Fighting for Salvation (12)

[failegaidin]

Title: Fighting for Salvation (12)
Rating: R
A/N: There will be 16 chapters in Season 1, so we're almost there! Of course, then things will continue, and there will be some chapters that happen between S1 and S2. Also, please note the wonderful new Tava icon I'm using from lady_boromir. 


Chapter 12

            Chappelle had gone across the room to talk to Alberta, and Palmer's back was to him as he walked across the floor. Ryan's eyes widened as he saw the Senator, and he quickly caught Tony's gaze, slightly shaking his head. Tony knew that meant to stall Palmer, no matter what he wanted. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward to intercept the man striding toward him.

            "Senator," he greeted, shaking Palmer's hand. "I'm surprised to see you here."

            "You shouldn't be. One of your agents tried to kill me this morning."

            "That's not what happened, Senator. We're still trying to sort everything out, but Agent Bauer was actually trying to save you."

            "That's not how it looks. I want to speak to him."

            "I'm sorry, Senator. That's not possible right now."

            "Why not?"

            "He's being debriefed, sir."

            "Tony?"

            He turned around to find Milo standing nervously behind him.

            "What is it, Milo?"

            "We've got the name of the third shooter."

            "Who is it?"

            "Alexis Drazen."

            Palmer frowned at the name, something tickling at the back of his mind. As Milo turned and walked back to his station, he brought his attention back to Tony.

            "I need to speak to Agent Bauer."

            "I'm sorry, sir. I can't let you do that. No one is to see him until the debrief is over."

            As he spoke, he watched Green walk away from Chappelle and down the hall, toward the holding room where they were keeping Jack. He wished that they would hurry up – distracting a Senator was not his idea of a good time.

 

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            Jack stifled a sigh as Alberta Green walked into the room. He had never really liked the woman, and today she was just getting in his way. She was too concerned with the bureaucratic red tape to actually get anything done. Taking the seat across from him, she busied herself opening a folder and examining its contents. Jack doubted that the file had anything to do with him.

            "You should know, your wife and daughter have been moved to a safe house-"

            He was on his feet immediately.

            "What? Why didn't anybody tell me?"

            "I just told you. We felt that they would be safer in a secure environment, with agents around to keep lookout."

            "Why? What's happened?"

            "Nothing has happened, Jack. We're just taking precautions."

            "Bullshit. You wouldn't remove them from the clinic unless something made you suspicious."

            "Alright. Nina called us from the clinic a little while ago. Said she saw someone. They're checking on it now."

            "And that was enough to make you move them?"

            "To be honest, it wasn't enough for me. But it seems your friends Ava and Tony got to Chappelle and he made the call."

            "At least someone is thinking."

            "If I were you, Jack, I'd watch it. You are in some serious trouble here. You went so far outside of protocol that-"

            The door opened suddenly, cutting Green off. She and Jack looked up in surprise as Chappelle walked in, a frustrated expression on his face. He put his hands on his hips and stared at Jack.

            "Come on, Bauer. Let's go."

            "Where to?"

            "Senator Palmer is here. He wants to talk to you."

            "I'm surprised you're letting him."

            "Believe me, Jack, it's not my choice. He went over my head. Now come on. He's waiting for you in the sit room."

 

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            Ava stumbled a little bit as she left Medical. The pain meds that they had given her were making her a little loopy, but she couldn't stay cooped up there any longer. When the doctor had been pulled away by a phone call, she had snuck out quickly. She knew the guy was only doing his job, but the thought of just sitting down there while a crisis was going on drove her crazy. She was of more use if she was in action, and she was determined to do just that.

            When she got to the main floor, she looked around for Tony, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was apt to yell at her for not waiting for him, and she wanted to avoid a scene if she could. Her face was pale, but she thought she could brush that off as mere tiredness instead of the loss of blood.

            Sighing, she decided that she would go see Jack instead. Whatever was happening, he was sure to be in the thick of it. Looking around, she noticed him in the situation room, talking to somebody. He didn't seem to be in restraints, which was a bit of a surprise considering how badly Green wanted to crack down on him. She moved with confidence toward the room, barely even registering the two men standing on either side of the door until one of them reached out and grabbed her arm.

            Her reaction was an immediate. At the pressure on her skin, something in her snapped and she spun, twisting the guy's arm up and behind his back as she kicked out one of his knees. He fell to the floor face-first, and Ava placed her foot on the back of his neck, still holding his arm. The other man pulled out his weapon and pointed it at her just as Jack and the man he was talking to came bursting through the door.

