Clarissa held him in her arms on the ancient blanket he had carried outdoors. He slipped an arm around her and shut his eyes, reveling in the feeling of her lips on his face. 'You can't tell me anything, can you?' she asked, tracing the outline of his black eye with a finger.

Tony shook his head grimly. Slowly he opened his eyes and gazed at the stars twinkling directly above him, filled with a strong urge to leave the farm behind and run as far as he could from the smugglers, the aliens and CTU. You chose to disobey Chappelle. Nobody made you do it. Once this is over you'll face the consequences. He'll let you know what those will be when you speak to him tonight! He exhaled slowly, aware there was no place for him to run.

'I'll help you,' she said softly, squeezing his hand. 'You don't have to do it all alone, Tony. Let me help.'

He turned to face her, sliding his hand under her chin. 'You already are querida. When I come back here I got someone waiting for me.' He took her hand and drew it to his lips. 'You don't know how much that means to me.'

Her smile told him that she did. 'I won't ask who you were calling last night,' she told him, watching his eyes open wide. 'You won't tell me anyway. Are you some kind of international terrorist? Or are you a policeman? It's got to be one or the other.'

He shook his head, shocked at how close she came to the truth. 'No,' he whispered.

'So I'll have to think some more,' she teased, running her fingers through his hair. 'You're a detective from Mexico or some other Spanish country chasing a criminal. When you find him you'll take him back.' She leaned over him, resting on an elbow. 'Can't you let bygones be bygones, Tony? Everyone deserves a second chance.'

'No,' he told her again. 'I'm not looking for any of the migrants, I swear. Clarissa, we all got our secrets – you gotta respect mine.' She sighed in frustration. Holding her hand he rose, pulling her up with him. 'We should get some sleep now. Tomorrow will be a long day.'

'What makes you so certain?' she asked, following him over to the house.

He shrugged. 'I just got a bad feeling, that's all. Listen sweetheart, I want you and Blanca to finish up real quick in the kitchen tomorrow and get back here. Don't go anywhere else, ok.' She looked at him startled. 'Do it for me, please.' She nodded uneasily.

Tony's instincts proved as acute as they had in the marines. Hardly had they settled on the barstools for breakfast the following morning when Christianson stormed in, eyes flashing. 'Almeida, I'll be needing you today. Finish up and get into that truck!' He stormed out, slamming the door so hard it shook. Blanca burst into terrified tears, clinging to him.

'Princess, he's not mad at me,' Tony assured her, pulling her onto his knee. 'One of his deals just went a little wrong,' he said gently, his eyes on the counter.

'You knew it would,' Clarissa whispered in his ear. 'What did you do, Tony?' She gripped his arm tightly. Had he wanted to, he could easily have broken free but it was going to be a pivotal day and he needed her to remain alert.

'On our last run, we picked up two groups. He locked one of them inside a shed and refused to go back for them.'

'My God! Tony, they'll die in there.'

He shook his head. 'I called the Mexican police, anonymously, don't you worry. Something tells me they found those people. I need you to stay close to the house today, ok?'

She nodded, trembling. 'If he ever finds out, he'll kill you.'

'That's hardly my worst problem right now, sweetheart,' he whispered back, hugging her and Blanca tightly to him. 'I gotta go.'

'This wasn't what I wanted when I chose to come here, Tony. We were going to my brother in Boston.'

'And you will,' he assured her, meeting her eyes as he left the kitchen. Mayhem met him on the porch. Half a dozen armed men huddled in a group, Wilson tossing his rifle to him. Tony caught it easily and checked the magazine, unsurprised to find it full. Listening carefully to the muttered comments around him he pieced together their destination. They were heading into LA to protect Christianson at a meeting. Tony swallowed; certain he should call CTU but was prevented from doing so by the assembled crowd. The house was swarming with armed men, a few of whom he had never seen before. The door opened again and Christianson leapt into a red Ferrari, indicating Tony should climb in beside him.

Tony settled into the passenger seat fingering his rifle and gazed forward silently, forcing his curiosity aside. Something was going down and the smuggler was highly agitated, it would be suicidal to provoke him. 'Looks like you got you wish, Almeida,' he began as they joined the highway. 'Mexican police raided our shed and freed the group. One woman was dead, four are in hospital and they're hunting for us.'

