AN: This is an AU fic that picks up mid-3rd season. If you haven't watched third season then you will probably be a little confused. It starts with Jack trying to convince Nina that he's had a change of heart and his no longer working for CTU. The 24 and the characters are the sole property of Fox and unfortunately don't belong to me. The Lyrics at the beginning are from "Anything for you" by Evanescence. Please RR. Thanks, enjoy!
Convince Me
Chapter One
Can you Forget?
I'd give anything to give me to you
Can you forget the world that you thought you knew
If you want me,
Come and find me
Nothing's stopping you so please release me
I'll believe
All your lies
Just pretend you love me
Make believe
Close your eyes
I'll be anything for you
"Convince Me." The words hung heavily in the air for a second. Nina waited, curious to see how desperate Jack really was. To her surprise he closed the distance between them, his lips seeking hers, hesitant at first and then more insistently. A small part of her desperately wanted to believe this, wanted to believe that Jack was truly this disenchanted with the life that had meant everything to him before. She had wanted this for so long. Jack was the only thing that she could never completely let go of. She tried to burn him from her brain. She tried to put enough distance and death and lies between them to allow herself to forget, but now in this moment she realized how fruitless that effort had been. She could sense that he was holding back. He was simply trying to sell his lie in the only way he knew she would buy. She couldn't afford to be believe him, not now, there was too much at stake. Nina pulled back pushing him away slightly.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and his eyes locked with hers. There was something in his expression that she wasn't prepared for. He looked as though he had been waiting for her to say those words, as if he needed to hear them. It was as if by saying them she was shouldering some of the burden of guilt that constantly pressed on his shoulders. She told herself that she had imagined it, that Jack was an excellent actor, but somehow she found herself unable to turn him away.
Nina had meant to say, "I am sorry Jack, I just don't believe you." but those words died in her throat as his lips found hers again. The taste of him made everything else seem strangely distant and unimportant. After all, what did she have to lose? He couldn't kill her, not now she was his only link to the virus and twenty million dollars was a rather tempting prize. She had been so bored for so long that suddenly the risks seemed worth it. The ringing of her cell phone drug Nina forcibly back to reality.
"Duty calls." She said pulling away and fishing her phone out of her pocket and answering it "Myers." She listened for a moment and then snapped the phone shut.
"Amador?" Jack asked feeling the need to say something to keep himself from thinking about what had just happened.
"Yes, I am supposed to meet him in one hour to make the trade." Nina said as she reached forward and without explanation unlocked the handcuffs that secured Jack to the chair.
"Don't make me regret this." The smug inclination of her voice was too much for Jack, she was getting a little too comfortable in her position of power. As soon as his wrists were free of the cuffs Jack reached out griping her firmly by the throat and pulling her to him.
"If you try to play the Salazars, they will kill us both." He whispered harshly in her ear. He released her, pushing her from him and getting to his feet in one fluid motion.
"God, Jack. Do you always have to be so violent?" Nina coughed as she massaged her now sore throat.
"Of course, I realize the Salazars might kill us. Hell, my buyer will want to kill me once I don't deliver, Amador will probably try to kill me just because I know what he looks like, and I am still not entirely convinced you won't sell us all out to CTU; some how the twenty million dollar pay-off makes it seem worth the risk." Nina said getting to her feet. Jack looked at her clearly disgusted with her mutability.
"I'm assuming the Salazars will want to talk to me. Call them." She ordered tossing Jack the phone
~~~
An hour later Nina stood across a small wooden table from Amador. The Salazars had agreed, somewhat reluctantly to her price, once they had realized that she truly was their only option and that they would be getting the virus for less than half of what they had initially expected to pay for it. Nina placed her metal case on the table and Amador did the same, opening his to reveal a small vial filled with violently green liquid.
"May I?" Nina asked removing the vial from the case and inserting it into a machine designed to test its authenticity.
"Be my guest." Amador stated even though it was clear that she was not asking his permission.
"Once I've established that this is indeed the virus, then the funds will be transferred to your account as agreed." Nina turned her lap top around to demonstrate that the account was open and ready for transfer. The machine beeped indicating that it had finished its test.
"Well it appears this is the genuine article." She bent over her lap top and began to initiate the transfer. Amador removed the vial from the machine and made to walk away with.
"What the hell do you think your doing?" Nina asked eyeing him suspiciously.
"Just holding this for safe keeping until, the transfer is complete." Amador said in his smuggest British dribble. Nina raised her eyebrows incredulously.
"I don't think so. If you walk away from me with that then the deal is off." Her voice left absolutely no room for argument.
