Hammond entered the room moments after their arrival, puffing in his haste. He greeted Jack and nodded his head at Tony, who was unable to stop wondering why he had been invited to the meeting. To his intense dismay he chose a chair directly opposite him, fixing his gaze on him.

Great! You'll have to try real hard not to fidget, Almeida. Focus. He's just a bureaucrat; he can't read your thoughts!

Ryan Chappelle cleared his throat. 'Well, it's getting late and we're all here, so let's get started. We've got a new assignment from Washington, directly from the Minister of Immigration himself. California has been the site of an unacceptable number of illegal entries in the last financial year and early indications show the problem is worsening. We've been asked to investigate and remove some of the key players.'

'Yeah,' Jack said when he paused to make certain they were listening.

'Fact is, we got too many Latinos here already,' Hammond stated. 'They refuse to learn the language, they refuse to seek any kind of employment, they manage to get benefits somehow, clogging up our health care and they multiply like rats.' He addressed the last remark to Tony, staring directly into his eyes.

The room spun around him as he froze in disbelief, rubbing his face automatically to calm himself. Fists clenched so hard they hurt, he drew a deep breath. 'You sure about your facts, Mr. Hammond? Last I heard, illegals were working on a load of farms picking crops, receiving a coupla cents an hour!'

Jack threw him a warning look and he fell silent, seething. 'I'm sure we're talking about illegals from all round the world entering through Mexico,' he said, attempting to remove some of the tension that permeated.

'Yes, certainly, they're from all round the globe,' Chappelle confirmed. 'Our mission is to locate the middle men, the ones who smuggle these people in, rather than just round up illegals. That's best left to border control.' A silence stretched through the room, Tony struggling against his rage.

'Where exactly does CTU come into this?' Jack inquired, keeping an eye on the silent man beside him.

'We've decided it's best to tackle the problem at its source,' Chappelle continued. 'Best to send someone along undercover, to pretend to be a potential illegal and allow them to get a clandestine journey into the States. We need the necessary evidence to frame these people.'

Jack nodded. 'Makes sense. You'd arrest him once he crossed the border?'

'Not exactly,' Chappelle admitted. 'We thought we would at first, but that would send a red light to all the other profiteers. No, we decided to leave our agent with him a little longer, try to work his way into the business somehow, gain the guy's trust, hopefully meet more of his business acquaintances.'

Jack nodded again. 'I understand. You got someone in mind?'

Sit tight, Almeida, you're doing great so far, Tony silently encouraged himself. This can't last much longer. You WILL REFRAIN from making any further comments to Hammond!

'Actually, we do,' Chappelle answered. 'It's got to be someone who could pose as an illegal, so that narrows things a little. We'd prefer sending a male for safety's sake, and preferably one with extensive weapons training, in case his cover is blown south of the border. He should speak perfect Spanish…'

All three men turned to regard Tony, who gazed at them shocked.

'Mr. Chappelle, with all due respects, Tony isn't trained in undercover work,' Jack began, seeing his horror. 'He'd expose himself the first day and blow our investigation.'

Thanks Jack, nice vote of confidence, Tony thought sarcastically.

'Also, Tony is the best analyst we've got. I can't afford to lose him,' Jack stated.

'You can do without him for a coupla of weeks,' Hammond said, his tone brooking no arguments. 'You got plenty of other top class analysts. Use them.'

'Now Brad, you know I do,' Jack began, refusing to back down. 'But none of them are as good at hacking as Tony. He's already saved agents just by discovering things about suspects at the last moment. You're bound to have other Spanish speakers available.'

'Not in the time frame we're discussing,' Chappelle told him. 'Besides, we need someone who can act natural, show a little emotion. Crossing borders illegally is a traumatic experience; we need someone who will certainly lose his cool a few times.' He looked at Tony whose face turned red. 'Also, if he's to have a hope getting a job from the smuggler, he must be experienced in leadership and we all know Almeida's military record. He's the perfect choice.'

Tony shook his head. 'No disrespect, Mr. Chappelle, but I'm not field ops,' he began, struggling to keep his voice calm. 'I've had enough of missions to last me a lifetime in the Marines – that's the reason I quit!'

'Nonsense, Almeida,' Hammond interrupted. 'You fit the requirements perfectly. Hell, you'd gain the man's trust by your acquaintances alone! Don't tell me you don't know any illegals here!'