Tony's eyes moved to follow him while his head remained straight ahead. 'You know anyone there, who can help stop this investigation?' he asked casually.

'I do, or else we'd be in jail by now! Someone tipped them off. It's just too much of a coincidence, border guards alert and Mexican police doing their jobs! I'm going to discuss this with a few others. I'm gonna need you totally alert, Tony. They'll be armed, and there's not exactly any love lost between us. Anyone at all pulls a gun on me, shoot him, do you understand?'

'I understand,' he agreed. 'It's like a meeting of gangsters, right?'

'Right,' Christianson agreed frowning at him. 'Try anything at all…'

'You don't have to threaten Clarissa, Mr. Christianson. I work much better if I get promised a reward rather than threatened. I still owe you 10 000 dollars. Forget a little of that and I'll shoot whoever you point to.'

Christianson stared at him openly as the car raced ahead. 'I don't usually work that way, Almeida, but you're a born shooter. I might even make an exception for you.'

The drive into LA was silent, the air thick with the tension between them. Two cars followed them as they drove down the highway in a convoy, keeping together through the heavy city traffic. Tony fingered his rifle as he watched their route, attempting to guess where they were heading.

Their destination proved to be a nondescript warehouse identical to a dozen others. Christianson opened the door of the car and waved him out and he moved in front of the smuggler while Wilson and a few other men surrounded him. An armed man awaited them before a half open door. 'King said only one guy,' he warned, blocking their entry. 'You pick. The rest gotta wait outside.'

Christianson nodded, his acceptance of the rules leading Tony to suspect this wasn't the first meeting between the group. 'Wilson, you come with me. The rest of you fan out. Clark, you watch the perimeter for cops. Almeida, get round the other side of the building. Keep your eyes peeled for any further arrivals. You see any armed men or any cops you're to take them out, is that clear?'

'Yes sir,' Tony agreed, relieved to be positioned in a secluded spot where he would have a chance to observe events. He watched the men walk in, followed a few minutes later by an unknown pair of thugs. 'Who're they?' he inquired casually.

'Another rival. Don't worry about them. Get back to your post.'

Tony nodded and returned to the side of the warehouse. All was silent in the narrow alley that ran the length of the building and the fence. He peered behind a few bins to make certain all was clear before he leaned against the wall and considered his next actions. It would sure help if you'd know the number of hostiles inside, Almeida. His eyes rested on a narrow door and he took a deep breath as he walked over to it and tried it. As expected it was locked and the keyhole proved blocked. It's time, Almeida. They're all together at a meeting and you've no way of predicting how long that'll last, so get a phone now!

Tony strode to front of the alley noting Clark patrolling the entire area. No good, Almeida. He'll notice you and there'll be a shootout, alerting the entire neighborhood. Try the back. He retraced his steps and peered cautiously round the rear of the building, dismayed to count three separate gangsters. Dammit. You won't make it past that lot either. Lacking any viable alternative he moved over to the eight foot brick fence and examined the barbed wire before he dragged a bin over and pulled himself up. He paused a moment to steel himself before he removed his shirt, placing it over the wire to protect his hands from being shredded as he climbed over it. The shirt offered only minimal protection. Tony landed on the sidewalk covered with blood in front of a shocked middle aged man. 'I need to borrow your cell,' he said, hoping not to horrify the civilian. 'It's a local call.'

'No way! Bloody thief, I'm calling the cops, oh shit,' he gasped as Tony withdrew his rifle. 'Take it. It's yours!'

Tony snatched the phone and dialed CTU as rapidly as his bleeding fingers would move, praying he would be connected directly. 'Bauer,' said a familiar voice and Tony gasped in relief.

'Jack, it's going down right now. I couldn't call you any sooner. They're at a warehouse on, hang a minute,' he hurried over to a street sign, 'on Wallis. I don't know how many guys there are, but there's at least four. They're heavily armed.'

'Good work Tony, I'm on my way. Stay there,' Jack ordered and ended the call. Tony looked round for the owner of the phone but he had fled the scene. He wiped his hands in his trousers and slid his arms into his ripped shirt, leaning against a wall to examine his palms They proved badly lacerated, the left hand sporting a deep gash that would require stitching.