"The transfer's complete." She indicated the monitor and then stretched out her hand. "I'll take that if you don't mind." He placed the vial somewhat hesitantly in her hand.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you." He said his mouth curling into an obnoxiously arrogant smile. Nina wordlessly turned away, slipping the vial into her jacket pocket, and walking off into the night to collect what she was owed. As soon as she was out of ear shot Amador slipped his phone out of his pocket.
"I wasn't able to make the switch. You'll have to kill her."
~~~
"Did you get it?" Ramone Salazar asked as soon as Nina had returned.
"Of course I got it." Nina said somewhat irritated that he would even ask. Jack who had been leaning against a metal shed a few feet away came and joined their conversation.
"Well Jack I've got to admit you were right." Ramone said acknowledging Jack and then turning to face Nina again. "Hand it over."
"Pay me first." Nina said unwaveringly. Ramone smiled condescendingly at her like she was a child who had just stated adamantly that Santa Clause was real.
"Kill them both." He said motioning to the gun men behind him.
"Ramone, we had a deal." Jack said fervently. "I put my ass on the line for you."
"And I thank you for that, but unfortunately you have outlived your usefulness." Nina stepped past Jack stealthily slipping the vial into his pocket as she did so.
"If you kill me you'll never find the virus." She said evenly.
"That's ridiculous." Ramone laughed incredulously.
"Fine, but what if I'm telling the truth. How do you think all the buyers you've promised the virus to will react when you can't deliver?"
"Search her." Ramone growled to one of the men behind him. The man complied and roughly patted her down but found nothing. At this Ramone pulled out his gun and pressed it firmly against her temple. "Tell me where the virus is you bitch!" he yelled.
"Pay me and I'll tell you!" Nina yelled back.
"Fine." Ramone said after a long silence, realizing that he was once again out of options. Nina opened her lap top, handing it to him.
"Twenty-million, to that account." Nina ordered and Ramone reluctantly authorized the transfer. "His too." Nina said motioning towards Jack.
"You are more trouble than your worth." Ramone spat.
"Oh, I'm deeply offended, just do it." Nina quipped her voice oozing with smug sarcasm.
"Fine it's done. Now tell me where the virus is." Ramone violently snapped the lap top shut and handed it back to her
"Once we are safely awa…" Nina started but she was suddenly thrown to the ground by a burning impact to the shoulder. Ramone spun on his men trying to figure out which one of them had fired. As he did so they where bombarded by a hail of gunfire, clearly from the hills above. One of the bullets caught Ramone in the head and his men scattered desperately seeking cover.
Convince Me
Chapter One
Can you Forget?
I'd give anything to give me to you
Can you forget the world that you thought you knew
If you want me,
Come and find me
Nothing's stopping you so please release me
I'll believe
All your lies
Just pretend you love me
Make believe
Close your eyes
I'll be anything for you
"Convince Me." The words hung heavily in the air for a second. Nina waited, curious to see how desperate Jack really was. To her surprise he closed the distance between them, his lips seeking hers, hesitant at first and then more insistently. A small part of her desperately wanted to believe this, wanted to believe that Jack was truly this disenchanted with the life that had meant everything to him before. She had wanted this for so long. Jack was the only thing that she could never completely let go of. She tried to burn him from her brain. She tried to put enough distance and death and lies between them to allow herself to forget, but now in this moment she realized how fruitless that effort had been. She could sense that he was holding back. He was simply trying to sell his lie in the only way he knew she would buy. She couldn't afford to be believe him, not now, there was too much at stake. Nina pulled back pushing him away slightly.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and his eyes locked with hers. There was something in his expression that she wasn't prepared for. He looked as though he had been waiting for her to say those words, as if he needed to hear them. It was as if by saying them she was shouldering some of the burden of guilt that constantly pressed on his shoulders. She told herself that she had imagined it, that Jack was an excellent actor, but somehow she found herself unable to turn him away.
Nina had meant to say, "I am sorry Jack, I just don't believe you." but those words died in her throat as his lips found hers again. The taste of him made everything else seem strangely distant and unimportant. After all, what did she have to lose? He couldn't kill her, not now she was his only link to the virus and twenty million dollars was a rather tempting prize. She had been so bored for so long that suddenly the risks seemed worth it. The ringing of her cell phone drug Nina forcibly back to reality.
"Duty calls." She said pulling away and fishing her phone out of her pocket and answering it "Myers." She listened for a moment and then snapped the phone shut.
"Amador?" Jack asked feeling the need to say something to keep himself from thinking about what had just happened.
"Yes, I am supposed to meet him in one hour to make the trade." Nina said as she reached forward and without explanation unlocked the handcuffs that secured Jack to the chair.