Tony's face darkened. 'No I don't, Mr. Hammond,' he lied, looking the man in the eye.

'I find that hard to believe,' Hammond snorted. 'Your own family…'

'You got something specific against my family, Mr. Hammond?' Tony questioned, rising from his seat. Jack grabbed his elbow and pushed him back firmly. 'Coz I'm getting a little tired of hearing veiled remarks all evening.' He glared at Hammond, his eyes flashing.

'Settle down this instant, Almeida,' Chappelle snapped. 'No one is implying anything. Now…'

'You'll have to excuse me, Mr. Chappelle,' Tony said. 'I don't want any part of this. I'm late enough already, so you'd do a lot better to find another guy…'

'You'll sit down right away, Almeida,' Chappelle snapped, 'otherwise…'

'Tony, it won't take much longer,' Jack told him, nodding his head at Tony's empty chair. 'Sit down!'

Tony shook his head, sitting back reluctantly, having spent too long in the Marines to blatantly refuse so many direct orders. Fists clenched, he focused on the table, not bearing to see Hammond's smug look.

'I think we've chosen the best possible person,' Hammond remarked. 'His outrage alone implies that he's well aware what we're talking about. Once Almeida settles down, he'll lead us to every one of the smugglers! After all, his parents' friends could well be... and they themselves…'

Tony swallowed hard, feeling his throat constrict until every breath was an effort. 'Mr. Hammond, my mother is American. Her entire family's been here since Texas joined the States. My father is here legally, you can check if you haven't already done so. Now…'

'That's enough, Tony,' Jack said again, glaring at him. 'We're here to listen to what Mr. Chappelle has to say.'

Tony chewed his lip furiously, able to read Jack's unspoken sentence. "We're here to listen to Mr. Chappelle…" Hammond hadn't been mentioned! Jack was ordering him to forget about Hammond and focus on Chappelle. He struggled with his rage, trying his best to focus on the situation.

'Alright, let's wrap this up so Almeida can go and prepare,' Chappelle said, as eager to end the meeting as the two CTU agents. 'We got reliable intel that a certain John Christianson is leaving for Mexico in his truck again next week - we're well aware he'll be bringing human cargo back with him. We'll need to get Almeida across the border in time to catch that truck.'

'And just how do you propose I do that, sir?' Tony inquired sarcastically. 'Stand by the road and try to catch a lift?'

'Is your headache getting worse, Tony?' Jack asked, kindly. 'Go to the rec. room and get yourself a glass of water and an aspirin, you'll feel a lot better.' He turned pointedly away from the younger man. Tony remained in his seat a moment longer, startled to find himself so summarily dismissed. 'Right away, Tony,' Jack told him sternly, turning to find him in the same position. 'We'll need you alert in a few minutes.'

'Yeah,' Tony replied, pushing his chair back. He walked to the door, turning to notice they all regarded him with grave expressions. His hands shook as he pulled it shut behind him, longing to slam it. Division was even more deserted than half an hour ago and he saw no one on his way to the rec. room. Jack had ordered him out of the room for the moment, deciding they needed to discuss him privately and he longed to hear what they said. He had sent him out on the childish pretext of getting some water! Tony scowled at the water fountain, fetching the same mug he had used instead and poured himself another coffee. He had almost finished it when Jack entered the room, frowning at him.

'Do you disobey orders deliberately, Tony?' he inquired. 'I told you to get a little water, to help you calm down. You sure don't need any more stimulation!'

Tony narrowed his eyes. 'Listen, Jack, I don't care what they say, I'm not gonna go pretend to be a refugee. I'm no actor! I'll blow our cover the first day and you'll all be back to square one.'

'Can't or won't?' Jack asked, removing the mug from his hands and depositing it in the sink. 'I think you're perfectly capable of pulling this off. Listen to me a moment, would you. We both know nothing's ever gonna stop people entering the states, we're only trying to catch the middlemen and slow it down a little. You're aware how harsh life can be for illegals.'

Tony opened his mouth to challenge him but Jack continued, louder. 'We all are! Now no one is after the group you'll be traveling with, we're only after this Christianson! Do you know what he charges for a trip across the border?'

'No Jack, I don't,' Tony snapped. 'Perhaps you can tell me.' He held Jack's gaze with his own, refusing to back down.

