Chapter One
She grimaced. Looked again at the closed office door. Willing it to open. She shook her head and looked at her watch again. Ten minutes. Ten minutes since the last candidate had left and still no sign of the damn door opening. She stifled a sigh, her foot tapping against the mezzanine floor, the sound echoing around her.
She coughed and swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry throat. Her stomach twisted and clenched within her. She grimaced and looked again at the closed door. Shaking her head. Willing it to open.
Hoping to settle her stomach, she stood up and walked to the edge of the platform, looking down over the communications bullpen, at the dark haired man pacing across the floor, directing operations.
She leaned against the railing, watching them work. Everybody focused, concentrating, responding to the situation at hand.
So different from New York.
God she wanted this job.
She heard the door behind her open and she turned around hastily. Trying to look as if she had just stood up to stretch her legs, rather than to stop herself being sick, possibly over her interviewers.
A slender woman, her dark curly hair clipped back away from her face stood in the doorway of the office, a clipboard in her hand. "Ashley Webber?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Could you come through please?"
Ashley swallowed hard and followed her into the office. Her nerves seemed to have settled, for now at least. At least she'd be able to show them what she could do, what she was capable of. At least she had a chance to compete for the job.
There was another person in the room. A man sitting on the other side of the desk. He looked up when they entered the office. He didn't smile, or stand. The woman walked around to the other side of the desk, pulling her chair out to sit down.
"Have a seat please, Ms Webber." She waited until Ashley sat down. "This is Tom Baker, Director of Field Ops here in LA. My name's Michelle Dessler, I am Director of CTU LA. We'll be interviewing you for the position."
Ashley nodded, folding her hands in her lap. Composing herself. She could do this. It was just another part to play, just another role.
"What's the situation, Nathan?"
"My teams are in position, Tony. I got men at both exits, and a soft perimeter set up. We're all set here."
Tony saw images light up on his display as Nathan Gault marked the position of his men in the field. He looked over his shoulder. "Adam! How many hostiles?"
"Just working on it now, Tony." Adam's voice was distracted as he worked through the images.
"We're just waiting on your signal Tony." Even distorted by the radio, by the need for him to speak quietly, there was no mistaking the energy and enthusiasm in Nathan's voice.
"Just order your men to hold their positions..."
"Tony, I got six hostiles with the buyers and three more with Modline."
"Shit, send their positions to Nathan. Nathan, did you hear that?"
"Copy that Tony."
"Good." Tony paced across the bullpen, looking over Adam's shoulder as he worked. "Adam's sending their positions to your screen now. Hold your positions until the exchange goes through. Oh and Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
"Remind your guys." He glanced up at the darkened office. "Michelle wants Modline alive."
"Copy that."
He didn't ask any questions. But then he didn't need to. All of CTU knew that Tony Almeida had come within a hairs breadth of execution, of life imprisonment at best. It had become a cautionary tale for young agents- don't put your spouse's life first.
But now he was back. Pardoned and demoted and working for his wife.
He glanced up at the darkened office again. He realised suddenly that he was frowning and he looked away. Praying that nobody else had seen his emotions.
Nathan's voice broke across his thoughts.
"Get ready guys."
Tony became aware that he was holding his breath. That the whole bullpen was silent, barely breathing.
"Go! Go! Go!"
Sounds of gunfire, shouting and screaming filled the channels, Nathan's voice, shouting orders, barely audible through the noise.
"Dammit Nathan, what the hells going on out there?"
Ashley fell silent, licking dry lips. Waiting for the next question. She watched them make notes on their pads, the scratching of their pens the only sound in the office. Ashley could feel sweat breaking on her forehead. She clutched her hands tightly in her lap, resisting the urge to wipe her forehead.
"Why do you want this job?" Michelle allowed herself to smile slightly, both to try and put the candidate a little at her ease and at Ashley's obvious discomfort. It was too damn hot in her office, another one of Tom's evil ideas for these interviews.
