Homeland Security: Games of State

[Goodyear]

Summary: Alex left his home in Los Angeles California shortly after his parents split up, it's been years since he's seen his father and sister. Now 28 years old he's top agent for a government agency up in Canada with a family of his own. But when Jack finds himself the target in one of the most dangerous games of his life, and the stakes are elevated to a level not even he can with stand can stand; Alex must be willing to set aside their past differences and come to his aid. Yet add another player to the game an old enmeny or a new friend. Alex was always told he was to much like his father but as a new threat arises he will see just how true that is.

[Goodyear]

Homeland Security: Games of State

The Following takes place between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM on the 22nd of December, 2002

Montréal Canada

It had to be the shock, or perhaps that raw feeling of helplessness pulsing numbly through out his spine that brought him forth to reality.

"You're kidding" he mouthed, staring wild-eyed in disbelief at the figure in front of him. This action alone earned a playful jab at his ribs from Elizabeth as she chuckled at his bewilderment.

Her deep locks of auburn complemented by those cerulean pools was enough to reduce him to his knees, but this, this was just the icing on the cake.

"I...I...but...wow this is incredible." He stuttered trying desperately to regain his composer.

"Alex, are you as happy about this as I am?" How could he not smile, she was absolutely beaming with delight, her words still playing decisively in his mind:

'Alex you're going to be a father'

"You know I am Lizzie, you know I am."

The sandy haired man grinned wildly at the memory as he eased back into the couch, watching his children happily poking and prodding at brightly coloured wrappings under an oversized Christmas tree, glowing brilliantly amidst a roaring fire.

It seemed like yesterday she'd told him she was pregnant with Jacob their first born, though what they hadn't counted on was little Hannah following suite a mere one minute later, they had twins!, god that had to be the happiest moment of his life.

"Who do ya think this one's from?" Jacob asked, holding up a particularly bizarre shaped box with images of little Santa Claus's and Snowmen dancing around a blue and white background, shaking it roughly for any clue of its contents.

"I wanna see, I wanna see!" Hannah squealed with delight, grabbing the present away from her brother.

"Now you two" Alex interject as he watched his two six year olds.

"Christmas is still three days away, no opening presents till Christmas morning; Santa hasn't even been here yet."

They both put the present down immediately at the mention of Santa Claus, each wanting to maintain their status on Santa's 'good list', after constant reminders from both parents.

Alex struggled to stifle a yawn, reaching down to sip his scotch, swishing the clarion amber absently before depositing it back on the table in front of him.

"Sure is nice to be off for a change"

Elizabeth entered the sitting room with Hudson their large shaggy Newfoundland dog in tow.

He smiled as the large monstrosity of a dog settled near the fire, Hannah plunking down beside him, running her hands through his long black fur.

Hudson was just past a year old, already over 120 pounds, his breed known for both their willing to serve and their docile nature, a perfect companion for their kids wile daddy was at 'work'.

"Oh that's real attractive" Elizabeth remarked as Hudson raised his head to reveal large beads of slobber dripping from his massive jowls, than with a well aimed shake sent them hurling towards a picture of her mother and father almost five feet up from where they were sitting.

"Hmmm...Steve almost looks better that way" Alex ducked, another slung towards him, Elizabeth chuckled as did both Hannah and Jacob.

"All right you two, time for bed" this fallowed by a course of "but dad!" and a "Santa's watching" from Elizabeth.

"Mommy will you read us a story?" Hannah asked, putting forth her best puppy dog eyes.

"Okay but than it's straight to bed"

She led them into their bedroom after proceeding to give both 'daddy' and Hudson a kiss goodnight.

"Come here Huds" Alex patted the spot next to him on the couch; smiling as he watched Elizabeth disappear down the hall; Hudson hopped up immediately, earning a scratch behind the ears.

The solitude didn't last long as Alex was startled from a fitful doze 10 minutes later by the persistent blearing of his cell, a constant reminder of what he did on a day to day basis.

"Bauer" he mumbled sleepily, rather annoyed at whoever was calling him at this hour.

"Alex?" followed a gruff intonation from the other end

"Dominic tomorrow's Christmas Eve, make it quick"

"You're needed in the field"

"Ah ease up Griff, tomorrow's the day before Christmas Eve; I'm taking the kids to get their picture with Santa. "

"It's about your father"

"I haven't spoken to him in years." Alex retorted curtly at the mention of him.

"If you turn your back on him now, he's going to die...soon."

"You're not making any sense"

The older man sighed in frustration "I'm about half a mile out, let me come, we'll talk."

"Fine" Alex growled before letting the line go dead.

Elizabeth looked at him questionably; he shook his head pulling her into an embrace.