            "Ava, what the hell are you doing?"

            "He grabbed my arm."

            "Jack, do you know this woman?"

            "Senator, this is Agent Connelly. She's been integral in finding my family and helping us find the people who want you dead."

            The senator turned to face Ava. "Is there a reason you're beating up my Secret Service agents?"

            Ava shrugged, letting the guy off the floor and stepping back. "I've had a rough day. He grabbed me without saying something and I just reacted. I've already been shot once today. Now I'm a little more cautious."

            Palmer smiled at her, amused by her explanation.

            "Since you've been involved in this case all day, why don't you come in and talk with us? We'll need all the help we can get by the time this is over."

            "Sounds good to me. That's what I was trying to do when Sparky here jumped me." Realizing how that sounded, she turned to the agent with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I didn't know you were one of the good guys. I'm a little jumpy."

            "Obviously," the guy muttered.

 

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            "We found the link," Jack told her as they all sat down.

            "Huh?"

            "The link between me and the senator. Operation Nightfall."

            "You mentioned that earlier."    

            "I was right. I headed that mission to take out Victor Drazen. Senator Palmer was the head of the committee that gave us the green light."

            "And now somebody wants revenge?"

            "Apparently. Milo found the name of the third shooter – Alexis Drazen."

            "I take it he's a relative."

            "Victor's youngest son. I imagine his brother Andre is involved as well." He paused. "Today is the two-year anniversary of Operation Nightfall."

            "This just gets more and more fun."

            Palmer narrowed his eyes at her. "You have an odd sense of humor."

            Ava smiled at him. "You have no idea, sir." She turned back to Jack. "So what's our next move?"

            "We're going to call a man named Ellis. He was another operative in the mission. He might be able to help us."

 

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            It didn't take long for Ellis to find some information. While he tapped away at his laptop, he relayed his discoveries over the phone to sit room at CTU.

            "Here's something we missed, Jack," he told them. "Drazen's wife and daughter were killed in the attack."

            Jack sighed as Ava let out a low whistle.

            "That would do it," she said quietly.

            "Ellis, is there anything else?"

            "Kind of."

            "What do you mean?" Palmer asked.

            "Well, there's a file missing. I can't figure out what's in it or how it disappeared. This is going to take some more digging."

            "Fine," Jack answered. "Have Milo help you in any way he can, okay?"

            "Okay. I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

 

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            "So what do we do now?" Palmer asked as Jack hung up the phone.

            Jack exchanged a look with Ava.

            "Well, sir…I'm not sure how much we can do."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I've been relieved of my duties, Senator. And I'm sure Ava's pretty close to the edge, if they haven't already taken her badge away."

            "They haven't taken anything from me yet," Ava said. "Of course, that might just be because Green is afraid I'll kick her ass." Palmer gave her another look. "Sorry, Senator."

            He turned his attention back to Jack. "Who do I need to talk to to get you reinstated?"

            Jack's eyes widened. "Ryan Chappelle is the ranking agent on staff, but…"

            Palmer was already up and out the door. Jack and Ava followed, sharing a nervous glance.

            "Agent Chappelle?" Ryan came walking over quickly. "I want you to reinstate Jack Bauer and make sure that Agent Connelly is clear as well."

            "Sir, I-"

            "Ryan, this is a matter of national security. We need these agents running at full capacity, and that can't do that with their hands tied behind their backs."

            Shooting a venomous look at Jack, he nodded to the senator. "I'll go take care of it, sir."

            "Thank you."

            As Chappelle walked away, Jack turned to Palmer.

            "Sir, I think you should still leave the state."

            "I'm not going anywhere."

            "This threat to your life is real, Senator. They know you're here, and they're going to find a way they can get to you."

            "I’m sorry, Jack. But I'm staying here. We're putting an end to this whole thing. Today."

 

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            They waited anxiously for Ellis to call back. Until they had more information or could locate Alexis Drazen, there were very few moves they could make. At least while the senator was at CTU, they knew he was safe.

            Ava jumped slightly when the phone rang. Sitting around was starting to make her tired, and she found herself dozing. She shook her head to wake herself back up and tried to focus on what Ellis was telling them.

            "I still haven't found out what was in that file," he told them.

            "But you've found something else?" Jack asked eagerly.

            "Well, it turns out the file was removed deliberately. Somebody got access to it and removed just that one piece."

