Chapter 1
Allie Adams was not new to the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) workforce. She had already been on the payroll for 8 months, over at CTU Boston, but she had just been transferred to CTU Los Angeles. It was her first day on the job, and she wanted to look her best. She wore a black skirt that stopped a little above her knees, and a blue shirt to match her eyes. She accompanied the outfit with a new pair of black heels. She looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed.
"Well, here goes nothing." She said to herself grabbing her keys. She was 28 years old, an only child and single. She grew up just outside of Boston, and loved the city. She knew Los Angeles would be no challenge for her. Allie's physique was almost identical to her mother's. Long legs, a tight stomach, and a rather flattering chest. Her Almond hair was just past shoulder length, and her bright blue eyes always glistened. Her Saab pulled into the CTU parking lot at 7:54 am. She was always very punctual. She took one last look at reflection in the car window, and nodded in approval.
She was walking down a long corridor, passing what looked like holding rooms on both her right and her left. She finally came to the center unit of work, and already almost all the workstations were filled. She walked past a few people and stopped and looked around.
"You look lost." A voice said from behind her. Allie whipped around slightly startled. She saw a man, with blond hair and a badge hanging from his neck.
"Well, I have just been transferred here from CTU Boston, and today is my first day." Allie said. The man smiled, and extended his hand to formally greet her.
"You must be Allie. Tony told everyone you'd be joining us soon. I'm Jack Bauer, pleasure to meet you." Jack said letting go of her hand.
"Jack Bauer," Allie hesitated. "I've heard of you. Everyone talks about all you're heroic accomplishments. I must say, the virus scandal that you were involved in blew everyone away." She finished.
"Well, thanks, but it's my job, you know? Anyway, who are you supposed to see to get you set up?" Jack asked.
"I need to find the director. They didn't give me a name though." Allie stated. Jack looked her directly in the eyes. Allie liked eye contact, easier to read people she always thought.
"That's be Tony Almeida. Just go up those stairs, and that's his office." Jack said pointing to the office. Allie could see a rather scruffy looking man sitting at his desk talking on the phone.
"Thanks for all you're help Jack, I'm looking forward to working with you." Allie said smiling. Jack smiled back.
"As am I." Allie gave a modest sigh and parted from Jack and began walking up the stairs. She grabbed onto the railing very gently, just using it as a guide. She didn't know why, but for some reason she was nervous. First day jitters, she told herself. She was at the office door, and the director was still on the phone. She knocked quietly and waited for him to signal her to come in. She walked in the office and he was just getting off the phone.
"Yeah, I've got to call you back." He said hanging up the phone. He turned to face Allie. "Well, you must be Allie Adams. I'm Tony Almeida, it's great to meet you." He said offering his hand. She shook it while examining him. He was tall dark and mysterious she thought. He had 5 o'clock shadow, dark hair, dark eyes, and she even spotted some chest hair peeking out from his shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. She let out a big smile, and he looked her in the eyes. He had a very powerful gaze.
"It's great to meet you too." She said letting go of his hand.
"Lets get you started, we've set up your computer and all we need to do is program your codes from Boston into our system. You're station will be next to Chloe's. She can help you out with anything you need, but from the recommendation you got from Boston, I don't think you'll need much." Tony said as they were walking down the stairs. He was nice she thought. They approached the computer and he motioned for Allie to sit down. When she did, he came up on the side of her and programmed in her new code. "Alright, you should be all set. Just to be safe, why don't you run a complete system scan to make sure there aren't going to be any hiccups with the codes. Make sure you can access everything authorized." Tony said.
"Alright, I think I can handle that." Allie said. She gave a internal chuckle. She knew she was skilled, and apparently, so did Tony.
"When you've finished that, see Chloe and she'll update you on the situation we're in right now, and tell you what you can start to work on. If you need anything just come see me." Tony said patting her on the back and walking back up to his office. Not much different than Boston, she thought. She began to do a system scan, and Chloe came up behind her. Chloe was not very tall, and had blondish reddish hair, and it was flipped out like she was back in the 50's. She was wearing a floral blouse, and black pants. She looked uptight, but nice nonetheless.
"Hi, I'm Chloe." She said.
"Hi, I'm Allie, Allie Adams. It's nice to meet you." Allie said with a smile. Chloe nodded.
"Well if you need anything, we're neighbors, so I can help you out." Chloe said.
"Thanks, I appreciate it. It's not easy being the new bee around, you know." Allie said glancing back at her computer to make sure the scan was running properly. Chloe went to sit at her station.
"So, how long have you been with CTU?" Chloe asked.
"A little over 8 months. What about you?" Allie inquired.
"Just over 2 years." Chloe said looking at her screen and clicking something.