"That was Griffith" he said finally after what seemed like hours of just holding her close.

"What, he wants you to work Christmas Eve again this year?"

"I don't know." Alex stormed to the window, snow blowing lightly, as inverted swirls and twisted patterns of frost could be traced along its edge.

The night was otherwise clear as the snowman they had constructed earlier that day was still in plain view with its goofy aloof top hat that Hannah had begged to bestow, sitting despondently on the velvety whiteness.

It was not 10 minutes after the call that Hudson lifted his head emitting a booming 'woof' his tail swishing like mad.

"Settle down Huds" Alex muttered under his breath, walking swiftly to the front porch, Elizabeth closely behind.

"Dominic" he greeted softly while motioning for the silver haired man to enter.

Griffith nodded in greeting as they exchanged pleasantries; following the younger man into the den he took a seat on the couch.

[Goodyear]

"Anything to drink?" Elizabeth offered, he shook his head slightly, skin still ebbed with the coldness of a winter's night.

"Your not gonna like this" he said as soon as Elizabeth left them to their conversation.

Alex scowled at his superior; Dominic Griffith was second in command at CSIS c-sis (Canadian Security and Intelligence Services) and the usual to call the shots, not that Alex minded really; but when his job interfered with his family, things tended to get a little complex.

Dominic sighed, peering over his thin rimmed glasses to look Bauer straight in the eyes, he knew for a fact Alex wasn't going to take this well no matter how thoroughly it was explained.

"To get to the point...a series of nuclear bombs, are being set within Los Angeles, Soviet craft."

"How to you know this?"

"Alder"

"Alder? Isn't he MI6?"

"He was" Dominic remarked curtly, knowing very well that it didn't get out much when personnel worked inter-agency cases with foreign governments.

"Our Ruskie pals found him just outside St. Petersburg this morning, bullet straight through the heart."

"My god" Alex scoffed, he'd worked with Scott Alder on several occasions, good man, his wife just had a baby last year.

"Humph gets worse" Griffith held out a small tape recorder that looked like it had seen better days, pressing down on the play button so that a static feedback was emitted.

".....Allan Kovac... British naturalist out of Kosovo......... cover has been blown... their after me .... storing bombs ....... already been brought ....through......the.....docks.........."

"The Brits sent it to us this morning, found it in his car under the dashboard. I already had IT try to clean it up, not much help though, looks like it's been through the ringer."

"It mentioned the docks? That could be anywhere, do the Americans know?"

"No, and we don't intend to tell them either, direct orders from Murdock."

"But it's their country!"

"Alex you know what their like, they'll probably think we're making it up or something, than go bomb some innocent country when something bad happens; just like they did before, though wasn't it your father that stopped it?"

"Yes from what I read.... haven't spoken to him or my sister since well before mom died."

"So he doesn't even know he's a Grandpa, god Alex!"

Alex hung his head, he and his father fought all the time when he lived at home, mostly about how Jack was always at work and petty things he could barely remember; but when both parents separated, he stormed off leaving his younger sister with their mom and vowed never to return.

Dominic saw the sad look in his eye and shock his head, he'd seen this many times through out his long history at the agency, families split up because of a job, it was the younger ones that usually fall prey, when offered promotions or greater rank.

It was something he was careful of himself but found years later to still be happily married to the one he loved their daughter now had a family of her own.

He couldn't imagine not knowing about his own grandchildren, by the look of Jack's track record which he'd analyzed last year at DOJ a family was something he needed.

"So what does my father have to do with any of this?" Alex turned so that his back was now to Griffith unable to face the older man.

Dominic exhaled, shuffling his feet and placing a hand on Alex's shoulder

"From what the Brits are saying after reviewing Alder's cover records and other reconnaissance liaison, a main target's CTU and they 'taken extra' care in insuring your father doesn't get involved."

"So let me guess, we're gonna do all the work while everyone else enjoys Christmas."

"Got that right, besides your one of the best agents we have on staff if anyone can pull this off you can."

"Pull what off exactly?"

"We know for a fact Kovac is interested in your father, fare guess would be he's gonna have him under surveillance, all you have to do is keep an eye on him, I'm not asking you to welcome him back into your life or even talk to him for that matter, just watch him...from a distance."

Alex breathed in sharply even if he hated the man he wasn't going to leave him to die, "So what's the plan"

Dominic grinned "You're alias is Alex Michaels a rookie IT with a background in internet publishing being transferred to CTU for your skills in data analysis from a firm in Toronto."

"But won't..." Griffith cut him off, speculating exactly what he was going to say.

"No, my sources tell me your father took a forced vacation due to stress."

"Stress?"

"Sorry I don't know anything else, but listen, there're going to have someone on the inside, if they want to blow up CTU, be on guard Alex and I mean it, a lot of peoples lives are depending on this."

