2:01 PM
Chloe stumbled slightly when she rounded the corner, changing direction from the street that held the warehouse. Determined to find civilization in the dilapidated neighborhood, she soon found a shipping company with gates opened. She entered their warehouse without invitation and saw a man working near by.
"Sir, can I please borrow your cell phone," she managed to pant out between labored breaths.
"What," he snapped with annoyance. "No."
"It's an emergency!" she exclaimed in disbelief at his rudeness. He snorted and began to move on but she spotted his cell buckled to his waist. Her hand snatched it quickly and as he turned to retrieve it, she hurried off with a cranky, "I'll bring it right back!"
Her fingers moved in a familiar pattern over the keys even though she had not called the number in years. She rushed outside, in search of a private area, as the phone began to ring.
2:05 PM
Jack stood to inspect the increased activity downstairs throughout CTU. Something was happening, he just didn't know what yet. His cell phone jarred him to attention and he answered instantly. "Bauer."
"Jack, it's me!"
"Chloe," he breathed, now intently focused with a sense of urgency. "Where are you? What happened?"
"I'm at the Port of L.A. I think I saw a street sign that said W Pier D St."
"Are you okay?" he instinctively asked.
Chloe crouched against the brick wall, safe in the enclosing alleyway. "I'm fine," she realized she was relieved to say. "I didn't do anything though, Jack."
"I know. We have to get you here as soon as possible," he began calculating a plan. The knock at his door alerted him to Curtis' presence, however. The glass walls revealed his every move to the agent, forcing him to motion the man in after telling Chloe, "Stay on the line."
Curtis entered as Jack placed the phone to his shoulder, as if to conceal their conversation. "What is it, Curtis?"
"It's urgent, Jack," he answered, glancing at the cell phone.
Before he could dismiss any thing as more urgent than his call, two armed CTU guards appeared at both sides of Curtis.
"What is this?" Jack hissed.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Curtis replied, sincerely. "It's orders."
"From who?"
Curtis didn't have to answer, for it ascended the stairs to Jack's office and appeared in his doorway. "Hang up the phone, Mr. Bauer," Director Weston instructed.
Jack slowly flipped the device closed, cutting the connection, as he scowled at the division director. The man had it in for Jack the day he was appointed but had yet to find a reasonable excuse to be rid of him. Today looked like his lucky day.
"You've ignored protocol and have allowed a terrorist suspect to go without pursuit-"
"That's bullshit," Jack snapped. "You're going to use this to get me out, Weston? You've been waiting since you started for one little thing to come along to declare me unfit for this position."
"No, Jack," he hummed with a smug satisfaction. "You've always been unfit. Now I just have ammunition." Jack sneered aside, thinking for the hundredth time in his life that he didn't have time for this. "For the record," Weston continued, "Your negligent mismanaging of CTU has caused the lives lost of one civilian and who knows how many others in David Emerson's wake because you refuse to pursue him and his wife."
Jack restrained himself as long as possible but could not contain the mutter, "Ex-wife."
Weston's eyes smiled at the comment – the precise response of a person prejudiced so wholly by their personal feelings - and replied, "Exactly." He held Jack's cold stare while he continued. "Agent Manning will take over operational control of CTU for the time being. You are on probation, Mr. Bauer, until further notice."
Jack rounded the desk, wanting out of the office as quickly as possible. While his position was one he worked hard for, it was not more important than Chloe's safety which dominated his thoughts in the immediate.
When he came shoulder to shoulder with Weston near the doorway, the division director offered a parting note. "Your access to CTU is likewise suspended, Jack."
He set off, not giving Weston the satisfaction of a reaction.
2:11 AM
Chloe calmed herself and tried to think clearly.
He hung up on her. Surely it was for a good reason but still. She was alone. She returned to what he said – that she had to get to CTU – and decided on her plan.
Chloe left the alley, finding the main road. It was deserted for a long while and she considered using the stolen cell phone in her pocket to call a cab until a car appeared around the corner. The dark vehicle neared and she hesitated before stepping into the road, waving it down. It stopped before her and the glare of the sun off the windshield temporarily blinded her. Her hand rose over her brow to screen the light but she could not make out the driver. With little choice, she rounded the hood of the car and peered in through the passenger window which lowered.
The middle aged man in his short sleeved button down looked over her and adjusted his glasses. "Are you all right?" he asked at the state of her.
"No, I need a ride downtown. It's an emergency."
