Chapter 13: Losing Hope
Hammond sat alone in the spare office that he used whenever he was at CTU. He hated this office. Because he rarely used it, he never bothered to personalize it. There was no name plate on the desk or pictures on the walls. There was no aspirin in the desk drawer and no favorite coffee mug to drink from. Instead, his laptop sat on the clean desk and he drank coffee from a Styrofoam cup. Coffee never tastes the same in Styrofoam, he thought, but he drank it anyway.
"Mr. Hammond, I have Chung Yee on line two. I have an interpreter on stand by if you need him."
"Thank you, Gina. Chung's English is pretty good. I'll let you know if I need the interpreter. Get the President's Chief of Staff on the phone so I can give him a report as soon as I'm finished with Chung." Hammond said as he picked up the phone. Everyone was on edge waiting for this call. It had taken longer than expected and that had raised everybody's level of concern.
"Director Chung, how did the operation go?" Chung proceeded to give Hammond the details of the failed operation. Hammond listened silently, speaking only when necessary. He offered his thanks and his condolences to the families of the dead commandos then ended the call.
As soon as he hung up, Gina's voice came over the intercom. "Sir, the President is holding for you on line four."
The conversation was short. Hammond updated the president on the events of the morning. They discussed negotiating with Yuen and agreed that they couldn't. Hammond suggested another rescue operation. Chung had told him that the Koreans would not agree to another rescue attempt. They had Yuen's location surrounded and would simply wait him out. If that meant that Almeida would die, they were sorry, but it couldn't be helped. Hammond told the president that his people had discussed the South Korean's assault plan and had seen the flaws in it. They could redesign the assault and attempt it themselves. No, the president told him, the operation was too risky to attempt with only one life in the balance. If Yuen were holding several hostages, maybe he would agree, but not with only one hostage to save.
Hammond walked out of his office and into the CTU bullpen. "I need everyone's attention." He called to the staff. He walked part of the way up the steps to DuBose's office so that everyone could see him. His voice was clear but emotionless. "I just got off the phone with Chung Yee in South Korea. This morning's assault on Yuen's compound failed. Yuen's men were able to take defensive positions and ambushed the assault team. The eight team members are dead. Their bodies were dumped outside of the compound. Almeida's body was not with them, so we will assume for now that he is still alive."
"What happens now?" Baker asked.
"We wait for Yuen to contact us. He is supposed to contact us at noon our time, that's thirteen hours from now. We have no reason to believe that he won't contact us. His goal was to have his sons released from prison and I'm sure his goal hasn't changed."
"So we are just going to sit for the next thirteen hours?" Jack asked. "What are you going to say when he calls? Are you going to give him what he wants?"
"Of course not. Our policy is never to negotiate with terrorists. If we do, it will be open season on Americans around the world. Every terrorist group that we know of and a dozen that we've never heard of before would be grabbing Americans just to further their causes."
"Then that's it, you're just going to let Tony die." Jack made no attempt to hide his anger.
"Look, Jack, I don't like this any more than you do. Tony won't be the first American hostage to die because we refused to negotiate with the terrorists holding them. We've had American contractors, tourists, missionaries, aid workers that have all been murdered by various terrorist organizations. Every one of those deaths is a tragedy."
"The difference is," Jack's voice was rising steadily, "that unlike those other people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, Tony was PUT in the wrong place by the US government and he wasn't even being paid to be there. He's not an agent by choice, Brad. He's an agent by force."
"You're wrong, Jack. Tony didn't have to sign that clause in his pardon. He was living just fine in Argentina; he could have stayed there if he didn't want to agree to that clause. He chose to sign the clause, therefore he CHOSE to be an agent."
"Brad," Jack said getting himself under control. "I've looked at the recognizance photos and the blue prints. We could parachute a team in and take the building. It can be done, all we have to do is let Yuen think we are making plans to release his sons. It'll buy us time.
"I've been given orders by the President of the United States to stand down. I have no choice, Jack. I am following orders."
"Be reasonable, Brad. Prescott hates Tony. He's never going to agree to a rescue. We need to go outside of CTU for this rescue. Tell him you saw a good opportunity and you took it. As long as we prevail, he can't do anything about it. Once it hits the news that there's been a successful rescue, Prescott can't take any action against you or Jeff or anyone else."
