Part II

So here they were again. Back in old familiar places. She felt the barrel against the back of her head and she knew it was him.

She had known right away. She had stepped out on the porch, a few steps from the door, just a bit to the right, to look over the ocean and await the marvelous view of the sunset. Lost in her thoughts she had been startled by a sound that was as familiar to her as the sound of her own voice. A gun being cocked. Her body had tensed out of reflex, an instinct that came naturally, but she hadn't moved. Staring straight ahead she had heard the footsteps, felt the vibrations on the wooden planking when he had approached her, and finally felt his breath stroking her neck when he had stepped into position behind her. Her eyes had shut closed and when the metal had been pushed against her hair and the sensitive skin on the back of her head, her features had convulsed. And this time the gun wasn't shaking in his hand.

For what seemed like an eternity they stood in silence and it seemed to hang so thick and heavy in the air, ready to be torn apart by the echo of a gunshot. But the longer it lasted the more the background sounds of the wind and the ocean returned. The tension in her facial expression eased and she opened her eyes. She felt the wind in her hair, pulling her shirt, touching her with cold fingers where her skin wasn't covered. She felt the chill and shivered.

"So," she finally said, gathering her strength back, her voice bearing a sarcastic undertone. "Are you gonna do it, Jack?"

"Turn around," he ordered, his voice low and menacing. She hesitated and he repeated, yelling now: "Turn around!" She felt his iron grip around her neck, spinning her around and forcing her towards the door, the gun still at her head. At the threshold he gave her an extra push and she literally flew inside, hitting the parquet floor, landing on her hands and her side.

"Hello, Nina," he growled, stepping over her, the gun pointed at her face. "I promised you to stop by some time."

Slowly and carefully she pulled her hands out from underneath herself and stretching them out to the sides, she worked herself in a slightly more comfortable position. Lying on her back then, showing her empty palms to Jack, she met his gaze. Something about his face expression was different. The anger and the hate were still there, his teeth gritted, his eyes targeting her and seeming more of a threat than the gun itself. But there was something else. The wildness and excitement seemed faded and less prevailing, and instead she noticed a layer of cold serenity. He seemed frightening calm.

She remembered all the times they had been here before, all the times he had had her at gunpoint. CTU's subterranean garage, where he had pulled her out of her car and shoved her up against the backdoor, his face displaying anger and pain, but still a trace of disbelief. The interrogation room, where he had fired two bullets, missing her head merely by centimeters and then put the gun at her temple. No more disbelief, no more pain, his eyes burning with sheer hatred and despise. Enough to make her believe it was going to end right there and then. Visalia, where she hadn't seen his face but felt the burning desire his whole body had radiated, the infinite craving to kill her and find his revenge and inner peace. And finally the CTU control room. Looking into his icily staring eyes it felt like yesterday.

She had just managed to escape from the clinic and dragged herself down here. Weak from the drugs and the blood loss she started working on the controls, trying to ignore the state she was in. The blood-stained shirt, the makeshift bandage the doctors had just managed to put in place where the needle had punctured her jugular. Before she had killed them. Not the best way to express her gratitude for saving her life once again. Look where it got you. Is this how you wanted it all to end? She pushed the thoughts aside. Nothing's gonna end here. You can get yourself out of here. Somewhat more determined she focused on her problem with the security lockdown, when she noticed a motion out of the corner of her eye. The voice came as a shock. She had been prepared for anyone to show up, but not for her. Slowly she turned around to face her and all the memories that brought along.

"Kim," she said, her own voice calm and steady, but rather from tiredness and exhaustion than anything else. "Just walk away from here."

The sight of her standing there, a gun pointed at her, brought back everything Nina didn't want to surface again. Flashbacks of herself pointing the gun at Kim's mother, hesitating for a moment, then pulling the trigger on Teri. Trying to detect a feeling, a notion of guilt or remorse or even satisfaction but finding nothing. It was just a necessity.