"Okay," he trailed, unlocking the door. Chloe climbed in the air conditioned car, thankful to be out of the dead heat and the man started off. "Do you want me to call the police? I have a cell-"
"No, I already talked to them," she lied. Without a doubt there was an APB out on her and involving the LAPD would just complicate things. "I'm going to them now."
The man nodded and she found herself finally relaxing in the comfort of the car. She had been running for hours and there was a moment she could rest at last.
Chloe noticed only out of the corner of her eye the approaching car from the side before it slammed into theirs, T boning the vehicle. The collision quaked through her and she crashed against the door, her shoulder and body taking the brunt of the hit.
She lay crumpled against the door after the vehicle finally came to a halt and the other car had dislodged itself from them. An unnatural silence filled the interior, save the creaks accompanying it's now disfigured shape. She vaguely recognized the light sound of footsteps before a body appeared in the driver side window, now destroyed from the impact. Her eyes slid over to see the man behind the wheel inching to movement until two shots landed directly in his chest. Her shuddering nerves threatened to shake her entirely and she watched as the outsider leaned down to peek in the window.
"Where you going, Chloe?" David asked simply.
2:35 PM
David's hand gripped Chloe's arm as he walked them into his warehouse, the gun barrel digging directly into her side.
"Did you talk to anyone?" he started.
She hesitated then lied, "No."
He seemed to snicker a little and replied, "How about we quit fucking around, Chloe. Who did you call?"
"I told you I didn't," she disputed with irritation.
"It won't matter," he hummed then gave her a humored smile, pushing her into the seat behind the laptop. "Get me into Paragon."
"What do you want from there?"
"That's my business."
"Well, I'm going to have to know if you want me to get to it," she reasoned as though that much were obvious.
"I'll tell you once you're in," he clipped, clearly.
Chloe stared at the primed computer screen and resolutely answered, "No."
David leaned nearer to face her. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. It sounded like you said 'no' while there is a gun pointed at your head."
Chloe fought to maintain her calm and she took a slow breath to regain her courage. "What, you're going to shoot me, David? You need me to get into Paragon undetected, don't you?"
He kneeled next to her chair to be at eye level with her and she felt his hand suddenly glide along the back of her head, down the length of her hair softly. His quiet timber masked the intent of his words as he murmured, "There are worse things I can do than kill you, Chloe."
Her apprehensive gaze locked on the sincerity behind his own and she jumped at the sound of the warehouse door opening. He stood and nodded a greeting at the thugs that entered and spread about the complex.
"It's just my guys," he stated then glanced back down at her. "All right. Do you really want to start this?" She sat, stubbornly silent, and he went on. "First maybe your neighbor friend Kelly." Chloe's brow furrowed at the thought of her innocent neighbor hurt. He watched her reaction and continued. "Then a few co-workers maybe. Beth and Karl." David waited as she remained conflicted but unmoving. He delivered finally, "And then Helen."
Her head shot up at him in angry awe. "Leave my mother alone."
"Don't force me to take measures that don't have to be taken," he stated succinctly.
"How could you do something like that?" she questioned, realizing she didn't know who he was at all anymore. She wondered if she ever had.
"There are bigger things at stake now, Chloe," he replied. "Bigger than just one person."
Chloe stalled, recognizing his genuine drive. "What do you want from Paragon? What did you find when you were undercover there?"
"What are you, bugged?" he snidely remarked with annoyance. "This isn't a Q&A. You get me in and then I tell you where to go."
A noise from outside the office drew his attention suddenly and they fell into silence. Chloe observed the open area and the stillness made her uneasy. She saw David reach for the com device on the desk, speaking into it, "Roof position, respond."
"Roof here," the line spoke back.
"Position two and three, respond," he continued.
The quiet continued and he snapped the safety off the gun, tossing the talkie down. "Get up," he ordered. "And grab the laptop."
She did as instructed and he clutched her arm, leading her out before him. She gasped when his grip tightened painfully and he snarled, "Who did you call?"
"Emerson!" His shout broke the silence and David whirled the two about to face the man whose own gun was pointed at him. A small whimper escaped Chloe at the blessed sight of Jack, poised and ready. David edged further behind Chloe so very little of him stayed exposed.
"Let her go!" Jack barked.
"Can't do that," he replied, matter-of-factly. "So one of two things is going to happen: you're going to let us go or you're going to make me shoot her."
"Jack-" Chloe started, desperate to tell him David's threats – against her any way – were empty. He needed her. But he jerked her to silence, moving the gun from her back to her temple and causing Jack to grimace furiously as he snapped the safety off his own pistol.
