Chapter 10,

Michelle looked down at Tony's hands which were holding hers ever so tightly. She smiled and looked up at him. "Trust me, Tony, I don't want to do this. We'l have to set myself up somewhere out in the open and I'll be alone. I'll probably be raped and tortured just like when I was a kid. But if I don't do this, then Michael'll keep killing and terrorizing innocent civilians. I don't have a choice."

Everyone was silent then Hammond surprised them all, "Tony's right Michelle. We can't ask you to do this. I remember the case—I know there was more that you didn't tell the authorities. You don't have to do this. There has to be another way."

"If you have an idea I'd love to hear it," Michelle responded. "Besides you're not asking me or ordering me to do this. I'm volunteering. And we don't have a choice. There's a place that I didn't mention in my transcripts that my father used to take me to and do things. I'll go there-alone. I'll carry a walkey with me so when the time is right—no, that won't work, he'll see through that right away and take me some place else. I'll take a beeper and pray that you'll get there in time."

"Michelle-," this time it came for Jack.

"I should be going."

"How do you know that he'll come?" Bill finally said something.

Tony answered for her, "Because he's a sick bastard. Michelle-," Tony got interupted by Michelle kissing him hard.

"I love you Tony. When I get out of the ra's hell hole-if I get out-"

"I'll be right here waiting for you."

Michelle smiled. "Snowball needs to get fed—you should, could you?"

Their eyes met and Tony knew what Michelle was telling him. "I'll take care of it." They kissed once more-no one stopping them, and then Michelle walked away.

Tony felt a hand on his shoulder. "She's tough, Tony. Se'll make it," Jack said.

"You have no idea how tough she is," Tony murmered. Then, "O.K., everyone I still want people working on satellite—trying to figure out where Michael was last seen. We're going to do our best to make sure everyone-Michelle-doesn't get dead."

Then he raced upstairs and pretended to work on some files. A couple minutes later, he had fabricated a lead on where Michael could be. No one argued when Tony insisted in heading the crew with Jack as his point man.

A mile away from CTU, Tony pulled a gun on the men under his command. "What the hell are you doing Tony?" Jack demanded.

"I'll explain later—everyone but Jack put your guns down. Jack, help me tie everyone up. Do it, Jack now."

Jack, knowing that something was up, did as Tony requested. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

"Michelle told me where she was going. I fabricated the location—her mentioning Snowball was to let me know that there was a leak—Michael has a connection on the inside. But she didn't know who it was. She's counting on me getting there before Michael does anything to her."

"Surely, you can't think that it's one of us?" Curtis hollered.

"I don't have the luxery of time right now Curtis. My wife is in trouble. Everyone has to think that we're still going to that location. Jack, you need to stay here and go where I disclosed. We'll be in touch."

Everyone exchanged glances at Tony's slip of the tongue but no one said anything. "Tony," Jack said causing him to look back as he got out of the van. "Be careful."

"I will. You too." The two men shook hands and Tony bolted down the street.