Just like it would be a necessity now to kill her daughter as well. If she wanted to live. Cause Kim's eyes told her she wouldn't just back off and leave. And Nina wanted to live. It was the one thing she always knew, no matter how hopeless and muddled things got. She wasn't quite sure herself what exactly she was holding on to so hard, but that didn't stop her. Everything within her, every single nerve inside her body told her to go on. And so she did, had always done. The one priority to stay alive, regardless of the cost.

She slowly began to walk towards Kim, the hand with her gun dangling lifeless, suddenly seeming way too heavy to lift.

"Kim, please. I don't wanna hurt you." The words coming slowly but insistently, she wasn't sure anymore if she meant them. "Just walk away. You don't wanna be any part of this."

Kim shook her head, her face displaying fear, but also anger and determination. She was so much alike her father. But she's not gonna shoot you. Nina took another careful step and examined the young women in front of her. She noticed a wet glance in Kim's eyes, the way her entire body was tensed and alerted and the pale white of her fingers where she clenched the gun. No, she wasn't gonna shoot her. There wasn't that much of her father in her yet.

Letting her gaze slip down for an instant, Nina realized a thought forming in her mind, and the realization of its nature struck her with surprise. I don't wanna do this anymore, I'm too tired. Startled she looked up again and met Kim's eyes, trying to push the thought way back to where ever it came from. This was not the time for weakness. If you wanna do it, do it now, she ordered herself. Wondering if Kim had noticed the slight change in her expression, she was just about to raise her arm when her eyes caught sight of something else.

Kim's gun didn't have the safety catch off. She must have forgotten to release it or maybe she had no idea how to use it in the first place. Nina's mind ran at full power. This put her back in control again, and as easy as that she shook off the weakness and distractions. Slowly she lifted her gun, giving Kim enough time to react. Let's see how tough you really are, little girl. Could you shoot me? Could you really kill me?

Kim swallowed hard, her eyes wide open, fear and panic written all over her face. She didn't start shaking, the gun still resting steadily in her hand, but she was paralyzed.

No, you couldn't, Nina thought when her gun was leveled with Kim's head and sighed inwardly.

"Look, Kim," she started but was interrupted by Jack's entrance.

"Nina," he yelled, holding the gun with both hands and aiming for her head. His voice was edgy and determined but failed to hide the underlying note of terror. "Drop it!"

She gave him a quick side glance to locate his exact position but stayed focused on Kim. "Can't do that, Jack. I am not willing to die yet," she answered in a somewhat relaxed, nearly amused tone. "But if you think you can take me down without giving me the time to pull that trigger and put a bullet through Kim's head - then give it a shot."

Kim stared back at her in horror and disbelief but finally managed to turn her head to where her father was standing. "Dad?" she asked, her voice brittle and shrill.

"It's alright, sweetheart," Jack tried to calm her down, taking a step closer towards both of them.

"Don't come any closer, Jack," Nina warned him, taking a step herself and closing in on the distance to Kim.

Jack stopped immediately, cast a reassuring look at Kim and quickly turned his full attention to Nina again. "It's two guns against one, Nina. Not your best odds."

"Actually it's one on one. Kim here forgot to cock her gun and if she does as much as blink at the safety catch now I will shoot her right away. Is that understood?"

Kim stared at the gun in her hand, the note of terror in her face increasing even more. "Dad?" she called out again, louder this time, the strength of her voice feeding on panic.

"It's okay, honey. Just don't move."

Nina couldn't allow herself to take her eyes from Kim, she had to stay focused, but she could practically see Jack's face expression. How he clenched his teeth and pressed his lips together, his eyes wild with rage and fury. Threatening the life of his daughter was probably the last thing you could do to him. Everything else had already been taken from him or been lost over the years. And she knew he blamed her for most of it. If not all of it.

She knew him better than anyone. He should have taken her down right when he came in, but he had been forced to take a few steps into the room to have a chance on a clear shot. And those seconds had been enough for him to grasp the situation with all its implications. And now, despite the fact that everything inside of him was aching to pull that trigger, he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't risk Kim's life. And when he spoke the frustration in his voice was unmistakably.

"What do you want, Nina?" What do you want now?

"I just wanna get out of here alive," she explained, accentuating the words very carefully. "So I suggest you put your gun down, Jack," she urged and added a sharp: "Now!"

