TAIPING PRISON

CHINA

It had long since become a daily routine for the guards at Taiping Prison. For most of them, it had gotten boring. They would drag Jack Bauer into the interrogation room, chain him up, Cheng Zhi would question him, Jack wouldn't so much as blink, he would be tortured, Cheng would question him some more, he still wouldn't speak and a frustrated Cheng would order him back to his cell.

The guards wished Cheng would get it through his thick skull that this American was not going to break for him. No, that wasn't going to happen. Cheng Zhi swore to Jack Bauer that he was going to break him, no matter what and how long it took. As Cheng entered the interrogation room, looking at the unconscious prisoner hanging from the ceiling and sporting a black left eye from the beating his men administered this morning, he felt a new aura of confidence. Today, Cheng felt, was the day he was going to defeat Jack Bauer.

"Wake him," Cheng said in Mandarin to one of the guards, the muscular one who had helped preside over Jack's torture for more than a year. The guard threw a bucket of ice cold water on Jack. The shock of the cold woke Jack up instantly. Cheng walked towards his captive, his hands folded behind his back, and stopped once he was eye-level with him.

"Good morning, Mr. Bauer," he said in his usual arrogant tone. "Do you know what today is?" Jack didn't reply. What else is new, the guards silently asked themselves.

"Today is the day I'm going to fulfill the promise I made you thirteen months ago," Cheng continued. "Today, you are going to break your silence. Or someone very close to you is going to pay a very steep price." That last statement got Jack's attention. His eyes were wide open for the first time since he had been in Cheng's custody. Cheng smiled. He felt even more confident.

"I see I have your full attention," Cheng said. "Excellent. My suspicions about Hong Wai were confirmed earlier today."

No, Jack said to himself. Cheng went on.

"Tell me, Mr. Bauer-exactly what information did he share with your government? Specifically about China's nuclear weapons program?" Jack's bound hands clenched into fists. He wanted nothing more than to break those chains and beat Cheng Zhi's brains in. I've had enough of your games, Cheng. Let me out of these chains for five seconds. Your guards will probably kill me, but not before I break your neck. Cheng noticed Jack's balled fists and smiled again.

"It's good to see you finally expressing some emotion, Mr. Bauer. I was starting to think you were bored with my company. I've learned that you knew Hong Wai quite well. Tell me what he told your government."

Don't say a word, Jack. Don't give him what he wants. Jack just glared at Cheng. The Chinese man sighed.

"You have forced my hand, Mr. Bauer. I will give you one last chance to tell me what I need to know, or she will die." Cheng held out his right hand. He was holding something. What he was holding both angered and frightened Jack. Jack pulled frantically at the chains holding him. Cheng had a black and white photograph of Audrey.

"Hong Wai had been in contact with Miss Raines and her father, whom I understand is now President of the United States. I also understand that Mr. Heller may attempt to rescue you. I've spoken with my superiors, and they will consider another invasion of Chinese soil to be an act of war. One that we will be forced to respond to accordingly. Now…what did that traitor tell you?"

Jack forced himself to speak for the first time in over a year. His voice was weak, but it was strong enough to get his point across to Cheng Zhi.

"You…you can…can go to hell," Jack hissed. Outraged, Cheng dropped the photograph of Audrey and punched Jack as hard as he could. The big guard stepped out of the shadows and approached Jack carrying an electric baton. Cheng took the baton out of his hands and stabbed Jack with it. He shocked him repeatedly, enjoying the American prisoner's screams.

Cheng started to walk away, but decided to shock Jack one final time. He dropped the baton next to Audrey's picture and furiously walked out of the room, leaving a quivering Jack by himself to look down at the picture of his lost love.

Cheng went into a private office and made a phone call.

"Hello, Miss Raines," he said.

"Who is this?" Audrey Raines asked from her condo in Washington.

"My name isn't important," Cheng told her. "But you must listen to me. I know that Hong Wai contacted you. I want you to listen to me. Tell your father that if there is an attempt made to rescue Jack Bauer, the United States will be at war with China."

"Who the hell do you think you are, Mr. Cheng? You can't threaten me or my father."

"This is not a threat, Miss Raines. This is a promise. Ask your father if Jack Bauer is worth declaring war on China." Cheng hung up the phone. There was a knock on the office door. Kim Tangshen walked in.

"Put us on high alert," Cheng said. "President Heller is about to be at war with China."

