was dead, then the trail would lead them to the room of the people who killed him and they could kill them, or arrest them. The arresting was a last option in both men's minds.
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Michelle sat at her desk biting her nails. She hated when Tony went out in the field she knew what could happen out there. Out there, it would be seemingly funny for her to think of a world outside of CTU building being the field. She and her colleagues unlike most Americans knew the danger of the world and lived with it every day. She knew it took a special person to work for CTU. Most normal people would have left the United States by now to live in Switzerland, the country no one would ever attack because everyone's money is there and they are neutral. She fought the urge to call Tony's cell phone to see if he were waiting for the team. She was again watching a team going in to save someone who Tony was already going in after.
Kim walked up to her, "What's up, Michelle?" Kim said still worried about her father and having nothing to do. She and Adam had chased down ever possible lead and now were trying to think of more things to figure out.
Glen walked by and stopped to ask Kim how she felt.
Michelle not noticing Glen in the back ground answered, "We got an APB on your father did you not know that?"
"No, Adam and I have been running around chasing everything else. Do we think it is really him?"
"Yeah. Tony and Chase are there now. A team is on its way too."
Glen walked past Kim and Michelle on towards the exit of the building. When he got outside and to his car he took out his phone and called the people. "You have to get out of there now. They have a team coming. Two agents are already there."
"What? Are you sure?" The deep voice asked on the other line.
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Chase and Tony reached the end of the blood trail it led into a what looked like a padded cell. Tony watched the hallway while Chase peeped into the small window. Chase opened the door slowly as to make sure he made no noise. He was not sure if anyone was there. He walked up to Jack who sat on the floor with his head leaning back against the wall. Quietly Chase said, "Jack."
Jack's eyes opened and he looked up at Chase. Blood splattered on his face and shirt, and some of his own trickling down his neck onto his no longer clean shirt from the nick of the bullet that exited Darla's head. Jack's eyes lit up, he almost had given up on anyone coming. He noticed the worry on Chase's face and he said, "It's not all mine. I'm fine. They killed Darla." Jack looked at the ground hurt at the thought of her being gone. He had every reason to hate her and yet he still could not hate her. He still remembered the girl he saved from the soldiers and how her eyes and face would light up when she spoke of her cause.
"I'm sorry." Chase said noticing the look and Jack face, "Let's get out of here."
"Good idea." Jack said standing up and following Chase out of the room. The three walked down the hallway quietly. Chase gave Jack a back up gun in case he needed to use it. When they were close to the room Chase and Tony had hid in earlier a woman's voice said, "Stop right there or I'll shoot."
Jack spun around to see who it was and noticed Amber and Nina behind them. Tony had noticed Nina and the shock registered on his face as it had on Chase's.
Nina ordered, "Put the guns down now."
Jack held his gun steadily pointed at her.
"Jack put the gun down. Are you going to kill me again?
Tony lowered his Beretta to the ground knowing the team would be there in a few minutes so it would not matter if they were all taken into custody. Tony touched Jack's good shoulder and said, "Come on, Jack put the gun down."
Chase lowered his Beretta and looked at Nina in amazement. Jack lowered his P228 handgun and had it at his side.
"Drop the gun on the floor Jack." Nina ordered with her gun trained on Jack. He in the end was her only real threat. She knew she could take Chase because she had before. Tony and Chase both were not capable of seeing through her bullshit like Jack so she could easily manipulate the two. Jack could see through her and got harder to manipulate after every time he lost to her.
Jack let the gun fall from his hand and glared at Nina. He really wished now he had killed her he thought, but he knew it was not the truth. He hated Nina and detested her, but at the same time he knew she was the one person who ever figured him out. She was the only person he had ever even allowed a piece of himself out in the open. Teri knew the side of Jack she wanted to know and so did everyone else. Nina was the only person who knew the real Jack and how he felt and thought.
"Let's go." Nina said walking forward with Amber next to her. The guys listened to her and walked forward. They reached the front entrance and Nina ordered them to stop. The three turned around to look at her. "When you guys exit here, take off for the woods. I'm sure that is how you came in. I'm going to distract some of the people by taking one of the vans out of here. I would appreciate it if you didn't follow me. After all, I am helping you guys." Nina said noticing the look of shock on everyone's face.
Amber pointed her gun at Nina and asked, "What the fuck are you talking about? They are going to be pissed once they find out."
"Amber, I've been in this business longer than you and have seen more than you could ever dream of. This is my advice to you, leave with them, and hope that someone steps up for you and go live your life. Let go of whatever is bothering you." Nina said looking the woman in the eyes. Nina turned her gaze to Jack who recovered from the shock of Nina helping them escape, "Jack, will you help her out? She's too damn young to have to live a life like we have."
"Yeah." Jack said swallowing hard. "She did help me out."
"See? Now go with them." Nina said walking past Jack and the others.
They exited the building quickly running across the open area to the woods where Tony's car was parked. They all piled in and waited for Nina to take off. "What's going on?" Tony asked.
"Tony, do me a favor. Forget about Amber here. She helped out, that is all. She was forced to help them out and never really knew what she was in." Jack said looking Tony in the eyes trying to convey that Jack did not want anything to happen to Amber.