Alex nodded, knowing once again his job presided over his family but this was different, and numerous lives where on the line including his father, Elizabeth would understand, he knew she would.

"the jet's ready to go when you are, some guy named Tony's supposed to be picking you up at LAX, check in as soon as you're clear of him, Creston, myself and Murdock will be monitoring your progress."

"Alright Griff, thanks, I'll be along after I say goodbye to Lizzie and the kids, call you when I get in the air."

"Good luck Bauer" Dominic quipped as Alex escorted him to the door, exchanging farewells he shut the door with a sharp exhale, leaning on it for support.

Elizabeth appeared in the door well eyeing him sadly, "I know you have to do this" she stated with clear understating in her voice.

"Just promise me you'll be careful"

He nodded, "I promise I'll make this up to all of you."

They said there goodbyes as Alex didn't have the heart to wake the kids kissed them lightly on the cheek making Elizabeth tell them tomorrow that 'daddy would pick them up something really cool while he was away.'

"You take care of them Huds" he commented to the beast that had followed him along side Elizabeth to the door, in return getting a sloppy kiss across the face.

"Now I packed your favourite tie encase you have you have to do anything formal and there's those shortbread cookies you love in you carryon bag if you get hungry on the plane,"

"Yum...you're the best Lizzie" Alex gave a lopsided grin

"Hey don't worry, I'll be fine, tell you what I'll call when I get a spear moment to see how you and the kids are fearing ok? Tell them I love them, oh and they can say up a little later on Christmas Eve to wait for Santa."

"You spoil them Bauer" she sniffed slightly, he could tell she was upset but refused to show it

"Don't worry, I'll be back in no time, I promise, have a good Christmas Lizzie and remember that I love you."

"Mmm take care of yourself."

He gave her a quick kiss before disappearing into the folds of night's embrace, for he knew that now he'd have to think of the mission ahead and the lives that would be destroyed if he failed. His father for one, no matter how hard he tried he could never hate Jack enough to leave him to die, he was family.

Blood...The stench of it clasping his nostrils with every ragged breath, dripping silently; cold collaborated, she lay cradled in a crimson pool, seeping deep into the pavement staining it, red...fierce and invasive the light hit her body, darkening hours approaching.

So was the enemy, he turned, running swift, violent...erratic, pistol clutched to his side ready to fire at any one who dared approach.

Sleek black hair...obsidian jacket, framing his brood contour, proud maybe even arrogant but adept to the task before him; ready and adroit he stood now, ears perked to the wind, howling amidst the shrouds of darkness.

"It's done" The only words spoken, harshly; icily even, from the familiar intonation of his husky corrupt voice, into the transponder they flow, carrying softly waiting to be received on the other end acknowledged only with a simple ok, clearing the profile for the next at hand.

The wind lashing fiercely now against her slender form dragging apathetically among scarlet gravel, his palms a firm grasp on her wrists, beryl in colour almost obsolete against the newly fallen darkness.

"Why are you doing this?" her voice only emitting a dull croak, vocal cords now crepitated with the blood befallen among them; eliciting into a fit of coughing.

"Revenge, my dear, revenge" he grinned some what aberrantly at this, earning her another kick in the ribs as she cringed, throat to raw to scream.

"Now... now why don't you just make easy on your self and tell me who you work for, if you don't I'll kill you and anyone you've ever met."

"Never" her reply hoarse and just above a whisper, trying her best simply to remain conscious, fighting off the blurred imagery of the secluded highway not commonly used this time of night.

"Have it your way" a wry smirk plastered all over his face as he delivered one more blow to the torso plunging her into the depths of oblivion before tossing her limp figure into the back of his emerald Chevy Trail Blazer.

"Kovac, package has been retrieved, over" his icy voice traveling gallantly through out the crooked silence as his transponder faintly buzzed its mark of approval.

10:59:57

10:59:58

10:59:59

11:00:00

[Goodyear]

Homeland Security: Games of State

Terrorists will strike fear into the heart of this county

The people in charge of stopping it know nothing of the danger

And the one man who could do something is dead

My name’s Special agent Alex Bauer

I’ve been sent by a foreign government to eliminate the threat

But time is running out...

The Following takes place between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM on the 22nd of December, 2002

Tony struggled to stifle a yawn rather indignantly, sighing with frustration, he paced about his office; not an even month had passed since Mason had died, thus naming him the new director and already the work load seemed almost unbearable.

His office; that sounded odd, it was the peculiar feeling of being in charge for a change, giving the orders instead of taking them, but the stress was starting to build up, especially with the extra pressure Chappelle was putting on him as the holidays approached.