"We need to kill Bauer now," Kim said.

"No," Cheng told him. "He will die with his friends."

SOMEWHERE OVER CHINA

"Agent Pierce, we have a priority one dispatch from the President," said a voice over Aaron Pierce's headset.

"Put him through," Aaron said from the pilot's seat of the Black Hawk helicopter. "This is Pierce, Mr. President. Go ahead."

"What's the ETA to your destination, Aaron?" President James Heller asked from the White House.

"Approximately twenty mikes, sir," Aaron replied.

"Make it ten, Aaron," Heller said. "The damn Chinese know we're coming."

"What?" Aaron asked. "How'd they find out, sir?"

"Our man inside was discovered. The agent in charge killed him and now the scumbag is threatening my daughter."

"We're almost there, Mr. President," Aaron said. "I'll contact you once we've retrieved Bauer."

"Good luck, Aaron. Heller out." The President ended the transmission and let out a long, sad sigh. Vice President Novick entered the Oval Office. His expression was grim.

"I can't handle any more bad news, Mike," Heller said.

"You need to take this call, Mr. President," Novick told him. "It's the Chinese agent. Cheng Zhi."

"That's the dirt bag who threatened Audrey." Heller's face was turning red. He put his phone on speaker. "This is President Heller. Why don't you tell me what the hell you want to accomplish?"

"Good afternoon, Mr. President," Cheng Zhi said. "Why don't you tell me why you're willing to start a war with China over a criminal like Jack Bauer?"

"Don't play games with me, wiseass!" Heller shouted. "You had Jack Bauer convicted of the Consul's death because you were afraid of the truth! You're holding an innocent man because you don't want to admit that your people screwed up!"

"My men were defending sovereign soil from an invasion, Mr. President."

"Your embassy was protecting a terrorist! Is that the reputation you want your country, Agent Cheng? Do you want it known that China supports terrorism?"

"You're mistaken, Mr. President. The almighty Americans are the real terrorists, and your actions prove it." Heller took the phone and held it to his ear.

"Don't think for one second that you can intimidate me," Heller warned. "Or my daughter. This isn't about the United States and China. This is about your own personal grudge with my country. I don't scare, Cheng. I don't let anyone threaten my daughter. And I do not negotiate with terrorists, which is exactly what you are."

"Call off the mission, Mr. President," Cheng said. "I am not a man you want as an enemy."

"No, Cheng," Heller sneered. "You've got it wrong. It's me that you don't want as an enemy. This is your only chance-release Jack Bauer and clears him of all charges."

"That's out of the question," Cheng said firmly.

"Then be prepared to deal with the consequences," Heller said just as firm. He hung up the phone and turned to his room full of advisors, looking specifically at Mike Novick.

"You're doing the right thing, Jim," Novick said, not speaking as the Vice President, but as a friend.

"I know," Heller replied. "This is why this mission now has a secondary objective."

CHINA

SEVEN MINUTES FROM TAIPING PRISON

"Yes sir, Mr. President," Aaron said. "Pierce out."

"What is it, Aaron?" Tom Baker asked from the co-pilot's chair.

"I've got updated orders from the President." Aaron turned to face the men chosen to rescue Jack Bauer. "Listen up, men. I have new orders from President Heller. Besides the retrieval of codename Nighthawk, we're to terminate any hostile. The Chinese Agent in Charge, Cheng Zhi, is charged with making terrorist threats against the United States. The President considers him and anyone working for him a terrorist, and he wants them dealt with accordingly. Curtis, we're over the drop zone." Curtis Manning stood up and addressed the other selected agents.

"All right, this is it. Everyone's clear on our mission?"

"Yes, sir!" the other agents replied in unison.

"We need to move fast and efficient," Curtis said. "Our mission is simple. Retrieve codename Nighthawk, terminate the enemy and proceed to the rendezvous point. Okay, let's do it."

"Curtis, best of luck," Aaron said. "Tom and I'll be waiting for you."

"Thanks, Aaron," Curtis said. One by one, the rescue team parachuted out of the Black Hawk. They were ready for war.

TAIPING PRISON

"Yes, Cheng?" Kim Tangshen asked. Cheng Zhi was standing outside Jack Bauer's cell. Jack lay inside, his body still shaking from the repeated electric shocks.

"I've changed my mind," Cheng replied. "Mr. Bauer is going to be executed for his crime. Immediately."