'Tony, they still inside?' Jack questioned minutes later, hurrying over to him with agent Baker. 'What happened to your hands?'

'They're all in there and haven't missed me yet. There's a back door just across that fence but it's locked.'

'Okay, the SWAT team will move inside. I want you to wait here to help with identification. Get those hands seen to,' he ordered and moved away to speak to Agent Baker. Tony watched them discuss the situation for a few tense minutes before the members of the SWAT team were stationed round the warehouse and car park, took out the thugs on duty and shot the doors open. Remembering Jack's instructions he walked over to CTU's medic.

'Hi Cindy.' He glanced at her nervously as he held out his hands. 'Jack said you should take a look at them.' Eyes fixed on the nearest wall he chewed his lip, waiting for her verdict. If he was honest, he respected the cheerful golden haired young woman more than he respected all Division bosses together. Those men could make his life miserable, but Cindy was the one who could (and did) order him to sit still and roll up his sleeve, explaining with perverse delight why yet another tetanus booster was imperative.

'Tony that's bad,' she said after a few moments of uncharacteristic silence. 'I'll clean them up but you'll have to get that stitched back at CTU. I'll give you something for the pain. It won't hurt,' she added automatically, reaching for a syringe. 'Keep still!'

Tony rolled his eyes, masking his fear behind a wise comment. 'Do I get a candy if I'm good?'

'You might,' she replied to his amazement, rolling up his sleeve. 'How's undercover work?'

'You don't wanna go there,' he assured her, wincing as the needle stung his flesh. What's your problem, Almeida? You've been hurt real bad dozens of times and you panic at the sight of a needle! She'll notice it in a minute. 'So where's my candy?' he inquired cheekily, holding out his less injured hand.

She returned his grin and opened the car door, fumbling inside the glove box. 'That hand's covered in blood, Tony. Open your mouth,' she teased and dropped a jelly inside. 'Now I'm gonna clean those hands.'

Tony sucked the candy in amusement. He had missed the coffees they had shared together in the mornings at CTU and her merciless teasing. He knew he would have asked her out had she not been involved with an agent from District. 'So what's new at CTU?' he inquired casually.

She shook her head. 'It's the same as usual. Actually, now that I think about it, it's been a little quieter.' She threw him a meaningful look.

'You're missing my analysis of every order we receive,' he guessed, grinning.

'That must be it! When Jack calls us together and tells us what we're doing, people just go and get started! Hold still Tony, I'm nearly done.'

'I got to get back real soon then,' he told her seriously, watching her answering smile out of the corner of his eyes. Another movement behind her caught his attention. In one fluid movement he pushed her to the ground, whipped out his gun and shot an escaped smuggler who had aimed his gun in their direction neatly in the thigh. 'It's okay now,' he assured her, walking cautiously over to his attacker. 'He needs your attention.'

Cindy knelt down beside the fallen man and examined him rapidly. 'Tony call an ambulance,' she instructed and he hurried to obey. You've actually impressed her Almeida, with something other than a wise comment!

'Tony, what happened?' Jack demanded moments later as he left the building with a group of handcuffed smugglers.

'You missed one,' he explained seriously. 'What do you want me to do now? I've finished this mission. I must be due some leave.'

'Right after we identify all the smugglers. I need you just a bit longer,' Jack told him.

Clarissa will panic if you're not back soon, Almeida. 'I'll be there in an hour,' he told Jack. 'Right now I got to take care of something that I couldn't do while I was undercover.'

'It'll have to wait. I want you back at CTU right away. That's an order, Tony,' Jack insisted. He laid a hand on Tony's shoulder. 'Those hands need a few stitches. You'll ride with me. How long was this meeting expected to last?'

'A coupla hours,' he replied, determined to return to the farm before the police. 'We gonna take everyone back to CTU?' he inquired. 'We got way too many suspects.'

'No, Mr. Chappelle wanted the ringleaders sent over to Division,' Jack sighed. 'We get to question the small fry. It was his mission after all,' he concluded.