Tom didn't smile, his attention focused on Ashley Webber.
"I want a new challenge." Ashley coughed, looking around in vain for some water. "Somewhere new, somewhere were I could actually do some good. We spent too much time in New York playing catch up after the crime."
"So you would rather be pro-active?"
"Exactly! I want to get to the bad guys first, before they get the chance to get themselves established. In New York, we were always a step behind them."
"Where did you work in New York?"
"NYPD. Four years in uniform, five as a detective. The last three in Narcotics."
Tom's voice broke through the conversation, snapping like a whip. "What can you give us that another candidate cant?"
"I've spent three years doing undercover work. I'm good at it, I learn quickly and I play characters well. I'm good with accents." She shrugged. "People seem to trust me."
"You ever get made?"
"Not that I know of." She met Baker's eyes flatly. Daring him to challenge her on her record.
Baker nodded and dropped his eyes, making a quick note. He glanced at Michelle and passed the note over to her.
"Two hostiles down, Tony, and we've recovered the shipment." Nathan sounded out of breath. Sounds of gunfire came dimly across the channels, fading into the backround.
"Is Modline in custody?"
"Negative, Tony." His voice jumped across the microphone range. "He made a run for it when he saw us coming."
"Just a second Nathan." Tony pulled the microphone away from his mouth. "Adam, I need a location on Modline. Quickly."
"I'm working on it Tony." The bullpen worked in silence, eyes on monitors, focusing on communications. "Got him. He's heading north through the second parking level."
"Nathan..."
"I got it Tony."
The red dots representing Nathan and his men picked up speed, heading north through the deserted car park. More chatter came over the communications channel, various members of the delta team, reporting in, reporting the situation.
"Everything is under control, Nathan. All hostiles are either down or under arrest. Central engagement area secure."
Adam broke across the conversation. "Nathan, Modline's made a turn to the west He's still heading towards the main street."
"Tony, we got movement on the surface. Grey SUV approaching the scene."
"Shit, Nathan, you got to get this son of a bitch before he gets to the surface."
"I'm working on it Tony...Stop CTU!"
Sounds of a struggle carried clearly to every ear in the bullpen. Then the whistling sound of a baton descending through the air and a crunch as it collided with a human body.
A man screamed.
"We got him, Tony. The money's here as well. I'm bringing him back to CTU now."
"Why should we hire you?"
"Because I want to work for you." I'm experienced at this type of work. I learn fast and I know when to stop." Ashley sat back in her chair. Michelle turned her head away quickly to talk to Tom, but not before Ashley saw her smile.
The door knocked and the dark haired man she had seen running communications looked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt. Michelle, could I have a word with you, please?"
"Certainly." Michelle stood up and made her way out of the room, closing the door carefully behind her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to let you know that Nathan arrested Jonathan Modline this afternoon."
"Good. Is he bringing him to CTU?"
"Yes. He's on his way now."
They stared at each other for an instant. Trying to sort through the minefield they found themselves in.
"Okay." Michelle ran her hand across her hair. "You and Nathan do the interrogation." She looked back at the closed door. "I'd better get back in there." She turned towards the door.
Tony reached out and grabbed her elbow, his fingers softening as she turned back to him. "How's it going in there?"
She smiled and he couldn't stop himself smiling back at her. "It is going okay. I think this girl might be the one we're after." He slid his fingers down her arm, linking them through hers., brushing her palm with his thumb. "I'd better get back." She brushed his fingertips with hers before disappearing back into the office.
Tony stared at the closed door for a moment before walking down the stairs.
"Why did you leave your last job?"
"Shouldn't we wait on the director?"
Baker shrugged, staring at her with calm unblinking eyes.
"I was starting to feel lost."
"Lost?"
"I was starting to get the sides mixed up. I wanted to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place."
The door opened and Michelle Dessler walked back into the room. "I'm sorry about that." She walked around the desk and sat down. Baker passed her another note, which she read quickly. "Just one last question, Ms Webber. Have you ever been convicted of a crime?"