“Godd**n holidays” he muttered, fishing a large bottle of aspirin out of his desk drawer in hopes of quelling the now belabouring headache.

It was hardly less than three days before Christmas and Tony had yet to find ‘the perfect gift’ for his girlfriend Michelle; who’d reluctantly left for home well over an hour ago on his persistence, with the promise he’d be joining her shortly.

Judging by the mound of paper that now decorated the office floor in a flurry of white that ‘shortly’ was now obsolete in compared to what had to be done.

Tony grumbled, returning once again to a seated position at his desk so that both his elbows rested atop with his head in his hands. ten past ten, he was dog tired and Christmas was barely three days away, the chances that he’d get through this with mental stability in tact were getting smaller by the second, d**n, he now knew why all the higher ups are so ill-tempered all the time.

“Tony, Chappelle on line one” Chloe buzzed through the intercom, he’d hired her to take Michelle’s position as IT department head when Michelle had moved up the chain of command, it’d been less than a month and he’d already started to become annoyed with her mercurial personality and precluding antics.

Muttering a barely coherent ‘thanks’ he reached for the receiver “Almeida”

“Tony, good your still there, Roger Carson from DOD just called, we filled that IT position for you.” Chappelle divulged in his particularly distinct drawl.

It really was no surprised to Tony that he too was still working; word broke of his divorce a few years back, three kids, he took it pretty rough and since buried himself in his job.

From first glace anyone could tell he liked to play hardball and didn’t give a d**n about anyone else as long as he came out on top, but it almost made him wonder whether he’d always been this way. Sure he wasn’t the beach shirt, staff barbeque kinda guy but his reclusive nature didn’t seem to fit him either.

“That’s great Ryan” Tony tried his best to conceal his frustration.

“His names Alex Michaels an internet publisher out of Canada, his flight gets in, in less than an hour at LAX so I need you to do a little hand holding for international relations sake Tony, just show’em the ropes.”

“Listen Ryan I’ve been here since 8 this morning and I’m already bogged down with the year end report, can’t you have someone else do it?”

“No, you listen Tony, this is your responsibly and I’m not having any one else do your job for you! Now I’ll be by to meet agent Michaels in the morning and expect to here a good report, it’s your job on the line Tony, goodnight.”

‘Great just great’ Tony sighed as the line clicked dead, he’d may as well call Michelle and tell her not to wait up, by the looks of this he wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.

She came too with a jolt, eyeing her surroundings hazily though half lids, it was dark, her back was pressed against the cold slate of her confines, hair hanging limply, sodden with a mixture of sweat and blood.

Though comparing nothing to the stench of vomit that surrounded her, god death was looking good right now, just to slip back into the clawing grasps of obsidian away from the stench, away form the pain was more than she could ever hope.

Ah I see your finally awake than, I do hope you had a nice nap” came Kovac’s silky collaborated articulation as he administered a quick jab in the ribs to insure she’d retained full consciousness.

“So I shall only ask you this nicely once, who do you, work for? And why the hell have you been sneaking around my compound at such an ungodly hour? Something tells me it wasn’t for the scenery.”

Don’t waist your breath” came her astringed reply “I’d rather die than tell you anything” her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. Kovac grinned, his eyes like hollows of madness only matched by his crooked teeth and thick European accent.

“Stark come here” he snapped as a tall, thin, scruffy looking man entered the confinements of where ever room she was being held in.

Setting down a long metallic briefcase he withdrew a syringe and a small vial then began extracting its contents.

She watched through blurred vision as the needle penetrated her skin and the transparent liquid it contained flowed aimlessly into her bloodstream.

Helpless to do anything but gaze she gathered enough strength to lift her head slightly so she could meet Kovac’s line of vision for some sort of explanation, he just grinned, emitting a twisted sort of laugh before nodding in approval to the other man.

From out of nowhere a fresh shot of pain flared through her veins curtailing her body to a pile of heaves and tremors, she couldn’t move she couldn’t think, about anything besides the pain that was.

Kovac’s laughs started up again this time icier and more sadistic than then the first, like daggers between both physical and mental anguish, truly unbearable to her already contused form.

He reached down, grasping the blood tainted fabric around her collarbone

“I can make it stop.” His voice was husky as her head was tilted back slightly and water pressed roughly to her lips.

“Drink!” He commanded forcing the liquid forward down her swollen throat so that she convulsed and sputtered as it entered.

This proceeded to cause what was left of her stomach contents to be emptied at his feet, earning another sharp jab to the ribs, with enough force to cause her vision to fade when her head contacted the wall.

“d**n it” he hissed shoving Stark aside and withdrawing a similar vile from its case.

Preparing another syringe he injected a bluish liquid into her veins to counteract the misdoings of the other.