'Mr. Chappelle's gonna interrogate Christianson?' Tony asked uneasily. He chewed his lip in silent worry, aware he would have no idea when the farm would be raided.

Jack glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes. 'You got anything to tell me, Tony?'

He's giving you an opportunity to confess! He shook his head. 'No.'

Jack changed gear and the car gathered speed, racing through an amber light. 'You sure, Tony? Someone called in the same location you were worried about to the Mexican police. I'm guessing it was you.'

Tony's face paled. He had forgotten about the incident as the day's events had overtaken him. Focus Almeida. You've got to return for Clarissa before Chappelle deals with you. He glanced at Jack out of the corner of his eyes. 'They needed help. Someone already died.'

'Mr. Chappelle wants to speak to you about it,' Jack told him. 'I think I better be present at that meeting myself. He can charge you with insubordination.'

Tony chewed his upper lip, nodding slowly. 'I know.'

They pulled into Jack's spot at CTU. 'Get those hands fixed in medical and then I want to see you in my office,' Jack ordered, hurrying down the corridor towards the holding rooms.

Tony entered medical hesitantly, marshaled over to an examining table by Cindy. The doctor entered and examined his palms, agreeing with her assessment. He ordered Tony to lie still and set to work stitching the deepest two gashes. Twenty minutes later he laid the needle down. 'Your hands are done. Try to avoid using them for the next few days. You've been undercover, right?' Tony nodded. 'Okay, I'll give you a standard physical.'

'Sir, I'm kinda needed for debriefing,' Tony protested. Cindy moved to help him unbutton his shirt while the doctor pulled out his stethoscope. Nice to see they pay such attention to you, Almeida! He found himself sitting in his boxer shorts on the examining table, aware he would be there far too long. Time was running out if he had a hope of removing Clarissa before the raid he was certain Chappelle would authorize.

'What happened to your back?' the doctor questioned, running his finger along the healing scar.

'It got cut and infected so I had to cut it open to remove a little pus,' Tony replied, glancing unhappily at his watch. With the look the doctor had just given him, he would be kept there for hours.

'That should have been treated immediately,' the doctor exclaimed. 'I might need to stitch this area,' he laid his finger beside the only part of the cut that still hurt him, 'as it's rather deep. I'll write you up a course of antibiotics to take…'

'Doctor, I've had a rough coupla days,' Tony began, in his most persuasive tone. 'I'd be real grateful if I could just lie down for a short while, my head's kinda spinning from all those painkillers.'

The doctor nodded. 'I was just about to suggest it myself,' he agreed, helping Tony off the table. 'Go through to the other room and lie down. I'll give you those extra stitches in a little while.'

'I'll let you know when Jack needs you,' Cindy told him and he nodded gratefully. He walked into the second room, drew the blinds and lay onto a comfortable bed, feeling his eyes shut.

Oh no you don't, Almeida! Sure they pumped you full of enough stuff to make you sleep for a week or so, but you're not done yet. You gotta get outa here. He forced himself to lie still while Cindy entered the room and tucked him up. After a few minutes she left medical together with the doctor. Tony rose and peered cautiously into the surgery to make certain it was clear before he crossed it and opened the door to the deserted hall. He slipped across it into Tech One and signed out a car, creeping cautiously down the hall to the back door. 'I ordered a car.'

'Yes sir,' a security guard agreed, handing him a key. 'You'll find it in the second row.'

Tony thanked him and hurried over to it, turning it on as fast as he could. He drove over to the security checkpoint at the gate and was waved through. Hurry, Almeida. Chappelle will have that place crawling with police by now and they'll arrest Clarissa. He reached for the cell phone he had taken from the civilian and called his hidden phone in the hut, praying she would be there. Come on Clarissa, answer the phone!

'Hello,' she said uncertainly the second time he rang.

'Clarissa, it's me,' he told her urgently. 'Listen carefully. I need you to get your stuff and take Blanca out to the orange grove. There's a coupla empty boxes on the path. Hide in one of them. I'm on my way.'

'What's going on, Tony?' she asked nervously.

'Just go, okay. The whole place will be crawling with police real soon. I'm coming for you.' He hung up, praying he would make it on time.