Ashley laughed. "I've been arrested a few times, when its been necessary to maintain a cover, but no, I've never been convicted."
Michelle held her gaze for a second longer. "You any more questions Tom?"
Baker shook his head. "No."
Michelle held out her hand. "Welcome to CTU, Ashley."
Tony met Nathan as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Good job this afternoon, Nathan."
"Thanks." Nathan nodded in the direction Tony had came from. "Is she happy enough then?"
"Yeah. She wants me and you to handle the initial interrogation." Tony walked towards Holding One.
Nathan put his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Good to have you back, man."
"Thanks."
"Believe me, she was an absolute nightmare to work with when you weren't here!"
Tony laughed and ran his key card through the reader. The lights went green and he pushed open the door, Nathan following after him.
Jonathan Modline was already there, handcuffed to the desk. His broken leg plastered and stretched out on a chair in front of him.
Tony sat down opposite him. Flipping through his file. Modline was in his mid thirties, tall, heavily built but listing towards fat. Nathan leaned against the wall, smirking every time Modline met his eyes.
"You've been very stupid, Jonathan." Tony didn't look up. Still looking through the file.
Modline tore his eyes away from Nathan with an effort.
"Those weapons were heading to South LA gangers. Gangers with drug cartel and terrorist connections."
Nathan interjected smoothly. "That's a lot of prison time."
Tony nodded. "A lot of prison time."
Modline blinked sweat out of his eyes. "How much prison time?"
"Given what you were selling, who you were selling to..." Tony leaned back in his chair. "I'd say fifteen to twenty, easy."
Modline shook his head frantically. Tony watched in disgust as tiny drops of moisture landed on the desk. "I can't do that much time. I'll die."
"Then give me something I can use."
"Dessler."
"Michelle, its Tony. We broke Modline."
"What did he give us?"
"Samuel Williams."
"Thanks Tony. Will you pull together what intel we have on Williams? I'll contact the department heads."
"Okay."
"Thanks Tony."
Ashley felt strange as she followed Michelle and Tom into the briefing room. She took a seat at the far end of the table and watched as the department heads filed in.
Michelle stood up. "Okay, this is Ashley Webber. She's joining us from NYPD. Ashley, this is Adam Kaufman, Nathan Gault, you already know Tom, and Tony Almeida."
Ashley recognised the dark haired man who had been directing the communications, nodding at the muffled chorus of hellos.
Michelle pressed a button and the screen behind her displayed a picture of a heavyset man in his mid thirties. "Earlier today, Nathan led a CTU operation which resulted in the arrest of Jonathan Modline. Tony?" She sat down, seemingly relieved to be out of the spotlight.
Tony pressed another button and the screen changed to a younger man, dark haired with a goatee beard. "Modline broke under interrogation and gave us Samuel Williams. He's an arms dealer, supplying several groups across the US and Europe."
"Why don't we just arrest him?" Nathan closed the briefing file, pushing it across the desk. "Just put him out of business."
"He's a middle man, Nathan." Michelle rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache building already. She tried to smile reassuringly at Tony's look of concern. "He has his own network, and he's the next link on the chain. W need to take it down piece by piece, follow the links."
"So what's the plan?"
Tony pressed another button and the image changed to a beautiful woman with red hair. "Alyson Rawlings, Williams' girlfriend. Her father is George Rawlings, of the shipping firm. We use her."
Ashley found her voice. "This is where I come in then?" She tried to pretend that she didn't enjoy everybody staring at her.
Michelle nodded. "Yeah. I want you to get close to the girl, see if you can use her to get to Williams, see what she can lead you to." She turned to Tony. "Work a cover up for her. Make sure it's airtight, but give her room to improvise. Adam, go through Rawlings Shipping finances, see what you can dig up. Tom..."
"Nathan and I will go back at Modline. See if he has anything else."
"Okay. Any questions?"
Michelle looked around the table. One by one, they all shook their heads.
"Lets get to work, people."