            "How long do you think it will take you to find out what was in it?" Palmer asked.

            "Not sure. But I'll keep working on it."

            "Do you need anything from us?"

            Ava frowned as a muffled sound came through the phone. She leaned in closer, trying to decipher what exactly the sound was.

            "Ellis?" Palmer stood up, leaning his hands on the table. "Robert? Are you there?"

            Ava thought she was just about to figure out what she was hearing when there was a loud clatter on the other end.

            "The phone's been dropped," Jack murmured.

            With a click, the line went dead. Milo came bursting into the room, worry evident in his eyes.

            "We lost him. Jack, I think he was just killed."

            Jack slammed his fist into the table. "Dammit!"

            "But we've got new information."

            All three heads snapped up as they looked at Milo in surprise.

            "We've found Alexis Drazen."

            "Where?" Jack demanded.

            Milo looked at Senator Palmer nervously. "Sir…one of the members of your staff recognized him. She's been…sleeping with him."

            "Who?" Palmer asked.

            The younger man looked down at the paper in his hands. "Elizabeth Nash."

            "Get her on the phone," Jack ordered. "Now."

 

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            "Jack. Ava."

            At the sound of his voice, both agents turned to find George Mason standing behind them, a tight smile on his face.

            "George," Ava replied. "What are you doing here?"

            "I'm taking over command of CTU."

            "What about Green?"

            "She's going back to Division."

            Ava sighed. "Thank God."

            Mason chuckled. "She warned me I might have a problem with you. Said you were disrespectful and insubordinate."

            "I'm always misunderstood," she mumbled.

            "So," George said, getting back to business. "I hear we may have a plan."

            Jack nodded. "Let's talk about it in my – I mean, your office."

            As they walked toward the stairs, Ava swung by Tony's station and grabbed his arm, dragging him along.

            "What are you doing?" he asked.

            "We're discussing our next move. You're coming."

            "You were supposed to wait in Medical until I came to get you."

            "I got bored."

            "I hear you almost took out a Secret Service agent."

            "He tried to stop me. Grabbed my arm. You know I don't like to be touched by strange men."

            She closed the door behind them as they filed into the office. George immediately took the seat behind the desk, while Jack and Tony stood in front of him. Ava headed for the couch and sank down, her dizziness getting to her. She hoped they caught these guys soon – she wasn't sure how much longer she could last.

            "So what's the plan?" George asked, leaning back in the chair.

            "Elizabeth Nash is on Palmer's staff. She's been sleeping with Alexis Drazen and inadvertently passing him information about Palmer's whereabouts."

            "Do we know where he is right now?"

            "No. But he's supposed to meet Ms. Nash at a hotel in about an hour."

            "Good. We can grab him and be done with this."

            "I don't think that's a good idea, George."
            "What do you mean? The guy is right there. All we have to do is set a trap and take him."

            "His brother Andre is still out there. I think this goes deeper than just Alexis."

            "What do you propose?"

            "Have Ms. Nash keep her date with him."

            "Jack, are you insane?" George asked. "That could risk everything. Let's just arrest him."

            "We could put a wire on her. Have her put a tracker on him. Then we follow him, see where he goes."

            "It won't work," Ava interjected.

            Jack turned to look at her in surprise. He had expected her of all people to back him in this.

            "Why not?"

            "She knows what he is now. What he's done. And you expect her to let him touch her? To kiss her? The very thought disgusts her now, and she'll have a real hard time hiding that from him. He's going to know that something is wrong. And that puts Elizabeth in a whole hell of a lot of danger."

            "But we'd be right there," Tony argued. "If something went wrong, the team could go in and neutralize the situation, arrest Alexis."

            Ava stared at him for a moment. "This girl doesn't deserve this. Yeah, she was stupid and slept with a guy she shouldn't have. She told him things she shouldn't have. But to put her in this kind of danger is even more stupid. Human emotion comes into play here, gentlemen, and you can't control that."

            "We don't have to," Jack asserted. "We can control everything else." He turned back to Mason. "George, let me do this. We'll be right across the hall, and we'll be able to see and hear everything. If it doesn't work, we just go in and get him. We've lost nothing."

            Ava shook her head even as George slowly nodded. "Alright. Do it. But make sure, Jack, that this woman knows the kind of danger she'll be in. If she agrees to this, I want her to know exactly what she's getting into."