"Jack, I'm not sure about that." Tony answered wondering why Jack was trying to help her.
"Tony, please. I cannot explain it right now, but please just do this favor for me." Jack pleading.
Ever since Tony knew Jack the man had asked for very few favors and he never pleaded for Tony to help him before. Tony was not sure what the woman meant to Jack, but he decided to follow through with Jack. "Fine Jack, but please find one day when you can explain it to me."
"I will. I promise." Jack said feeling as if he had just righted a few of the wrongs he had done in his life.
Amber was relieved. She wanted to get out of the situation ever since she signed up for it and only continued in fear of being killed. She had a way out and possibly a clean way out she never figured she'd have.
Nina sped off down the road distracting the men who were no longer smoking, but just talking. When she was out of sight, the team landed and went in on their attack of the structure. They ended the battle in ten minutes taking some men into custody and others were off to the morgue. The main guy was no where to be found. Some of the men who were only injured stated that he had taken off a few minutes before the team landed out the back via the other van.
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When Tony and the others got back to CTU, Ryan Chappelle took on the task of interfering again in the business of CTU. Chappelle himself debriefed Jack and tried to probe on more information about Amber. Chappelle was sure Jack was hiding something about the woman, and tried to get the information, but Jack would not give it up.
Finally Chappelle gave in and said, "I hope she is worth protecting."
Jack looked up at him and his eyes told him that Jack knew what he was doing and there was no way Chappelle would ever get the full story.
Tony walked into the integration room Chappelle had been debriefing Jack in and said, "You'll never believe this."
"What now?" Chappelle said tired and upset that he could not get everything out of Jack.
"We just got a package. It's a virus that the people must have been trying to buy. The person who brought it claimed he was paid to deliver it and tell Jack Bauer that this was all of it, and good luck." Tony said looking at Jack as if to find out who Jack thought it was. Tony had his own theory that it was the woman who looked like Nina.
Jack smiled and said, "She never stops throwing me off."
"I have one last question Jack before you leave. Why did they need you? I understand the idea of getting back at you for whatever Kate Warner and her family thought you had done, but why the other group?" Chappelle asked, wondering himself what the answer was.
"I'm not sure why they wanted me. At first, I thought it was another blowback from Operation Nightfall, but in the end, they gave me more information on it. I don't know why. Maybe the woman who I believe was Nina needed to let me know she was not dead and could still fuck with me. I seriously do not know."
"Fine. The President wanted to speak to you when you got back. I'll have Chloe bring in a phone for you." Chappelle said before he left the room.
Jack called the President, and began the conversation with, "I'm sorry about earlier. It was a little extreme for me to go too. If you want to press charges, I understand sir."
"Jack, I owe you the apology. I had not right to keep you here or make others believe you were dead without your permission. At the time, it made sense. I called to tell you that I did know about the other team, but I did not or would ever order the deaths of innocent American soldiers. I do not know how they got the information or who was behind it. I did get a warning from my CIA friend and they have gotten to him. I'm going to let things cool off a little and then when you feel like it, I want you to look into the matter."
Jack smiled at the thought that someone was finally going to let him look into the horrible mission and he said, "Sir, I doubt I should be the one to do it. I am very biased of the information."
"I know that Jack, but I want you to do it. You can choose whoever you want to help you. And I will make sure that you have everything you need. The investigation would be top-secret of course."
"Yes sir. I'll call you when I've recovered. At the moment, I just want to go off and get away from everything sir."
"I don't blame you. Thank you Jack. Good-bye."
Jack hung the phone up and made another call.
A woman's voice answered, "Hello?"
"Carol it's Jack. Do you still have the cabin in the mountains dad left us?"
"Yes, of course Jack. Why?"
"Can I use it for awhile?"
"Yeah, but you have to stop up and see me. I have not seen you in so long, nor have you called me."
"I will be up in a few days then." Jack answered. Jack said goodbye and left to look for Kim. He found her standing with Chase.
"Excuse me. May I talk to her privately for a moment?" Jack asked Chase.
Chase was a little leery about leaving Kim. He was afraid that Jack would get on her about their relationship again. Kim looked at him and said, "I'll meet you downstairs honey."
Jack looked at his daughter he was not sure where to begin. "Are you okay?" He asked noticing the tired look and the bandages.
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm good. I'm going to go up to Aunt Carols cabin for a few months. If you need me, call my cell phone."
Kim hugged her father and kissed him on the cheek. Jack turned to walk away and turned back around, "Kim."
"Yes dad?"
"I'm sorry about everything. Chase is a good guy for you." Jack turned around and walked away leaving Kim stunned by his words. Jack found Tony and got his cell phone and other things from earlier and left CTU. When he was in the garage he found Chase waiting for Kim to join him. Jack walked over to him and said, "Treat her good or I'll kill you."
"What?" Chase said stunned by Jack.
"Don't hurt her."
"You approve?"
"No. I'm just giving you advice." Jack said smiling as he turned from the young agent. He was not completely happy with Kim's choice in men, but Jack understood all too well you cannot control the people you love, and she has had worse. As an after thought he thought, So have I.