She grimaced. Looked again at the closed office door. Willing it to open. She shook her head and looked at her watch again. Ten minutes. Ten minutes since the last candidate had left and still no sign of the damn door opening. She stifled a sigh, her foot tapping against the mezzanine floor, the sound echoing around her.
She coughed and swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry throat. Her stomach twisted and clenched within her. She grimaced and looked again at the closed door. Shaking her head. Willing it to open.
Hoping to settle her stomach, she stood up and walked to the edge of the platform, looking down over the communications bullpen, at the dark haired man pacing across the floor, directing operations.
She leaned against the railing, watching them work. Everybody focused, concentrating, responding to the situation at hand.
So different from New York.
God she wanted this job.
She heard the door behind her open and she turned around hastily. Trying to look as if she had just stood up to stretch her legs, rather than to stop herself being sick, possibly over her interviewers.
A slender woman, her dark curly hair clipped back away from her face stood in the doorway of the office, a clipboard in her hand. "Ashley Webber?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Could you come through please?"
Ashley swallowed hard and followed her into the office. Her nerves seemed to have settled, for now at least. At least she'd be able to show them what she could do, what she was capable of. At least she had a chance to compete for the job.
There was another person in the room. A man sitting on the other side of the desk. He looked up when they entered the office. He didn't smile, or stand. The woman walked around to the other side of the desk, pulling her chair out to sit down.
"Have a seat please, Ms Webber." She waited until Ashley sat down. "This is Tom Baker, Director of Field Ops here in LA. My name's Michelle Dessler, I am Director of CTU LA. We'll be interviewing you for the position."
Ashley nodded, folding her hands in her lap. Composing herself. She could do this. It was just another part to play, just another role.
"What's the situation, Nathan?"
"My teams are in position, Tony. I got men at both exits, and a soft perimeter set up. We're all set here."
Tony saw images light up on his display as Nathan Gault marked the position of his men in the field. He looked over his shoulder. "Adam! How many hostiles?"
"Just working on it now, Tony." Adam's voice was distracted as he worked through the images.
"We're just waiting on your signal Tony." Even distorted by the radio, by the need for him to speak quietly, there was no mistaking the energy and enthusiasm in Nathan's voice.
"Just order your men to hold their positions..."
"Tony, I got six hostiles with the buyers and three more with Modline."
"Shit, send their positions to Nathan. Nathan, did you hear that?"
"Copy that Tony."
"Good." Tony paced across the bullpen, looking over Adam's shoulder as he worked. "Adam's sending their positions to your screen now. Hold your positions until the exchange goes through. Oh and Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
"Remind your guys." He glanced up at the darkened office. "Michelle wants Modline alive."
"Copy that."
He didn't ask any questions. But then he didn't need to. All of CTU knew that Tony Almeida had come within a hairs breadth of execution, of life imprisonment at best. It had become a cautionary tale for young agents- don't put your spouse's life first.
But now he was back. Pardoned and demoted and working for his wife.
He glanced up at the darkened office again. He realised suddenly that he was frowning and he looked away. Praying that nobody else had seen his emotions.
Nathan's voice broke across his thoughts.
"Get ready guys."
Tony became aware that he was holding his breath. That the whole bullpen was silent, barely breathing.
"Go! Go! Go!"
Sounds of gunfire, shouting and screaming filled the channels, Nathan's voice, shouting orders, barely audible through the noise.
"Dammit Nathan, what the hells going on out there?"
Ashley fell silent, licking dry lips. Waiting for the next question. She watched them make notes on their pads, the scratching of their pens the only sound in the office. Ashley could feel sweat breaking on her forehead. She clutched her hands tightly in her lap, resisting the urge to wipe her forehead.
"Why do you want this job?" Michelle allowed herself to smile slightly, both to try and put the candidate a little at her ease and at Ashley's obvious discomfort. It was too damn hot in her office, another one of Tom's evil ideas for these interviews.
Tom didn't smile, his attention focused on Ashley Webber.