"No way," Jack answered, his voice dangerously low.

"Well, then we are in a bit of a dilemma here," she concluded sarcastically, still not taking her eyes off of Kim. He didn't answer and she could feel his burning glare on her.

"Look, Jack," she tried somewhat more neutral and calm. "I have no interest in hurting Kim and right now I don't even have the time to bother about you. I just wanna get out of here."

Jack's silence told her that he was reconsidering. There was no way he would ever trust her, but he also knew that she wouldn't do anything that didn't serve her interests. At least she hoped that he was rational enough right now to make that assumption. Otherwise her chances of making it out alive really weren't good. Kim was not a threat, but Jack would definitely not let her get away again. Not after this. Not after threatening Kim, threatening to take his daughter as well.

"If you wanna walk, walk, but I won't put my gun down as long as you're aiming at my daughter," Jack finally said.

"And we both know as soon as I don't, I am dead. I wouldn't make it out of this room."

"Then maybe you should stay."

"We are running out of time, Jack," she yelled angrily. "Any moment someone can walk in here and we both now what happens then, so let's settle this as long as we're still in control of it."

She couldn't help but taking a quick glance at him. The scenario of someone coming in and starting to shoot or maybe just causing Kim to make a sudden movement just had to convince him that he couldn't play this on time. She recognized realization in his face and turned back to Kim, satisfied. She was there half the way.

"Put the gun down, Jack," she urged again but this time with the slightest undertone that almost sounded like a pleading. She attributed it to her exhaustion and tried to sound more determined as she continued. "I got nothing to lose here."

But you do. The words hang unuttered in the space between them and finally he seemed convinced. She could only imagine how hard he had to force himself to let his left hand slip off the gun. She almost expected another hissed threat, menaces filled with hate and fury, but there was nothing left to say and he remained silent. Slowly he lowered his right arm and Nina had to struggle herself, not to glimpse but keep her eyes on Kim, prepared in case he would change his mind. When he finally bent his knees and placed the gun on the ground, painfully slow, she heaved a mute sigh of relief.

Reluctant he straightened up again and after a short hesitation kicked the weapon over to the far side of the room where it landed somewhere in the dark behind her. He stood, completely at her mercy and helpless - again. She was holding all the trumps. Their eyes locked.

She stepped aside to have both of them in front of her and aimed at him. "Kim, I want you to drop the gun and walk over to where Jack is standing," she ordered and Kim, seemingly relieved, let go off the useless weapon in her hand. It dropped heavily to the ground and Kim started moving. "Slowly," Nina reminded her, her eyes still on Jack.

Kim forced herself not to fly into her father's arms, but in the end she couldn't hold back any longer. "I'm sorry, dad," she cried and hid her face against his chest. "I couldn't....". Jack put his arms around her and stroked her hair while still glaring at Nina, his look a killing glance.

While she quickly picked up the gun and removed the ammo she suddenly became aware of the shrilling alarm again and the danger she was still in. It couldn't take too long before someone else would find the same way Jack and Kim had and come down here.

"On your knees, both of you," she ordered quickly, her voice harsh. Reading Jack's face expression she added: "If I wanted to shoot you I could have done it already. Just do it."

Reluctantly Jack let go of his daughter and gently forced her to turn around. Kim didn't look up, just got down on her knees in silence. Jack followed her slowly, fighting the temptation to push Kim out of the way and launch an attack.

"Get your handcuffs out, Jack, and then chain your right wrist to Kim's left." Hoping that would slow him down in trying to follow her, she watched him reaching behind his back and returning his hand with the set of handcuffs. Clenching his teeth even more he did as she had ordered. She could tell that everything in him ached to jump to his feet and go after her, and she knew this time no one would be able to stop him if he got a chance on her. And most likely no one would even bother.

Why don't you shoot him? What are you waiting for? For him to turn the tables on you once again? Don't waste another chance, it might be your last!

Their eyes locked again and she pushed the thoughts aside. A shot would jeopardize everything. If she didn't have to, she wouldn't take the risk of alluring any more attention. Now get out of here!

