(This is my AU so Chloe aint been fired!)
Erin jumped up startled as her door was swung open and Chloe stormed in.
"I just herd that you have made contact with the strike teams," she stated, a frown playing over her face.
"Yes."
"Well it's a mistake."
"And why is that," Erin asked, clearly uninterested in having this conversation.
"Because Jack is in there! You're gonna kill the Secretary of Defence and Jack for nothing!"
"Your faith in Bauer is impressive but I have had no contact with him for over thirty minutes."
"Exactly!" Chloe said flustered, pacing round the office before Erin's desk. "He doesn't want you bugging him while he's trying to rescue Heller does he!"
Erin smirked, "No I think his silence indicated failure," she continued on when she saw Chloe was about to argue some more with her. "I have my orders and I am following them. Now if you please, I need to pay close attention to the video feed."
"Sure," Chloe muttered, "I'm watching it at my own station anyway."
Erin's head snapped up again, "Excuse me, this is a direct link, my eyes only!"
"No its not," Chloe said sarcastically, in that 'you should know this' tone, "I hacked into your system so I could watch. You don't think I'm going to let you blow up Jack without being sure he isn't there or trying to stop this did you?"
Too bewildered by her attitude to even try and make her understand her lack of respect Erin shook her head. "I don't want to do this Chloe but there is no other option," she snapped, feeling even worse.
Chloe shrugged, forcing Erin to continue.
"Fine, you can stay here to watch the feed with me. We don't need everybody on the floor seeing this."
Chloe grinned proudly before making herself comfortable in the seat opposite Erin, her attention already focused on the large monitor as she prayed Jack could somehow stop this before it was too late.
Jack watched the three men carefully as one began to light up a cigarette, the other two were in conversation. Deciding to take a chance Jack began to cough, not looking up at the men as he did so, knowing they would know he was faking it if he did.
He dragged on the cough a little longer before starting to waver backwards and forwards a little. The men continued to stare, unsure of what to do so Jack began to gasp for air, looking up at the men desperately, before closing his eyes and toppling backwards off of the crate into a heap on the floor.
He laid scrunched up on the damp concrete floor, staying still, hoping they would think he had fainted or something. He herd their hushed voices and laughter erupted from them for a moment, before they continued there conversation, ignoring the man on the floor.
Taking a breath Jack tried to re-position his hands before pulling them under his legs, twisting onto his side to do so. The men noticed his movement and ran over, realising that Jack had been faking it. The first man realised what the hostage was doing and he shouted to the other men in their native language as they also rushed over. Jack hurried and managed to bring his hands up before him just before the first man reached him and slammed his boot into Jack stomach to keep him still on the floor as the two other men came and grabbed him, pulling him up to his knees.
Omar shifted slightly behind Heller before he spoke. Heller didn't even blink, he just continued to stare at the camera as though unconcerned by what was going to happen. He listened intently as the man began to speak, silently wondering how these people could adopt and then practise such beliefs.
"This man has been sentenced to death for his crimes against humanity," Omar started, his voice deep and strong, "but like all Americans, he is a coward!"
Heller ignored the words, knowing they were hoping to have him loose his temper or react somehow to there words, so they could really humiliate him as they killed him.
"Trying to escape from his sentence," he spat. "But he is no worse than others," he said, before nodding his head to a man stood by the door who left the room immediately. Heller continued to stare blankly on, wondering how long the men would drag this out for as Omar began speaking again.
Jack really was out of breath this time from the forceful hit to his stomach, but a smile was painted on his lips as he realised he had managed to do something; maybe it wasn't over yet. Before he could think about this anymore or the men could retaliate a shout was herd from the next room, and the men immediately dragged him to his feet and began pulling him to the room. Only Omar had the keys to the cuffs so they had to leave his hands as they were.
Omar stepped back behind Heller and began to speak again, he clearly couldn't contain his pleasure at what would happen next.
"This is how much your government care about one of there own," he started, "this illustrates their cowardice and their failures as a nation!" He snapped again, his anger at America getting stronger and stronger as he spoke.
Heller was no longer confused about Omar's earlier words, he looked up fearful of what was going to happen next, shock covering his face as Jack was dragged into the room and thrown onto the floor before Heller's own chair, his head bouncing off of his knee as he was thrown roughly to the floor. Jack blinked through the sudden light before he realised where they had taken him.
"This is the extent of there care for there own people, this is what they do to try and save Heller!" Omar roared, pulling Jacks head back by his hair. "This shows how selfish and arrogant America is, thinking they can defeat us with only one man! This ignorance must stop! America must change!"
Omar let go of Jack and moved away, Jack used the opportunity to turn his head to see Heller who was bound to the chair behind him. He looked down at the floor which he was still sprawled across as guilt and hopelessness began to sink in. Not only had he failed Heller, the terrorists were using him to illustrate Americas arrogance - he had failed his country too. He felt sick, he had come here to help, but he had made everything much more worse than it ever needed to be.
Inside Erin's office Chloe sat gob smacked staring at the screen, a hand still covering her mouth from where she had gasped earlier, as Jack had been thrown into the room looking worse for wear. Erin stayed silent, feeling concern for Jack, and anger that he was to be used to serve such an example. Although she didn't favour him it was still ridiculous, Jack Bauer, of all people, it wasn't right.
"What do we do?" Chloe asked, deadly serious, as though they could still somehow stop this before the two men were killed.
Erin looked down and blinked away a tear, unable to believe that this was happening to America, even more so that it was happening right here in LA. What was the world coming too?
"The only thing we can do," she replied, picking up her phone once more with a trembling hand.