“I will not be so forgiving next time.” He snarled, giving one last kick to send her deep within unconsciousness.

“Stay with her” He glanced at Stark “When she awakens we WILL find out who she works for, if she makes any move to escape, kill her.”

He nodded, obediently muttering a ‘yes sir” before Kovac exited.

[Goodyear]

Alex yawned, pressing his back deep against the overly stuffed fabric of his seat. The change in altitude was something he could never get use to, as his ears ached just enough to cause annoyance; they say chewing gum was supposed to help, they lie.

What he wouldn’t give now for a stiff drink, disdainfully eyeing his can of Pepsi and muttering something about no alcohol while on call, the glass of scotch he’d consumed earlier was nowhere near enough to cause the desired effect while flying.

d**n he should have taken that Gravol, any type of anti-nauseate would do; this only happened on planes, he was fine with helicopters and what ever the hell else the agency through his way, but planes where just plain out of the question.

They guys always got a kick out of it though, half the time he’d find it pretty funny as well, however now wasn’t one of those times.

His stomach gave another persistent lurch, making him wish he really had remembered about his little sickness beforehand.

Alex paled significantly, trying his best to keep his head as close to his knees as possible, cursing when his cell lit up, flaring the familiar seven digit code that he had learned to despise over the years,

“Bauer” He croaked trying to hide the fact his stomach was leaning towards emptying its contents on the grey carpeted floor.

“Alex just called to check your ETA, you don’t sound to good buddy” Creston quipped, from his office in downtown Montréal idly fingering a pencil beneath his index and thumb.

“Go to hell Mike.”

“Whoa easy there, I was just saying you sounded ill; anyways Griffith just wanted me to check up on you, everything going as planed?”

“So far, ETA is approximately fifteen minutes.”

“Good, oh we’ve sorted out your living arrangements.” Creston shuffled briefly through his desk, finally withdrawing a crumpled document with the agency’s seal on it, a Canadian maple leaf centered under a golden crown and bluish border.

“1285 Moranda PL. Pasadena, CA” He read, indicating where exactly the agency’s safe house was located.”

“Great thanks Mike.” Alex muttered, knowing exactly where this location was and not thrilled in the slightest, he’d grew up on Moranda and knew for a fact his father still lived there; d**n Griffith as he was the only one hounding him about visiting his ‘father’.

“I’ll check in if there’s any news.” He said, cutting the power to his cell. In truth he felt slightly better, the feeling of nausea possibly deluded by the anger and frustration of his return.

Tony slammed the door of his SUV forcefully, growling as he walked through the blackened parking lot of LAX; nearly 11PM at night and the place looked like it contained at least a thousand wary travelers from one place to the next.

The night was rather cool for Californian winter, temperature hovering in the mid 50’s, slightly misty as Tony zipped his CTU windbreaker up to lessen the chill.

Stepping onto the tiled floor Tony scanned the area for anyone matching Alex’s description, tall, short blonde hair, early 30’s and broad shoulders; that could be a quarter of the population of Los Angeles.

Alex was glad to be on the ground once again, the all too familiar site of LAX played before him just as he remembered it.

“God its warm” he muttered, shedding his polyester, synthetic fiber, wind repellant jacket with fleece lining, after nine and a half years of Canadian winter these temperatures seemed almost like early June to him; Unused to the palm trees and snow less tarmac as he exited the plane.

Once inside he searched the area thoroughly for any sign of this ‘Tony’ fellow Griffith had informed him of before departure.

After several minutes of watching passengers come and go he was able to establish a sequential layout of the area; a dark haired Caucasian male stood motionlessly near the door bearing a government style emblem on his windbreaker.

‘That must be it’ Alex grinned, his skills of deduction always ceased to amaze him.

Tony look up as a tall blonde haired young man advanced toward him with a bag hoisted over his shoulder, the Canadian flag on its strap, something oddly mundane about his figure caught Tony’s attention.

“So you must be Alex” he greeted, extending his hand to the younger man, who repeated this action with a smile.

“Yeah, so you’re Tony?” He nodded, motioning for him to follow.

Even the way he spoke brought forth aberrance in Tony’s mind, he’d herd his voice before, but where?

Alex sighed as he noticed that look in Tony’s eyes, he knew something was up

d**n it Griffith, at this rate my cover will be blown in no time

Jack thrashed wildly pinned on all sides by a tangle of linins and blankets, he moaned, throat raw and crepitated with mucus as he bolted awake scanning the area franticly before easing back down on his mattress.

The nightmares had been awful lately, haunting his subconscious so that sleep was no longer an option.

The problem was they weren’t really dreams but vicious manifestations of what had already passed his wife’s death, because of him she was gone, and it was his fault.

