The following takes place between 11:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M.

The job went smoothly. By the time the bank realized that $100,000 dollars had been stolen it would all be laundered and ready for their business. Kiryl was always an effective hand but today he surpassed expectations. As Kolya overlooked the counting and sorting of the bills Viktor approached him.

"We may have a lead on our old friend Ivan," Viktor informed his boss. Kolya could not find a better use for some of the new money than to use it to find and take care of Ivan and those he now worked with.

"Have Kiryl help you out," Kolya ordered. "Use what you need from downstairs to find him. When you do, call me. I want to make sure Ivan and his friends are dealt with."

"No problem, comrade," Viktor nodded. "All I have to do is wait for the police to get the man I need. Then it's a simple task of snatching him from them."

"What then?"

"The boy is one of these 'hoods' in this city; a weakling. With Kiryl's help I can make him talk."

"Do it."

XXXXX

The drive to the mall was short, taking only fifteen minutes. A detective with LAPD was waiting when they pulled up. "Agents," he greeted them, "My men are posted throughout the mall. Our boy has already entered and has been casually strolling around."

"What other back-up do you have?" Jack asked as they approached the entrance.

"There are two choppers in the area as well as a SWAT team on standby a block away," the detective replied. "Just in case."

"Has Mr. Rivers been approached by anyone?" Ingram asked next.

"No. We've been tailing him very carefully. No one has approached him and he has not spoken to anyone, either. If he passed something to someone in a crowd we would have seen it."

"Thank you, detective," Jack replied. "We'll join your men. Once we've confirmed that both targets have met up we'll signal you."

"Understood." And the detective was gone.

"Do we have any idea what Dr. Strangelove looks like?" Ingram asked his superior.

"Can't say. NSA managed to pick up his phone call, which gave us the lead, but his voice was distorted. No photograph, nothing. But we estimate that he's in his late thirties, early forties."

"Well," Ingram chuckled as he scanned the crowd of mall goers. "Thanks for narrowing the field down."

XXXXX

Chloe and Audrey had been working on whatever information they had in regards to the alias 'Dr. Strangelove'. Audrey was able to pick up one bit of information from Homeland Security on another alias believed to coincide with Strangelove. She called Jack.

"Bauer," Jack answered his phone.

"It's Audrey; I found some more information on Dr Strangelove."
"Go ahead," Jack said as he pulled out his PDA.

"Homeland Security has a file on a 'Mr. Oddjob' who is believed to of Russian decent. Mr. Oddjob is an arms dealer specializing with smuggling illicit arms and explosives across the Mexican border."

"Any idea what he looks like?" Jack asked as he skimmed the file on his PDA.

"No. HOMSEC couldn't get a good description of him except he's about six feet tall and has dark brown, maybe black hair."

"Okay, thanks Audrey." Jack hung up and informed Ingram on the new intel. "At least we've narrowed it down about half." Ingram chuckled at that.

"Yeah, complete with the name of a Bond villain, thanks."

On the other side of the mall, Kim and Barry had just walked in. Unbeknownst to Kim they passed the uber-luxurious jewelry store where Barry had purchased the engagement ring. But she clearly knew the ring was expensive by the intricate patterns on white gold on the outside of the 24k yellow gold band, the unique shape of the diamond and the custom scroll work of her name on the inside of the band. But she didn't care; she was in seventh heaven at the moment.

XXXXX

"I think I'll be getting that new job at Hendley Associates over on third," Kim said as they stopped at an Auntie Anne's.

"Great," Barry congratulated. "You won't have to go far to get to work anymore."

"Yeah. I go in for my interview on Monday. The supervisor I spoke to on the phone seemed eager to have the interview."

"That's always a good sign." They continued on toward the outside dining area at the center of the mall.

Big Fish had sat down in the outside dining area. Jack and Ingram were on the level above him and working their way down the stairs. Ingram purchased an LA Angel's ball cap to further blend in. "So we're looking for a guy with dark hair, about my height possibly with a Russian accent," Ingram mused. "Shouldn't be too hard; all we gotta do is get close enough to hear him breathe."

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "If he doesn't notice the security."

"These plain clothes guys seem fairly competent." Ingram observed as they sat down at a table and he began to read the paper. "Obviously we can pick them out, but unless someone was trained to look for them they'd have a hard time knowing they're there."

He saw his supplier on the other side of the court. 'Dr. Strangelove' was right on time: 11:55 as agreed. He knew it was him because of the blue jacket and white t-shirt he was wearing and his friend, a blonde. He tossed the half-empty soda can into the central trash can: the signal that it was clear.

"Hey, Kim, why don't you pick out a table," Barry said to his fiancée. "I'll get us lunch."

"Sure thing," Kim said and after pecking him on the cheek they broke apart.

"What's Kim doing here?" Jack wondered aloud as he looked over Ingram's shoulder. Ingram saw an attractive blonde girl about his age and a few inches shorter walking perpendicular to his view and not too far away.

"Shopping?" Ingram asked. "Or are you worried that it's not a coincidence?"

"She's probably just shopping," Jack shrugged off his paranoia but his attention was still distracted towards his daughter.

"Look, I've got Big Fish covered, Jack," Ingram said as he watched said person get a drink from a water fountain. "Go ahead. See if you can't break the ice between you two. Plus it'll make us blend in more if we're not walking around together all the time."

"Thanks," Jack said, "I've got my earpiece in." He got up and made his way toward Kim."

"Kim," Kim heard a voice call out from behind her.

"Dad," she was surprised to see him here. "What are you doing here?"

"I just happened to be in the area," he explained, "and I saw you just now. How are you doing?" He didn't like meeting his daughter like this. Sure he knew she wasn't a little girl anymore but he still missed when she greeted him with a hug. Maybe just a smile and a step closer to him would be fine. But not since Barry became a factor.
"Happy as can be," she replied. 'Is this a good time to tell him? I wasn't expecting to see him so soon.'

"You, uh, wanted to share something with me?"

Ingram noticed Big Fish moving away so he followed and approached Jack and Kim Bauer so as not to attract attention. Fish stopped at another soda machine and appeared to be thinking about the selection. "Kim," Jack said as Ingram stepped up. "This is Ingram Fuchs. Ingram, this is my daughter, Kim."
"Pleasure to meet you, Kim," Ingram bowed his head.

"Thanks," Kim said as she made eye contact with the young and attractive agent. 'Too bad I'm engaged, huh.' "Dad, about what I wanted to speak with you about…"

"Uh," Ingram tapped Jack's shoulder. "I'll just be over that-a-way, okie dokie?" And he excused himself. As he did so he glanced over at Big Fish. He now had a coke in his hand and nodded to someone behind Ingram. He turned and looked past Kim's back and over Jack's shoulder to a man with a brown beard, blue jacket and white shirt. The face said all that was needed for Ingram.

He saw the agent and locked eyes with him. He knew he was an agent because he was the one who busted a deal a few years ago in Texas. 'Mac Fuchs!' He swore to himself. He quickly reached into a black fanny pack and Ingram knew what 'Dr. Strangelove' slash 'Dr. Oddjob' was reaching for.

"Barry's right over there," Kim said and Jack turned around. Both saw the panicked expression on Barry's face as he was pulling something black from his…

"Jack, get down!" Ingram shouted as he darted forward, knocking Jack off his feet behind a steel bench and putting his body between Kim and the shooter just as a nine millimeter bullet flew towards them and impacted dead center on Ingram's chest, spinning him around and sending him to the ground on top of the frightened Kim Bauer.

11:59:59