David studied the man glancing slightly at Chloe before speaking. "So we're on a first name basis, are we?"
"Just give up. It's over," she insisted. She knew what Jack was capable of. David didn't.
"That's another reason our marriage failed, Chloe," he mused, watching Jack's bothered reaction to the mention of their union. "You never gave me credit. You always underestimated me."
Chloe suddenly caught sight of the second floor balcony and his roof man appearing with rifle in hand. She yelled, "Jack!" to warn him and his attention was drawn away when the thug opened fire.
David hauled her toward the door with him as Jack turned up, aiming precisely and hitting the man in the chest. He started after the two but stopped with their proximity to the exit and called out, "Chloe!"
She instinctively ducked to the ground when he alerted her and he took aim at David who followed her lead, crouching down and firing back at the open target. Jack hesitated; he was too close to Chloe; and he took nearby cover. She took the off-balance opportunity to thrash at David, inadvertently knocking his gun aside. He scrambled for the weapon as she scooted away. Jack found his break and rushed to David whose hand finally gripped the pistol and began to face him from the ground.
Jack reached him before he was able to take aim, kicking the gun from his hand. David swept a leg out, catching Jack's with a hard knock causing him to stumble to the floor. He released his gun and held David to the ground with one hand as he delivered a solid blow to the head with the other.
David fell unconscious but sudden gun fire brought Jack to immediate attention again. He discovered David's other men he hadn't unearthed firing on them and he surged to his feet, clutching Chloe's hand with a quick, "Come on!" as they raced to his truck.
2:54 PM
Jack's hands gripped the steering wheel and he contained the urge to press harder on the gas pedal. Calming himself for a moment, he glanced aside at Chloe in the passenger side. Her eyes were locked on the dashboard and a strange expression of anxiousness painted her face.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, doing a visual once over just to make sure.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she stated, easily enough.
He watched her remain, however, and he stayed unconvinced. He breathed lightly, "Hey," and reached for her, setting his hand on her forearm. When his fingers softly held onto her, she seized his hand, frantic for some solid ground. He returned the grasp, finding himself more relieved than he realized.
They released the contact soon after, at the moment when it becomes more than a comforting touch.
"Did he do anything to you?" he started.
"No. He wouldn't," she replied.
"What do you mean?"
"He's trying to get into Paragon."
"The weapons manufacturer, we know."
"He needs me to get him in. The program that they're using at their highest level of security is mine. I created it," she explained.
"I didn't know you did that."
"It was something I did in my spare time," she said, defensively. "For some extra money. I sold them to commercial companies that needed a heightened security encryption. They're almost impossible to get into."
"But you can get into it," Jack followed.
"Any good hacker with the right equipment – like the systems CTU has – could get into it. But none of them could get in, undetected, and configure the program from inside, leaving no traces behind."
"How can you be the only one that can do that?"
Chloe hesitated, knowing she was on ethically shaky ground. "Because I built a backdoor into the program that allows me to do that."
"Why would you build a backdoor?" Jack wondered, legitimately.
"It's a programmer thing, okay?" she snapped. "It's just something you do when you create something. It's like a signature. Your mark."
"But this backdoor would give you access to all the information and the ability to manipulate it of whoever has bought your program; all of their confidential data that they've paid you to protect," he said and she was stung slightly by his disapproving tone.
"I've never actually used it," she supplied to which he sighed.
"And now Emerson wants in."
"Yeah. He knows he can't hurt me, though, so he's threatened my friends and family," she answered in disgust.
Jack remembered suddenly the news he dreaded to tell her. Making a decision, he pulled his SUV over, onto a secluded side street and stopped the truck. Chloe waited in confusion and asked, "Jack?"
He met her eyes and his own revealed an upset certainty that twisted her stomach with fear. "Chloe, it's your mother. They found her this morning… She was killed."
Jack couldn't tell if she was breathing or not but the shocked look on her face indicated she heard him. Her eyes turned away from him and he saw her struggle to understand.
"Are you sure," she whispered, now visibly shuddering. Jack nodded lightly and her balled hands hid her mouth as she slowly curled into herself. Her eyes shut so tightly, the gathering tears could not fall but instead covered her face in a cold mask. Her hands concealed her completely as she gasped for air but restrained a cry.
Jack edged nearer, pulling her to him across the seat. She moved into him like gravity, burying her face in his chest and his arms encircled her shaking form, lightly holding her head to him.
They remained silent as she soundlessly wept against him and he momentarily wished she would cry out. Yet he knew she never would.
3:00:00
…
