The night was slowly coming down on the city and the streetlights were about to be turn on. Staring at the window in his passenger seat, flashes of a world he hadn't seen for over a year were passing before Tony's eyes. Until a few hours ago, he would've never imagined to be outside again, ready to come back to action and resume all that mix of lies, deception, violence and constant alert that was the undercover work. Thinking about that, Tony felt a little nauseous. He had fought so hard to try to forget all the unspeakable things he had done in the last few years and now he was coming right into it again. Besides that, another thought was crossing his head. This day, started in un undefined time in his sleep deprived mind, could have been the day where he finally would have got his revenge. For now, this would've been enough to keep him going.
On the seat next to him, Jack was driving the car that would've led them to Burwell's safehouse. After their previous conversation in the interrogation room, Tony had been able to contact Burwell and make him set up a meeting to talk to him in person about business. As they were arriving to the place, the tactical team was taking position in a long-range perimeter around the house to be able to intervene if needed. Now it was up to Tony to be able to convince Burwell to see Jack, opening a possible lead to the threat.
Suddenly Jack's phone started ringing.
Jack glanced at the screen and cursed under his breath before picking up.
"Hi sweetheart" he said with most caring tone he could do at the moment.
Tony turned briefly to his side by instinct and then came back watching outside the window to give him some privacy.
"I'm sorry I haven't called you before but something important came up today and I completely forgot it – continue Jack on the phone – No, I'm fine, don't worry, I just won't be able to get there tonight. I have to finish this work, I'm really sorry. Yeah, I know. Listen, I've gotta go now, I'll call you tomorrow, ok? Give Teri a kiss. Bye Kim."
Turning again towards Jack, Tony couldn't help but ask:
"Teri?"
Jack looked at him a little surprise about the question.
"Yeah, Kim named her daughter after her mother – he responded – I guess you didn't know I'm a granpa now. You would tell?"
Tony smiled a little.
"No, not really."
"Yeah, me neither", he replied, smiling back himself.
"How's Kim?", Tony asked with genuine curiosity.
Hearing that name in Tony's words, a sudden memory from the past came in Jack's mind.
"You know, it's funny for you to ask – said Jack with a grin – after having sent two thugs after her to force me to help you escape from custody."
Tony sighed and then began speaking:
"Using Kim was the only way to make you cooperate with me at the time. Anyway, they never had the order to hurt her, they just had to show you that they were with her."
"Yeah, sure, the fact that they had guns and started a firefight at the airport never include the possibility to hurt her, right?", reacted Jack, way more upset.
"Oh, come on, Jack, you perfectly know how these things work! Of course they needed to have guns in case the situation escalated like it did. That doesn't mean that they actually would have harm her", explained Tony, more annoyed himself.
"Yeah, we both know how these things could easily go wrong, that's why you should've never put my daughter in danger in the first place", closed up Jack.
Tony just stood there in silence, without any other argument to justify himself.
"Anyway – resumed Jack with a calmer tone – let's focus on this now. We can leave personal divergencies for another time."
"Yeah", whispered Tony before turning back to his window.
After a few more turns, Jack pulled over in a residential area.
"Ok, we're here. Burwell's safehouse should be the third on the right", he stated.
"Got it."
"Do you have any question about our cover story and how you should introduce me?"
"No, I'm ok."
Jack nodded. Then, handling him an earpiece, he added:
"Take this. We can have two-way comm and we'll be able to track your position anytime."
Tony stood still, not really convinced to take it.
"I don't think it's a good idea, Jack."
"What are you talking about?", asked Jack, starting to get irritated again.
"Look, these people are not stupid, ok? The first thing they're gonna do once I walk through that door will be to search me for wires and microphones and, if they find that thing in my ear, I'm dead and so it's the mission."
"I can't let you go inside completely dark, we need to be able to hear what's going on."
"Yeah, I know you don't trust me, I can't blame you for that, but, if we're gonna work together in an undercover operation, you know that you won't be able to control every move I make. It's not possible if we want this to look real without jeopardizing the mission", explained Tony. Then, seeing that Jack was not really convinced, he continued:" I said I would help you with this, so I'm not gonna go in there and blow up the cover or try to escape. You've gotta be able to give me some space if we want this to work."
"It's not just that – clarified Jack still upset – We need to hear what's happening also to be able to send in the tac team if things go wrong."
Tony made a little smile. Like they cared.
"I've worked for years undercover with no backup. I can take care of myself, don't worry – he said with a little mocking tone on the last words – Plus, if they really don't buy what I tell them, they're gonna shoot me on the spot and there's no tac team that would make it in time. You know that."
Yeah, Jack knew that. But still let him go in without, at least, a minimum control was a big leap of faith.
Tony began talking again:
"Listen, there is something else you don't know. When I was working with these people, I've taught them everything about how we used to run operation at CTU: most common undercover stories, how to detect wires, engagement tactics and positions…everything. I'm not proud of that, but I needed to gain their trust, so I had no other choice but to tell them what I knew. "
Jack gave him a very disappointed look, shaking his head. Tony continued:
"So, you have to believe me when I tell you that they won't go easy on this."
Tony paused a moment to study Jack's reaction: he was still uncertain. Though, he could see that, somehow, he got through because what he told him couldn't be ignored. It was time for the ultimatum.
"Anyway – he began again – this is your operation, so it's your call. What do you want me to do?"
Jack looked at the earpiece in his hand one last time. The leap of faith was still in front of him, ready to be taken. And there was no turning back from it. Either he decided to trust again the person who had deceived him a year ago or he could go on the safest way, but with a huge risk of compromising the mission before it could even begin.
"Fine – said Jack putting the earpiece away – We're doing it your way, but you promise me that you won't stall and you'll let me in as soon as possible, ok?"
"A'ight, I promise."
"Ok. In the glove compartment there are a gun and a phone with my number on it", explained Jack.
Tony opened it and took the gun checking if it was loaded. It was. Then he took the phone.
"I'll be waiting for your call", added Jack just to make it perfectly clear.
"Ok."
Then, Tony got out of the car and started walking on the curb.
Jack watched him going, still unsure if he had made the right choice. Picking up the radio he said:
"Target is going in, everyone stay in position and be ready to move on."
"Copy that", the radio answered back.
Then he turned the car on and drove away.