Lately things were so bad he’d come to work agitated and snappy from lake of actual rest, Tony had been forced to take disciplinary action, suspending him on ‘stress’ leave until he learned to cope a little better.

After last year’s bomb threat his daughter had reconciled him for what happened to Teri, problem was he couldn’t forgive himself.

Jack turned to his dresser, the room barley lit but enough for him to grasp the small memento, it’s bronze and silver frame shimmering as it depicted one of their last days together as a family.

Snarling in frustration he tossed the picture aside, this time reaching for the drawer beneath, pulling it open to reveal his onyx flintlock, sobbing violently as he brandished the cool metal against his skull.

“I just can’t take this any more...no more.”

Alex just sat there staring out at the busy suburban neighborhoods as they passed, in the last few minutes he and Tony had discussed pretty much everything from work protocols to who they think where going to win the world series; Tony boasted about the Cubs while Alex wined that the best they had were the Jays and he was more of a hockey fan himself.

“Um...Alex” Tony abruptly interrupted his train of thought.

“Would you mind if we took a slight detour, a friend of mine hasn’t been feeling overly well and I’d like to check in on him. Actually I don’t know if you’ve heard of him, head of field ops at CTU, his names Jack Bauer.

10:59:57

10:59:58

10:59:59

11:00:00

[Goodyear]

The Following takes place between 11:00 PM and 12:00 PM on the 22nd of December, 2002

Ryan Chappelle grumbled furiously as he manipulated his pen curtly along a pristine sheet of paper, signing off in crimson ink on the LAX security upgrades for the upcoming holiday season.

His spidery scrawl was short and to the point, the way things should be done as he’d insisted over the years, everything by the book.

Setting down his pen he shot a glace towards a small table near the couch to the right of his desk where a clock sat displaying 11:01 in thick bolded script on its digital timepiece, barely squelching a yawn.

It’d had been several hours since he’d last moved around and his legs were beginning to cramp from the heavy labour of paperwork, not to mention how stiff his neck had become from lack of use.

God how he missed to good old days when after a late night at the office he could always come home to his wife Victoria, who’d always wait up to ease the tension out of his sore muscles. Or the way his kids would hug him after one of those particularly rough days were nothing seemed to go the way he wanted it to.

Ryan sighed, running his hand to the back of his neck to ease up the stiffness, though it didn’t really help much.

He’d simply screwed up as usual, neglecting his family after all they’d done for him, spending countless hours at work, he’d missed the simple things like his son’s first home run or his daughters lead part in the school play.

Eventually Victoria stopped waiting up, his kids grew out of giving him hugs and they fought a lot, about petty things mostly until Victoria finally gave up on him and filed for divorce.

This would be his third Christmas without his family, Ryan shook his head he really had taken for granted the best parts of life.

Ryan (Jr.) would be starting law school this year, it was creepy how much he really was like his father but luckily he had his mother’s personality.

Caitlyn his oldest was married and had a family of her own, he’d never attended her wedding, he knew for a fact she didn’t want him there.

Than there was Christen, his little girl, now graduating high school to peruse her own ambitions; she looked just like her mother and had inherited that same adeptness to cheer him up on the roughest of times.

They’d all be getting together to spend Christmas as a family just like they always did, he really felt the obligation to call but they most likely didn’t want to here from him anyway, to caught up living their own lives to care what happened to him.

Instead his Christmas would be spent like it’s been for the past two years, leaving work late Christmas Eve than drinking till he passed out. With luck he didn’t usually come round till well into Christmas day; he’d have that much of a hangover it really wouldn’t matter too much, as long he was sober for work the next morning.

Ryan shook his head to clear it, planting both hands firmly on his desk, forcing himself to his feet, he really needed a cigarette.

Alex inhaled sharply as he now found himself at his father’s doorstep, from an onlooker’s point of view the perimeter of the house hadn’t changed at all since he’d last set foot inside its threshold.

Though darkness deemed it impossible to descry all the details of his surroundings, he’d noticed from quick glace the lawn was no longer cut short and neat nor was the air mixed with the all too familiar fragrance of lilac and rose bloom.

The large oak he sought shelter under when the ardent days of summer ran long, remained virtually untouched but the tree house nestled within its branches had long since decayed.

“…His car’s here” Tony muttered, luring Alex out of his thoughts; it had been two…no three minutes with out any reply.

Tony was somewhat surprised when he’d reached for the doorknob as a futile last attempt and the door to swerve inward with a slight creek of the hinges.

Alex winced, he’d actually have to go through with this after all these years of running, forcing down the saliva that mounted his arid throat he validated himself to follow Tony into the front porch.