            "Understood." He turned and walked toward Ava, taking a seat next to her on the couch. "I don't want you in on this."

            "What?" she asked, sitting up. "Why?"

            "First of all, you're injured. You shouldn't be doing anything that might result in another fight."

            "Jack-"

            "And I need you to do something for me."

            Ava sighed. "What?"

            "I want you to go check on Teri and Kim."

            "Why me? Nina is already there."

            Jack shook his head. "No she's not. She came back." He paused. "Besides, Teri and Kim know you. They'll feel more comfortable with you and they might tell you if anything is bothering them. I just need you to go there and help them in any way you can. And I'll feel better, knowing you're there. I'll know they're safe."

            Ava sighed again. "Way to throw in the schmoozing and the compliments, Bauer. But I'll do it."

            Jack squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

 

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            Tony came up to Ava as she gathered some things from her desk.

            "How are you feeling?" he asked, sitting on the edge of her station.

            She shrugged. "I'm a little tired. But no pain."

            "You think you're up for this?"

            "Not much to it, Tony. Check on Teri and Kim, keep them company for a little while and make sure that they're really okay." She paused and looked at him closely. "What's the matter."

            He shrugged, looking away. "I just don't want you to get hurt again."

            She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll try to be careful. I promise."

            He lifted his eyes to meet her again. "Nina gave me an ultimatum."

            Ava frowned. "What kind of ultimatum?"

            "She said I could either be friends with you or be in a relationship with her. She said I couldn't do both."

            "Why not?"

            Tony looked away again. "She really doesn't like you. I think she might be jealous. I don't know."

            Ava looked down at the ground, scuffing her foot against the tile. "So…does this mean we don't get to be friends?"

            "No. That's not what it means."

            She raised her eyes to his in confusion. "Then what does it mean?"

            He sighed, chuckling. "It means I'm going to be newly single by the end of the day."

            "I'm confused."

            "It's pretty simple."

            "No, I mean…we barely know each other. Until today, and even for most of today, I was convinced you hated me. Why would you give up your relationship with Nina for a friendship we might have?"

            "Because I don't love her. Because I can't be with someone who gives me ultimatums like that. Someone who…manipulates me and pits me against other people."

            "You see it now?"

            He nodded. "I think I've known it for awhile now. I just didn't want to admit it."

            They stood there for a moment longer, neither knowing what to say next. Then Ava looked at her watch and realized that she had to go.

            "I'll see you when I get back from the safe house, okay?"

            "Be careful," he said quietly.

            She smiled over her shoulder at him as she walked away. "Always."

 

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            Ava slowed as she neared the safe house. A strange feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, weighing her down and making her slightly sick – something wasn't right. She parked the car in the driveway and got out, looking around. After a minute, she put her finger on what was bothering her – it was too quiet.

            Quickening her pace, she moved up the path and toward the front door. But her feet slowed as her eyes rested on the body lying on the step. She recognized him as a fellow agent. Crouching down, she felt for a pulse, despite knowing that he was already dead. She pulled her weapon and stood back up, moving into the house slowly.

            As she found each room empty, Ava moved faster, that sick feeling in her stomach growing and threatening to overwhelm her. When she had completed her search, she moved back out the front door, staring at the utility truck across the street. She knew that she would find dead agents in there as well. Tears pricked the back of her eyes as she realized that Teri and Kim had been taken again. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath.

            "God help us," she whispered.

Comments

[sej-1986.livejournal.com]

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *mad dancing and general jumping around* I can't believe season 1 is almost over. Still, lots more action to come yet!

The Tava icons are beautiful, too :)

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

So very glad you're enjoying this. Your comments totally make my day. I'll try to have more for you before I go home!

[lady-boromir.livejournal.com]

Another good chapter! :)

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

Thanks :D

[rorylie.livejournal.com]

Eek. I even know, basically, what's going to happen and you still manage to make me nervous.

I love what you did with Palmer.

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

Your icon is just beautiful, by the way.

Very glad that you liked it. And that you're nervous - that IS the point :D

[mommydroppedme.livejournal.com]

This is getting too intense for me, considering I don't know who half these people are to begin with. But I like it!

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

LOL. Thank you so much for reading this, especially since you don't watch 24. But I'm really really glad you like it.

[agentobrian.livejournal.com]

Still just totally loving this story. The Tava icons are cute, too :D

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

You have no idea how glad I am that you like this story. I'm working on the next chapter now. Thanks for reading!