"Don't make me regret this." The smug inclination of her voice was too much for Jack, she was getting a little too comfortable in her position of power. As soon as his wrists were free of the cuffs Jack reached out griping her firmly by the throat and pulling her to him.
"If you try to play the Salazars, they will kill us both." He whispered harshly in her ear. He released her, pushing her from him and getting to his feet in one fluid motion.
"God, Jack. Do you always have to be so violent?" Nina coughed as she massaged her now sore throat.
"Of course, I realize the Salazars might kill us. Hell, my buyer will want to kill me once I don't deliver, Amador will probably try to kill me just because I know what he looks like, and I am still not entirely convinced you won't sell us all out to CTU; some how the twenty million dollar pay-off makes it seem worth the risk." Nina said getting to her feet. Jack looked at her clearly disgusted with her mutability.
"I'm assuming the Salazars will want to talk to me. Call them." She ordered tossing Jack the phone
~~~
An hour later Nina stood across a small wooden table from Amador. The Salazars had agreed, somewhat reluctantly to her price, once they had realized that she truly was their only option and that they would be getting the virus for less than half of what they had initially expected to pay for it. Nina placed her metal case on the table and Amador did the same, opening his to reveal a small vial filled with violently green liquid.
"May I?" Nina asked removing the vial from the case and inserting it into a machine designed to test its authenticity.
"Be my guest." Amador stated even though it was clear that she was not asking his permission.
"Once I've established that this is indeed the virus, then the funds will be transferred to your account as agreed." Nina turned her lap top around to demonstrate that the account was open and ready for transfer. The machine beeped indicating that it had finished its test.
"Well it appears this is the genuine article." She bent over her lap top and began to initiate the transfer. Amador removed the vial from the machine and made to walk away with.
"What the hell do you think your doing?" Nina asked eyeing him suspiciously.
"Just holding this for safe keeping until, the transfer is complete." Amador said in his smuggest British dribble. Nina raised her eyebrows incredulously.
"I don't think so. If you walk away from me with that then the deal is off." Her voice left absolutely no room for argument.
"The transfer's complete." She indicated the monitor and then stretched out her hand. "I'll take that if you don't mind." He placed the vial somewhat hesitantly in her hand.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you." He said his mouth curling into an obnoxiously arrogant smile. Nina wordlessly turned away, slipping the vial into her jacket pocket, and walking off into the night to collect what she was owed. As soon as she was out of ear shot Amador slipped his phone out of his pocket.
"I wasn't able to make the switch. You'll have to kill her."
~~~
"Did you get it?" Ramone Salazar asked as soon as Nina had returned.
"Of course I got it." Nina said somewhat irritated that he would even ask. Jack who had been leaning against a metal shed a few feet away came and joined their conversation.
"Well Jack I've got to admit you were right." Ramone said acknowledging Jack and then turning to face Nina again. "Hand it over."
"Pay me first." Nina said unwaveringly. Ramone smiled condescendingly at her like she was a child who had just stated adamantly that Santa Clause was real.
"Kill them both." He said motioning to the gun men behind him.
"Ramone, we had a deal." Jack said fervently. "I put my ass on the line for you."
"And I thank you for that, but unfortunately you have outlived your usefulness." Nina stepped past Jack stealthily slipping the vial into his pocket as she did so.
"If you kill me you'll never find the virus." She said evenly.
"That's ridiculous." Ramone laughed incredulously.
"Fine, but what if I'm telling the truth. How do you think all the buyers you've promised the virus to will react when you can't deliver?"
"Search her." Ramone growled to one of the men behind him. The man complied and roughly patted her down but found nothing. At this Ramone pulled out his gun and pressed it firmly against her temple. "Tell me where the virus is you bitch!" he yelled.
"Pay me and I'll tell you!" Nina yelled back.
"Fine." Ramone said after a long silence, realizing that he was once again out of options. Nina opened her lap top, handing it to him.
"Twenty-million, to that account." Nina ordered and Ramone reluctantly authorized the transfer. "His too." Nina said motioning towards Jack.
"You are more trouble than your worth." Ramone spat.
"Oh, I'm deeply offended, just do it." Nina quipped her voice oozing with smug sarcasm.
"Fine it's done. Now tell me where the virus is." Ramone violently snapped the lap top shut and handed it back to her
"Once we are safely awa…" Nina started but she was suddenly thrown to the ground by a burning impact to the shoulder. Ramone spun on his men trying to figure out which one of them had fired. As he did so they where bombarded by a hail of gunfire, clearly from the hills above. One of the bullets caught Ramone in the head and his men scattered desperately seeking cover.