"I want a new challenge." Ashley coughed, looking around in vain for some water. "Somewhere new, somewhere were I could actually do some good. We spent too much time in New York playing catch up after the crime."
"So you would rather be pro-active?"
"Exactly! I want to get to the bad guys first, before they get the chance to get themselves established. In New York, we were always a step behind them."
"Where did you work in New York?"
"NYPD. Four years in uniform, five as a detective. The last three in Narcotics."
Tom's voice broke through the conversation, snapping like a whip. "What can you give us that another candidate cant?"
"I've spent three years doing undercover work. I'm good at it, I learn quickly and I play characters well. I'm good with accents." She shrugged. "People seem to trust me."
"You ever get made?"
"Not that I know of." She met Baker's eyes flatly. Daring him to challenge her on her record.
Baker nodded and dropped his eyes, making a quick note. He glanced at Michelle and passed the note over to her.
"Two hostiles down, Tony, and we've recovered the shipment." Nathan sounded out of breath. Sounds of gunfire came dimly across the channels, fading into the backround.
"Is Modline in custody?"
"Negative, Tony." His voice jumped across the microphone range. "He made a run for it when he saw us coming."
"Just a second Nathan." Tony pulled the microphone away from his mouth. "Adam, I need a location on Modline. Quickly."
"I'm working on it Tony." The bullpen worked in silence, eyes on monitors, focusing on communications. "Got him. He's heading north through the second parking level."
"Nathan..."
"I got it Tony."
The red dots representing Nathan and his men picked up speed, heading north through the deserted car park. More chatter came over the communications channel, various members of the delta team, reporting in, reporting the situation.
"Everything is under control, Nathan. All hostiles are either down or under arrest. Central engagement area secure."
Adam broke across the conversation. "Nathan, Modline's made a turn to the west He's still heading towards the main street."
"Tony, we got movement on the surface. Grey SUV approaching the scene."
"Shit, Nathan, you got to get this son of a bitch before he gets to the surface."
"I'm working on it Tony...Stop CTU!"
Sounds of a struggle carried clearly to every ear in the bullpen. Then the whistling sound of a baton descending through the air and a crunch as it collided with a human body.
A man screamed.
"We got him, Tony. The money's here as well. I'm bringing him back to CTU now."
"Why should we hire you?"
"Because I want to work for you." I'm experienced at this type of work. I learn fast and I know when to stop." Ashley sat back in her chair. Michelle turned her head away quickly to talk to Tom, but not before Ashley saw her smile.
The door knocked and the dark haired man she had seen running communications looked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt. Michelle, could I have a word with you, please?"
"Certainly." Michelle stood up and made her way out of the room, closing the door carefully behind her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to let you know that Nathan arrested Jonathan Modline this afternoon."
"Good. Is he bringing him to CTU?"
"Yes. He's on his way now."
They stared at each other for an instant. Trying to sort through the minefield they found themselves in.
"Okay." Michelle ran her hand across her hair. "You and Nathan do the interrogation." She looked back at the closed door. "I'd better get back in there." She turned towards the door.
Tony reached out and grabbed her elbow, his fingers softening as she turned back to him. "How's it going in there?"
She smiled and he couldn't stop himself smiling back at her. "It is going okay. I think this girl might be the one we're after." He slid his fingers down her arm, linking them through hers., brushing her palm with his thumb. "I'd better get back." She brushed his fingertips with hers before disappearing back into the office.
Tony stared at the closed door for a moment before walking down the stairs.
"Why did you leave your last job?"
"Shouldn't we wait on the director?"
Baker shrugged, staring at her with calm unblinking eyes.
"I was starting to feel lost."
"Lost?"
"I was starting to get the sides mixed up. I wanted to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place."
The door opened and Michelle Dessler walked back into the room. "I'm sorry about that." She walked around the desk and sat down. Baker passed her another note, which she read quickly. "Just one last question, Ms Webber. Have you ever been convicted of a crime?"