"I was given an order, Jack and I will follow it." Brad hissed through clenched teeth. "I seem to remember that you followed Palmer's order without question when he ordered you to execute Ryan Chappelle." He stared coldly at Jack.
Jack's voice was quiet. "I didn't follow that order blindly, Brad. Tony and I looked for every possible way out of it and we couldn't find one. Millions of lives were at stake, so, yes, I did follow Palmer's order. I live with that every day of my life, Brad. I just hope you can live with this decision." Jack returned Brad's stare.
Having decided that it was time to break them up before the argument became any uglier, DuBose walked toward them. "Brad, I just got a call from the agents at the safe house. Tony's family is asking for an update. We're also getting a lot of requests from the media. They want to know what's going on so they can get it on the morning news cycle. If you want to do the press conference, either Baker or I can go and talk to the Almeidas."
"No," Brad sighed. "Unfortunately, talking to the family is my responsibility, Jeff. I'll go over there now. Have Gina set up a press conference for 1am. I can be back by then and it still gives the press time to get the story on the morning news." He paused for a minute. "Jeff you should probably start sending some of these people home. Some of them haven't slept in well over 24 hours. Either you or Baker should go home for a while."
"I'm going to go back to the locker room and shower. I have clean clothes in my office. I think I'm just going to try and catch a couple of hours rest on the couch in my office." Jeff told him. "I'll tell Baker he can go home."
Hammond walked slowly back to his office to get his jacket. It was the first time Jack noticed how old Brad looked. He was probably no more than sixty, but right now he looked old and tired and bitter.
Brad got in his car for the half hour long drive to the safe house. He stopped at the nearest Starbucks for a large black coffee. Nothing fancy, just a large black coffee. If he could have had a shot of whiskey right now he would have, but that wasn't an option. Caffeine would have to do for now. Facing Michelle was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done.
He had always liked Michelle. When she first started working at Division, he, like virtually every other man in the office, was struck by her beauty. He figured that she was just another pretty face but was quickly surprised to find that she was as intelligent and analytical as she was beautiful. On top of it, she was tough and not easily rattled. Brad found himself wishing he was twenty years younger so he could ask her out. She applied for a transfer to CTU and Mason was happy to get her. Her competence had been recognized and she was sure to move through the ranks at CTU easily. Brad was sorry to see her leave Division. Not only would her efficiency be missed, but he would miss seeing her sunny smile every day. If he had been really honest with himself, Brad would have admitted that he was smitten with her.
He stopped by CTU regularly. He usually had a good reason, but if he didn't, he would think one up, just so he could see her. He noticed her talking to Tony one day and thought he saw a spark of interest in her eyes. He asked Mason if she was seeing Almeida. Mason laughed. Youth is wasted on the wrong people, Mason told him. Almeida is so hung up on what happened with Nina that he hasn't even noticed Michelle. If I were ten years younger, Mason said, I'd ask her out myself. Can you imagine her between the sheets? Mason smiled and winked at Brad.
Brad remembered charging Tony with treason for tying to protect Michelle during the bioterrorist attack. He felt he had no choice, but was secretly grateful that Tony did what he did. He couldn't imagine how sad he would have been if Michelle had been murdered. He knew he had no right to feel that way about her but he did and he couldn't help it. He had treated her badly when Tony left the country and lived as a fugitive in Argentina. He hated treating her that way, but felt that it was his job. Now he was going to have to tell her that the attempt to rescue her husband had failed. As a former agent she would know what that meant. She would know that their options were severely limited and that the US would not negotiate. In short, she would know that virtually all hope of seeing her husband alive was lost.
It was late when he arrived at the safe house, and the Almeida children were asleep. The agents had Michelle along with Tony's parents in the den waiting for Hammond. Michelle was anxiously twisting the chain on her necklace. Tony's wedding ring still hung from the chain. Hammond entered and closed the door quickly behind him. Michelle knew from his face that the news wasn't good.
She didn't bother to greet him. "Is he dead, Brad?"
"As far as we know, Michelle, Tony's still alive, but the rescue mission failed. The assault team was ambushed and killed. Yuen still wants to negotiate so he's probably going to keep Tony alive, at least for a while."
"Have you heard anything more from Yuen?" Michelle asked.
"Not yet. We expect that we'll hear from him at noon tomorrow as planned."