She took some quick steps back and resumed working the controls with her left hand while covering Jack and Kim with the gun in her right. She had to work quick and the fact that she had to be careful not to leave Jack out of sight didn't make things easier.

"You can't suspend the security alarm, Nina, and if you play around with the power supply all exits will still be sealed until the system is up again and running on normal status. You aren't that good."

She glimpsed at him without batting an eyelid. She had thought about this herself but luckily remembered something Milo had once explained to her. So instead of wasting time on the fruitless effort to shut down the alarm program she manipulated the system to trigger a fire alarm, which would spark off even more alert programs and hopefully lead to some confusion, but most importantly overwrite the sealing.

When the sprinklers started Jack looked up to the ceiling in surprise. Facing her again she met him with the familiar superior smile. "Now CTU is very much in favor of detaining its own people in case of a security issue, but they wouldn't go as far as killing them." She glanced around and caught sight of Jack's gun, just a few steps behind her. Quickly she moved further back and picked it up and slipped it into her waist-band. Keeping her right arm with the gun directed at Jack she started moving and passed the two of them, turning around and walking backwards.

I will kill you, Jacks eyes seemed to scream. I will hunt you down and I will kill you. And she knew he would. Just like she had known it last time, three years ago when he had left her with a bullet wound but alive, making her realize she would never be safe again. Now you can go and find yourself some place safe, he had whispered into her ear. But I will find you and I'll make sure we'll have some quality time just the two of us.

But three years had gone by without any sign of him and she had started to fool herself that he might have given up. Until he had shown up at the auction today. She cursed herself for not leaving right away and even more for not taking her chance later and killing him when he she had had him restraint to the chair, her gun at his forehead. But she had tried to win some time to figure things out. If him being there really meant she was dead meat. If there was another way out, any way actually. And now she would undoubtedly curse herself again for not shooting him right here. She took a quick glance at Kim who met her gaze, her eyes filled with the same kind of regret. Why couldn't I shoot the woman who killed my mum? Why could I shoot Gary Matheson but not her?

There were definitely too many death wishes in this room, Nina thought as she reached the door.

"Kim," she said calmly. "I know your dad has the burning desire to get up and come after me, but if you know what's good for him, you and the rest of the CTU staff, you should convince him to take the other door and leave this room the same way he entered it."

Meeting Jack's eyes for a last time she leaned closer to the door, trying to make out if there was anything else than the sound of the alarms. Not being able to distinguish the noises she just had to hope for the best. There was only one way out for her. Still facing Jack she opened the door just a bit and counted to three before she turned around and stepped out on the corridor.

That was now two years ago. Two long years since she had been hasting down the CTU corridors, trying to make her way out of the building, alive. She had tried to stop Jack from following her as best as she could under the circumstances, but she had been convinced he would come after her anyway. To her great surprise he hadn't. The door she had closed behind her hadn't been pushed open while she had rushed to the next corner, against her expectations. And contrary to her apprehensions she hadn't met a lot of resistance on her way to the closest exit. She had been out before CTU had been able to coordinate the chase after her in the chaos.

The days and weeks after that had been filled with constant arousal and adrenalin, anxiety and improvisation. Getting medical help had been the most urgent problem, getting out of LA and the United States the next one. It hadn't been easy, even for someone with such a good many of contacts, but she had managed, eventually. Jack hadn't been the only one with an interest in her death, something she had been well aware of. Accordingly only a handful of people had known the details of her whereabouts and escape routes and she had been eager to keep it that way. She had limited her contacts and actions, kept a low profile and carefully covered her traces. And at some point she had gone from passively to actively detaching herself from the world of terrorism and espionage, slowly but constantly. It had seemed the only way to stay alive and actually it hadn't really felt like hers anymore anyway. Selling out information and betraying all the things that didn't mean a thing to her anymore was one thing. But how the hell had she been ending up negotiating and dealing with a deadly virus? That had never been part of the plan. Somehow things had just taken on a life of their own, and she hadn't really noticed until that day in Mexico.

But now her past had finally caught up with her. Jack had caught up with her. Again.