Ashley laughed. "I've been arrested a few times, when its been necessary to maintain a cover, but no, I've never been convicted."
Michelle held her gaze for a second longer. "You any more questions Tom?"
Baker shook his head. "No."
Michelle held out her hand. "Welcome to CTU, Ashley."
Tony met Nathan as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Good job this afternoon, Nathan."
"Thanks." Nathan nodded in the direction Tony had came from. "Is she happy enough then?"
"Yeah. She wants me and you to handle the initial interrogation." Tony walked towards Holding One.
Nathan put his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Good to have you back, man."
"Thanks."
"Believe me, she was an absolute nightmare to work with when you weren't here!"
Tony laughed and ran his key card through the reader. The lights went green and he pushed open the door, Nathan following after him.
Jonathan Modline was already there, handcuffed to the desk. His broken leg plastered and stretched out on a chair in front of him.
Tony sat down opposite him. Flipping through his file. Modline was in his mid thirties, tall, heavily built but listing towards fat. Nathan leaned against the wall, smirking every time Modline met his eyes.
"You've been very stupid, Jonathan." Tony didn't look up. Still looking through the file.
Modline tore his eyes away from Nathan with an effort.
"Those weapons were heading to South LA gangers. Gangers with drug cartel and terrorist connections."
Nathan interjected smoothly. "That's a lot of prison time."
Tony nodded. "A lot of prison time."
Modline blinked sweat out of his eyes. "How much prison time?"
"Given what you were selling, who you were selling to..." Tony leaned back in his chair. "I'd say fifteen to twenty, easy."
Modline shook his head frantically. Tony watched in disgust as tiny drops of moisture landed on the desk. "I can't do that much time. I'll die."
"Then give me something I can use."
"Dessler."
"Michelle, its Tony. We broke Modline."
"What did he give us?"
"Samuel Williams."
"Thanks Tony. Will you pull together what intel we have on Williams? I'll contact the department heads."
"Okay."
"Thanks Tony."
Ashley felt strange as she followed Michelle and Tom into the briefing room. She took a seat at the far end of the table and watched as the department heads filed in.
Michelle stood up. "Okay, this is Ashley Webber. She's joining us from NYPD. Ashley, this is Adam Kaufman, Nathan Gault, you already know Tom, and Tony Almeida."
Ashley recognised the dark haired man who had been directing the communications, nodding at the muffled chorus of hellos.
Michelle pressed a button and the screen behind her displayed a picture of a heavyset man in his mid thirties. "Earlier today, Nathan led a CTU operation which resulted in the arrest of Jonathan Modline. Tony?" She sat down, seemingly relieved to be out of the spotlight.
Tony pressed another button and the screen changed to a younger man, dark haired with a goatee beard. "Modline broke under interrogation and gave us Samuel Williams. He's an arms dealer, supplying several groups across the US and Europe."
"Why don't we just arrest him?" Nathan closed the briefing file, pushing it across the desk. "Just put him out of business."
"He's a middle man, Nathan." Michelle rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache building already. She tried to smile reassuringly at Tony's look of concern. "He has his own network, and he's the next link on the chain. W need to take it down piece by piece, follow the links."
"So what's the plan?"
Tony pressed another button and the image changed to a beautiful woman with red hair. "Alyson Rawlings, Williams' girlfriend. Her father is George Rawlings, of the shipping firm. We use her."
Ashley found her voice. "This is where I come in then?" She tried to pretend that she didn't enjoy everybody staring at her.
Michelle nodded. "Yeah. I want you to get close to the girl, see if you can use her to get to Williams, see what she can lead you to." She turned to Tony. "Work a cover up for her. Make sure it's airtight, but give her room to improvise. Adam, go through Rawlings Shipping finances, see what you can dig up. Tom..."
"Nathan and I will go back at Modline. See if he has anything else."
"Okay. Any questions?"
Michelle looked around the table. One by one, they all shook their heads.
"Lets get to work, people."