'That's something we'd need to find out, too,' Jack told him. 'We're aware it's well over ten thousand dollars.'

'Ten thousand!' Tony exclaimed, startled. 'That's incredible. Hell, Jack, I've driven that way dozens of times, it's not exactly a difficult drive. How the hell would anyone have that kinda money?'

'Seems they do,' Jack replied. 'This guy goes at least twice a week.'

'He'd be taking the last money those people got,' Tony observed, rubbing his face.

'Yeah,' Jack told him, noting he had calmed down. 'Find him for that reason, Tony. He's profiting from other peoples' desperation. We need to stop that.'

'Right,' Tony agreed, clenching his fists again. 'I'll find him alright, and you can be sure he won't make any more trips!'

Jack shook his head again, sternly. 'You're to find him and get some evidence, Tony and if possible discover his contacts, that's all. You're NOT to kill him, is that perfectly clear?' They glared at each other, each refusing to back down. 'Is that clear?' Jack repeated, pointing a finger at him. 'We don't gain much that way; someone else will just take his spot.'

'Yeah,' Tony muttered after a few seconds of silence.

'Good,' Jack told him, relieved. 'Now lets get upstairs and Mr. Chappelle will brief you on the mission.'

'When do I leave?' he asked, following Jack back to the conference room reluctantly.

'On Sunday. You've got tomorrow to make whatever preparations you find necessary. You'll need to get a few clothes that are a little shabby and preferably not made here, and try to look like a Mexican. I'll help you with that tomorrow.'

'Yeah,' Tony muttered, sitting back at the table.

'Tony, your best option is to head right over here,' Chappelle pointed out a small town on the map, 'and ask around for anyone heading to the states. Hopefully you'll get lucky and someone will introduce you to Christianson for a small fee.'

'How much are we talking about?' Tony inquired.

'Don't worry about that, you'll get cash,' Chappelle told him. 'Also I'll give you this,' he pushed a folder across the table.

Tony opened it and withdrew a Mexican passport, gazing at it in surprise. 'This looks genuine, sir.' He examined his own picture in silence.

'It is genuine, Almeida. Our counterparts in Mexican intelligence had it made specifically for this purpose. They'll recognize it by its number, but no one else along the borders will. It's your I.D. to show Christianson and if we get lucky and you get a job with him, you'll need it. The money's also there. Call Jack if the trip proves more expensive.'

Tony pulled a wad of US dollars from underneath the passport, counting out12 000. 'It should be fine,' he observed.

'It should be,' Chappelle agreed. 'I'll require the change. We'll recover the rest once we get him.'

'I'll be sure to get you a receipt,' Tony muttered, noting Jack threw him yet another annoyed expression. He's gonna have a bit to say to you tonight, Almeida, he thought, mentally shrugging it off.

'You're required to communicate with CTU once a day. Unfortunately you cannot take your cell, it would attract suspicion, but we've provided a Mexican phone card and it won't arouse any suspicion as you're a native,' Chappelle continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. 'If for any reason you are unable to let CTU know your whereabouts, you're to contact Jack at your earliest possible opportunity on his cell. Is that understood?'

'Yes sir,' Tony replied, biting back another wise comment with difficulty. Jack threw him yet another warning glance.

'Good, then that's all,' Chappelle said. 'Jack will keep us informed of your progress.'

'Oh, there's one last thing,' Tony told them, facing the entire table. 'I'm out to get Christianson ONLY! I'm going to be concentrating on him alone!'

Chappelle regarded him unblinking while Hammond's face reddened.

'You'll give us a list of EVERYTHING we ask for Almeida, the moment we ask for it,' he snapped. 'You work for us; you don't make your own rules.'

'I'll get Tony back to CTU and help prepare him,' Jack said, getting up suddenly. 'He's never been undercover before.'

'I'm not sure Almeida fully understands his responsibility to this country,' Hammond said, following them out of the briefing room.

Tony stopped on the landing, his eyes flashing. 'You don't think I know the meaning of responsibility to this country, Mr. Hammond? I served as a Marine for eight years! I fought in Somalia and the Gulf. During that time I was buried alive in a blown up building that I was helping to clear, I had to wait for four days to be rescued! I was shot twice, and I was captured once, and tortured. I think that kinda proves something!'