“Jack?” Tony called; Alex braced himself half expecting to hear his father’s voice only to be answered by silence, giving the house once vibrant and full of live a slightly eerie quality.

They proceed briskly throughout the ground floor not bothering to remove their outside footwear, cheeking one room than another for any trace of Jack Bauer.

Alex felt a strange sense of worry eating at his heart, similar to when Elizabeth would work late during a particularly nasty blizzard or when Jacob had fallen and broken his arm last summer.

Something was wrong, he tensed as a weak moan emanated within the bedroom, and Alex caught this at once, most likely from long years of training as Tony was still looking over one of the house’s many rooms.

The door was part way shut, fully enveloped in darkness yet small sobs escaping which fully escalated Alex’s panic. it wasn’t like his dad to cry, something was really wrong.

Entering slowly he motioned to Tony who stood and the end of the hallway to follow.

Alex couldn’t be sure if it was him or Tony who entered first but with alarms full onset he’d lost control as panic set in.

“My God Jack!” Tony hissed as Alex instinctively tackled him to the ground as he would an armed criminal.

Rolling quickly to the side he kicked the gun with his left foot before noting the deep laceration on his father’s forehead, he must have grazed it off the night table.

Alex cursed, pressing his index and forefingers to his father’s jugular to find a pulse,

“it’s slow but steady…” he commented more so to himself than Tony who was now standing over him as he could feel the tepid respiration on the back of his neck.

Alex changed his position so that his hands were now lightly shaking Jack’s shoulders as an attempt to rouse him but gaining nothing legible from the silent figure.

“d**n it! Dad wake up”

“Ah Alex what exactly is going on here?” Tony had an odd look of utter confusion and worry on his face as he observed the younger man at Jack’s side.

Letting out a deep sigh Alex shook his head warily.

“Help me get him to the couch, I’ll explain everything.”

***

[Goodyear]

The night was clear and somewhat damp Ryan Chappelle noted as he took one last draw of his cigarette than discarding it to the ground below; in order to snuff it with his heal.

It’s time to call it a night he thought, while watching the blurred shapes of automobiles speed past on the nearby freeway; he coughed slightly, unconsciously pulling his coat closer, the air had a bit of a bite to it.

It was getting late but Ryan didn’t feel like returning inside quite yet, averting his gaze to where his cigarette had burned out, faint wisps of smoke leaping from the ashes to emit an unpleasant odour.

“I really ought to quit” he scoffed

Victoria had harried him from the day he met her to stop, there where points when she even begged him for the sake of his children.

Not that Ryan hadn’t tried to quit, he really did, several times in fact. But than something would happen at work or they’d get into one their famous spats and he’d be pushed to the brink again, smoking like a chimney.

None of that mattered now though, it was too late for reconciliation, he knew that.

Chappelle turned around slowly shaking his head as a means to clear it, dwelling on the past never solved anything especially when there was work to be done, just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean the world comes to a standstill.

The paperwork that accumulated on his desk had to be contended with before the night was over, though summoning up the will power to re-enter his office was rigorous at best.

Not a second later something metallic hit the ground with a dull clatter just meters away from his heal, catching Ryan’s attention.

Before he had time to react thick wisps of vapour engulfed him into a fierce bout of coughing, Ryan knew he had to run but dense fog somehow dulled his senses causing his shoulders to slump and his vision to blur.

‘Got to…get the hell out of here!’ his mind screamed frantically but his body was perfectly content where it was, recessing to the gravel with a dull thud.

“He’s down” a voice croaked as two figures emerged from the shadows, nearing Chappelle’s still laying carcass.

“So how long will he be out for?” The taller of the two asked, a lean kept man with thick silvery hair that matted loosely to his forehead and icy blue eyes that looked as if they’d seen an eternity of hardship.

The other man grunted starkly “long enough to get em where he need’s to be, now help me with this will ya?”

McLaughlin nodded in affirmation has he proceeded to grasp Chappelle’s legs while the other man took his arms, binding them tightly before tossing him in the back of a van, ready and waiting to transport them.

“Get in the van, your driving.” Wolfe hissed, tossing the keys to McLaughlin while withdrawing his cell.

Waiting for a dial tone, he keyed in an odd number of digits and stars “This is SETTER2 we are in possession of package…over.”

Slipping the phone back in his pocket opened the passenger side door “alright let’s get the hell out of here before someone sees us!”

“So you’re his son?” Tony murmured his mouth hanging partly agape as he stared at the sandy haired young man who he now knew to be Alex ‘Bauer’.

“Yeah it’s been years since I seen him.” Alex motioned toward the couch as his father lay still very unconscious but they’d determined he had just been knocked out and was in no serious need of medical attention.

“So why now?”

Alex hung his head, taking a deep breath.