"Do you have plans for another rescue attempt?"
Brad looked down at the floor. "No, Michelle. There won't be any more rescue attempts."
"Are you going to negotiate with Yuen?" Michelle asked her breathing becoming rapid and shallow. She knew the answer but had to ask the question anyway.
"We can't, Michelle, you know that. I wish we could, but we can't do it without putting Americans at risk all over the world."
Michelle tried to blink back tears and maintain control. She stroked her belly gently. "Brad you can't do this." Her voice shook. "You can't just let them kill him. Brad please, don't do this." She begged him.
"Michelle I wish this could be different. I wish I could tell you I had a whole army division going in after him, but I can't."
Michelle lost control. "You bastard!" She shouted. "You bastard! I know you've always hated Tony, but how can you just stand by and watch him die? You son of a bitch, how can you do this to him?" Hammond made no attempt to defend himself.
Tony's father stepped toward her and drew her into his arms trying to calm her while he himself cried. He eased his daughter-in-law away from Hammond and led her to the couch where he and Tony's mother both hugged her. Michelle sobbed painfully. Brad couldn't bear to listen to her. He left the room so the family could be alone. He closed the door behind him and went toward the kitchen to talk to the agents stationed there. Movement on the stairs caught his eye. A pretty, sleepy-eyed little girl walked down the steps. She was wearing pink pajamas with an animated character on the front that Brad didn't recognize. He assumed that it was someone like Cinderella, but he really wasn't up on his fairy tails. She had a white love-worn teddy bear clutched under her arm. She looked down at Brad and yawned.
"Who are you?" She asked him.
"My name's Brad Hammond." He said as she reached the bottom of the steps. He was surprised when in a very grown up gesture, she extended her hand to shake his. He usually wasn't good with children, didn't really like them very much, but Tony and Michelle's daughter was enchanting. He thought hard to try and remember her name. "You must be Sophia."
"Everyone calls me Sophie," she corrected him. "Do you know where my Daddy is? Is he coming home soon?"
Brad knelt down so he could see her at eye level. "I don't know Sophie. I'd like to tell you that he's coming home soon, but I don't know that. I don't want to lie to you."
She nodded as if she understood. Somewhere behind those huge brown eyes, Brad thought she probably did understand. He pointed at her teddy bear. "What's your bear's name?" He asked.
"Argentina," she said. "My Daddy used to live there and he brought me the bear from there when he came home." Brad vaguely remembered seeing pictures in the newspapers of Tony with Michelle and Sophie when they were reunited after he was pardoned. Sophie was pictured holding the bear. She was just a baby and the teddy bear was nearly as big as she.
By that time one of the female agents had heard her. "Sophie, what are you doing up?"
"I heard people talking and I thought maybe my Daddy was home. Where's my Mommy?"
"She's talking to your grandparents. Maybe I could take you up to bed and I'll tell your Mommy that you want her. Would that be okay?" the female agent asked her.
Sophie yawned and rubbed one eye with the back of her hand. "I guess so," she said as she turned and started up the stairs. She stopped and looked back at Hammond. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Brad. Please keep looking for my Daddy."
Brad looked at the floor. He seemed to be spending much of tonight staring at the floor. He finally looked back up at her. "I will, Sophie. Good night."
Brad returned to CTU and held the press conference. He was suddenly exhausted. It was as if the last two days had finally caught up with him and he was so tired that he could barely focus. He went back to his makeshift office and took off his jacket and tie. He sat down in the big desk chair and propped his feet up on a partially opened drawer. He was cold so he laid his jacket over himself like a too-short blanket. He put his head back and closed his eyes. He was desperate for sleep, but it wouldn't come. All he could see when he closed his eyes was Sophie. He feared that the next time he saw the child it would be at her father's funeral. He kept hearing her little girl voice telling him to keep looking for Tony. He envied Tony for a moment. He had never been a father and wondered what it would be like to have a child like Sophie. He wondered what it was like to know you had created another human being, especially one as sweet and beautiful as she.
He thought, too of Michelle. He wondered if she was still crying. He wished he could have a drink. The large coffee he drank had his head spinning. He was exhausted but couldn't relax and sleep. Instead the events of the evening, his call from Chung, his conversation with the President, his visit to the safe house, all just played over and over in his mind and before he knew it, he was watching the sun rise.