I'm at my desk, being careful not to go dosing off again.
Tony is hovering around the area; Jack's visiting Teri (at Tony's request.)
Almeida seems to be the sanest person in the office today. Today of all days.
He walks by me very slowly.
"Nina," he says to me, "Do we have a possible location on the Drazens?"
He doesn't even sound interested in an answer, I think this was just an excuse to talk to me. I remember this as well.
"No." I tell him, plainly.
He turns his head toward the hallway. I slowly do the same.
There is a loud crash against a distant wall, glass breaking.
"That'll be Jack." Tony announced, looking back at me.
I nod my head in agreement.
Yes, moments after, Jack comes running through the hallway, blood on his lip.
He doesn't say anything until Tony looks at him, quizzically.
"I walk in and she throws a vase at me... Since when did we keep vases in the Waiting Rooms?!? Then, I try to kiss her, and she stabs my lip!"
Tony wants to laugh; I can see the twitching on the very edges of his cheeks.
I'm sure Tony put the vases there. How childish.
"What about Kim?" I ask Jack.
He shrugs.
"She didn't say anything."
"I'll talk to her," Tony says. He leaves.
He's the only neutral one in the situation, unless of course he and Teri are having some sort of affair. This isn't likely, and would be a very confusing concept to grasp. I rule out the possibility.
One point for Tony for remaining a normal, acceptable human being.
And one to Jack for putting up with his wife.
"What'd she say, Jack?"
"It doesn't matter. You know what, Nina? Honestly, I was going to give her a chance."
"A chance? She's your wife." I intend this to sound skeptical.
"She's losing her mind, that's what's happening. I know, today has been a bit crazy for her, and for Kim, but she's losing it."
"Because of me, don't ya think?"
Clueless, he's definitely passed that by now.
Tony returns.
"Nice going." He says to both of us.
"I'm getting back to work." I answer, sitting back down at my station. Has their battle over me made them forget the terrorist attacks we're facing? The ones I'm a part (will be, will be.)
I call Drazen as soon as they both leave.
"Nina," he answers, "The funds have been transferred to your account, I need you to start carrying out operations from inside CTU."
"Yes," I say simply, "Anything else?"
He hangs up. Obviously not.
You think terrorists would be more polite. Ha.
I open up my bank account on the screen. Yes, the money is there. I click on the link, and the files open. The money is there, mine, and can't be withdrawn. Just as I was promised.
"Tony!" I call, getting up from my chair, "Look at this."
Tony's winning right now; I might as well keep him from getting suspicious. I can cover up with Drazen later.
I open a list of recent calls made to my station. Well look at that, Drazen's number is at the top of the list!
Worst case scenario, I get a million dollars and Tony… and Jack, that's still a problem.
"What about it?"
Oh, wonderful thinking on my part. It's just a number, he doesn't recognize it, and neither should I.
I pull up a map, changing the subject and trying to ramble my point across.
"I traced it, it's within the vicinity Drazen's men were found in."
"You think it's connected?"
I nod.
"Did you answer the phone?"
I shake my head.
"If it rings again, answer it and get me over here."
"Sure."
"Great work, I'll be back; I've got to send medics to Teri."
"Okay…"
He leaves to do so.
I see Jack standing up across the room from me. As he begins to walk toward me, red lights flash around us.
Oh wow, those only go off when the building is locked down or under attack. Or if some genius tapped a wrong button signing in.
The four glass walls that surround the Situation Room seal. Ah, we must be under attack, that's a sure sign.
Jack immediately pulls his gun from his holster and starts down one of the hallways.
You know what I'm going to do?
I head for the Waiting Rooms.
Yes, there we go. Kim is sitting at one of the couches, not looking the slightest bit worried, and Teri isn't even present.
I ponder removing my gun as well, but find it useless at this point.
"Where's your mom?" I ask Kim.
No answer.
I repeat the phrase at a shout.
And nothing, wonderful.
I turn and run down one of the hallways, and find my way to Medical.
Look at that, it's Teri Bauer. Seated on a waiting table, no doctors in sight. Her hands are tied in front of her, not in handcuffs, but something similar to putting a muzzle on a violent dog.
"I hate you." she yells at me as I walk past, "You take away my husband, and that doesn't shame you? What an example you've set for my daughter. Thank you very much for tearing apart my perfectly happy life, Nina Meyers, you son of a bitch."
Nice thought, and I deserve it.
Her arms tense, as if she wants to do something such as pounce on me.
I remain silent, and just stare at her. Occasionally, I toss my head, moving my hair out of my face. It isn't long enough to brush back, but just long enough to blur my vision.
I circle Teri now, still eyeing her. I know she hates this, being examined and all.
But now I think of something better. I'll be innocent, kind even. I can be ruthless later.
I step carefully step backward, and force myself into a smile. This physically burns the insides of my cheeks. Smiling? At her?
"Congratulations." I tell her, honestly.
"On?"
"The baby? If someone told me, then you've heard."
She rolls her eyes.
"I wanted to forget. Thank you for wrecking something else, Nina. This poor, innocent child will never meet its father, thanks to you."
"I don't recall Jack leaving you."
Her brows furrow.
"You don't? He couldn't have possibly left me when he went out for a week with you!"
Now she throws herself from the table. Before I can really comprehend anything, she's reached across a medical tray and retrieved some sort of scalpel.
She rushes at me, and jabs the scalpel into the soft flesh below my chest. This won't be fatal, but it will if she continues.
Thank God, she can't.
The door opens, just as she raises the knife over me again, and in comes guess who.
Yah, Jack. Tony is behind him.