'Keep going, Tony,' Jack urged, pushing him from behind to get him moving towards the staircase. 'It's late and we still need to get you prepared.'

Tony swallowed his angry question about where Hammond had fought, concentrating on leaving the building as soon as possible. They followed him to the exit and cleared security, heading into an almost empty car park. 'Good evening,' Tony said, turning to head for his car, dismayed to find the three followed him. 'There was something else?' he inquired, unlocking his door, longing to get rid of them.

'Yes, Mr. Almeida. Take care,' Chappelle said, to his amazement.

'Yes sir,' Tony agreed, startled. Had he just witnessed a human moment from the born bureaucrat?

'Wait a minute, what's that?' Chappelle asked, opening the back door and pulling out his guitar.

Tony's face flushed. He gazed at it wordless, wishing he had decided to go home and pick it up later. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined anyone noticing it, much less his three superiors.

'You play this?' Hammond asked, apparently understanding Chappelle's bewildering behavior.

'Not really,' Tony muttered, taking his precious instrument away from Chappelle and returning it.

'Do you play it or not, Almeida?' Chappelle asked, irritated.

'A little,' he muttered. 'It was a present.'

'It's the perfect accessory,' Chappelle told him, looking, for the first time since they had met, genuinely enthusiastic. 'You're to take this with you, Almeida.'

'You can't be serious, sir!' Tony exclaimed, shocked. 'It's quite heavy and it's old. I don't wanna damage it. Like I said, I don't play that well.'

'You don't need to play anything more than a few chords,' Chappelle told him. 'That instrument is obviously old and precious to you, which is why you've got it with you now. It would seem perfectly natural that you refuse to part with it as you begin a new life! You WILL take it with you, Tony. Is that perfectly clear?'

Tony nodded wordless, hating the need to put his grandfather's present through such a difficult trip.

'I'm waiting,' Chappelle reminded him.

'Yes sir,' he agreed reluctantly. 'I'll take it.'

'Good,' Hammond remarked. 'Once Jack gets you some shabby things and a backpack…in fact, the backpack alone might do the trick,' he said unpleasantly, regarding Tony's jeans and old sweater with the sleeves pushed over his elbow. 'Goodbye, Almeida, we'll be hearing from you.' To Tony's intense relief he left, followed by Chappelle.

He switched his car on, pushing the stick into reverse. 'Tony,' Jack said, moving out of the way. 'I need to see you at CTU for a little while, to give you a backpack and discuss undercover work. It won't take long and that way you'll have Saturday free.'

'And you'll chew me out,' Tony thought, sighing heavily. He had been put through the emotional wringer during the previous hour and felt exhausted. Don't even try scolding me Jack; I'm well aware of my behavior. I'm just NOT in the mood!

Back at the equally silent CTU Jack led Tony into a storeroom, handing him a large backpack. 'You'll need a few clothes in there and a coupla photos,' he said. 'Think you can get some outdoor stuff together?'

'Yeah,' Tony replied, lifting up the empty backpack. 'I got enough garbage, Jack! Are we done here, now?'

'Not yet,' Jack told him. 'Turn round, Tony.'

He glared at Tony until he obeyed, turning reluctantly to face his boss. Here it comes, Tony thought, leaning against the closed door and folding his arms. 'I'm kinda late, Jack,' he remarked.

'Fine, I won't keep you too much longer. What the hell did you think you were doing, arguing with Hammond? You piss him off again, he'll have you fired!'

'You know what, Jack,' Tony retorted, thoroughly riled up. 'That's just fine by me. I got to listen to insults about my character, my clothes, my background and my family! Did you hear me make any remarks about him? Did I ask how come all his wives escape after a coupla years, how come he doesn't go on a stringent diet, why… ?'

'That's enough!' Jack snapped. 'He's not exactly my favorite person either, don't get me wrong, but he's our boss. You ever argue with him again, I'LL fire you personally. You got that?'

'Yeah,' Tony snapped, reaching for the handle. 'May I go now? Like he said, I got a real shady family, who happen to be expecting me tonight! You never know what I'll find out over dinner!' He glared at Jack, his hand on the door.

'Yeah, you may go. And Tony,' he turned back only because he dared not ignore Jack, 'I'm sorry he insulted your family. That was uncalled for. Have a good evening.'