"Do you like it?" Allie asked checking on the scan again.
"Well, it can get pretty stressful, but all in all it's not bad." Chloe said getting up from her seat. "I'll be right back, do you want some coffee?"
"Oh, I don't drink coffee, but thanks anyway." Allie retorted. Chloe started walking away, and Allie smiled. Making friends already she thought. By the time that Chloe returned, Allie had just finished the scan. Everything was in perfect working order. She glanced over at the phone at her station. She found her name right on the speed dials, along with Tony, Chloe, a woman named Michelle Dessler, another woman named Kim Bauer, and a man named Chase Edmunds. She was right up there with all the other big shots.
"Chloe, Tony asked me to get the situation from you when I was done with my system scan." Allie said to Chloe.
"Oh, no problem. We're looking for this guy named Marcus Albenton. He planted a bomb on a subway in downtown LA, Jack Bauer managed to disarm it, but Albenton got away. We think he's planning another attack in LA, but we don't know when or where. He has given us some hints though. Our main goal right now is to find where he is, and where he will strike next." Chloe handed Allie a file. "Here's all the details. Once you finish reading that, I need to you to run a scan to see who else he has worked with in the past. Living and dead, we need as much information on this guy as possible." Chloe finished.
"Alright" Allie said nodding. "I'll get right on it."
"Oh and make sure to run all their alias's also." Chloe added.
"Of course." Allie said. Twenty minutes later the scan was complete and there was a list of over 200 living and deceased people that Albenton had worked with. Allie cross referenced all the names on the list with the alias's, and her findings were narrowed down to a list of 123 people. "Chloe, I finished, should I tell Tony?" Allie asked making sure that protocol was the same.
"Yeah, he definitely needs to know that." Chloe said. Allie nodded. She picked up the phone and hit Tony's extension. The phone rang twice.
"Almeida." Tony's voice said over the receiver.
"Tony, this is Allie. I finished compiling the list of everyone that Albenton has worked with on file, and I also cross referenced those with alias's. Do you want me to send them up to your computer so you can take a look at them?" Allie said.
"Yeah, good work. You can patch it through to my computer. My number is 13." Tony said.
"Alright, done." Allie said hitting the enter key and sending the page to Tony's computer.
"Alright, thanks." Tony said hanging up the phone. Allie got up from her seat and smoothed out her skirt.
"Chloe, where's the bathroom?" Allie asked.
"Oh, go down the hall and it's your second left." Chloe said.
"Thanks." Allie said walking down the hall. When she returned, and sat at her computer. She was just about to begin background checks on all the names on the list, when the phone rang.
"Adams." She said answering the phone.
"Hey, it's Tony, listen there's a name on this list of a guy who we've dealt with before. I need you to find out how these two were connected." He said in his deep voice.
"Sure, no problem, what's the name?" Allie asked.
"Stephen Saunders. He was involved with the - "
"The virus, I know." Allie interrupted. "Sorry, I've just done some file reading before I came, and updated myself on the history of this place and everyone here." Allie finished.
"Yeah, so will you get me the info?" Tony asked.
"Of course. Anything else?" Allieasked before she got to work.
"Yeah, sometime soon I am going to announce that you've joined us, so when I call everyone together just come standwith me. Alright?" Tony said.
"Sure." Allie said and she heard him hang up. She looked up at the office. He began to scribble something down on paper. It looked like he was concentrating intently. She couldn't read him yet, but she promised herself that she would figure him out. Two hours later, when Allie was still trying to find how Saunders and Albenton were connected, Tony walked down the stairs and stopped at the bottom.
"Can I have everyone gather around here please." He asked the entire room. Everyone got up and started making their way over there and Allie assumed this was her cue to goto Tony. Once she was in place Tony spoke again. "Everyone, this is Allie Adams. She was transferred from CTU Boston. She has a strong background in criminal defense and computer decoding and encrypting. Let's make her feel at home here." Tony said with a hand on her back. "That's all." He finished. People started dispersing and Tony turned to Allie.
"That was really nice what you said about me." Allie said smiling.
"It's what I was told." Tony stated painly.
"No, I mean about making me feel at home. That means a lot to me." Allie finished.
"No problem, listen, I need you to come up to my office for a minute." Tony said. Allie nodded and followed him up to his office. When they got there he grabbed a cell phone off the desk. "Here, this is yours. We're on a secure line, so no one outside CTU will contact you on that phone. I would have given it to you sooner, but it took a little time to set up." He finshed, handing the phone to her.
"Thanks." She began to walk out of the office, but she stopped. She hesitated for a moment and then turned around back into his office. "Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"I just wanted to say thank you. You've really made me feel welcome here." Allie stated smiling coyly.
"You are welcome here." He said. Allie smiled and walked out of the office.