“Six hours ago my government received word of a terrorist plot to detonate a series of nuclear bombs across this country, the one man who could have done something is dead. We believe a man named Allan Kovac is smuggling the nukes through port of Los Angeles, I‘ve been sent here to investigate.”

By this time Tony’s face had gone slightly pallid and Alex could see he was struggling to comprehend this new information.

“Look the reason I couldn’t tell you who I was…who I was working for, is…well all our Intel points towards someone gone bad within your agency and it’s my job to route them out.”

“How good’s your Intel?” Tony scoffed in disbelief

“Very”

“Do you have any way of knowing who’s dirty?”

Alex shook his head “at this point I don’t have enough information to know much of anything right now, my superiors will update me as soon as new Intel becomes available.”

The two men were alerted to a very low moan and turned to see Jack struggling to open his eyes.

“Good, he’s finally starting to come round.” Alex commented then letting out an astringed hiss as what was once the living room window shattered into a million tiny pieces, the force of which knocking him to the ground.

“Tony, take my father…basement, now!” he growled, fumbling slightly to withdraw his colt though blood strewn hands.

Tony nodded slightly dazed as he tried his best to rouse Jack who was now semi-conscious.

“Quick I’ll cover you” Alex arched his back slightly as two more bullets came whizzing past barely grazing Tony’s head.

“Come-on Jack” he urged half dragging, half carrying him out of the room.

Alex snarled, assessing the scene before him, from what he could tell there were two shooters; he returned their fire before diving behind the couch. How the hell did he get himself into this?

“McLaughlin, put him with the girl, Wolfe a word” Kovac barked as the two entered his compound which had been a warehouse at one time.

“Third door on your left McLaughlin” Wolfe instructed before turning his attention to his predecessor.

Russ nodded as he hoisted Chappelle’s body over his right shoulder and proceeded down the hall to the small room formerly used as an office.

“Nice job Wolfe.” Kovac commented once Russell McLaughlin was out of sight.

“Thank you sir.”

“Now listen carefully Jason, Conner’s team will be back shortly with Bauer I want you to interrogate him as Stark is proving absolutely useless and you know how I feel about incompetence.

“Yes of course sir”

“That’ll be all Wolfe.”

[Goodyear]

She awoke with a gasp, groaning as she tried desperately to get her bearings.

“Take it easy, drink this” a foreign voice urged causing her to tense significantly, she felt something cold being pressed to her lips, allowing it to slide down her constringed throat.

She arched in pain as she felt hands sliding up her shirt to reveal a bloody and bruised thorax with ribs sticking off in all directions.

“Hey it’s okay” the voice reassured “you’ve been injured; I’m going to give you something for the pain and fix up these ribs alright?” She tried her best to nod her head in affirmation, struggling to open her eyes before feeling a sharp jab in her left arm.

The pain subsided quickly just as the stranger had promised and soon felt something poking and prodding at her ribs, binding them tight with medical tape.

“Welcome back agent Myers” The voice chuckled once she was able to keep her eyes open.

“Russ?” Nina croaked slightly confused at what lay before her.

“Still working for the CIA I see.” He commented while finishing up the wrapping.

“And your still CSIS?”

“As always” he grinned.

“But now’s not the time to exchange pleasantries, as you can see I’ve managed to get my self in with Kovac through the agency’s contacts, he’s smuggling nukes into the States we don’t have much time.

“I know Russ, the CIA’s on the job as well, but their keeping quite about it.”

Nina let out an estranged sigh, her lungs still sore from the beating they received earlier.

“What’s he doing here?” She motioned to Ryan Chappelle’s limp form that Russell had strewn near the far side wall as delicately as possible.

“Kovac felt like giving you some company. In all honesty I have no idea, something big is going down, question is what?”

Nina propped her head up with Russ’s help, the drugs had kicked in fairly well and numbness consumed her body.

“But why Chappelle? I know from experience the guy’s a bureaucratic idiot; he’d sacrifice anything and anyone…d**n he’s the perfect leverage.”

“Leverage for what?”

“I don’t know I just don’t know, we’ve been trying to get this guy since the Drazen mission in Kosovo, he’s believed to have financed the operation to take out Palmer and kill Jack’s family which I ended up fulfilling my self by taking his wife out of ‘play’.”

“Bauer will flip when he finds out”

“Russ it was the only way you know that, if Kovac found out…god I don’t even want to think about what’ll happen.”

“Hey ya did what ya’ could, Bauer will thank you one of these days when this whole d**n project finally comes to light. Look I’d better get going Wolfe will be looking for me, we’ve just got to keep this up till I find out what Kovac’s planning. In the mean time I’m gonna alert Murdock to the situation he’ll coordinate with your agency and keep backup at close range, hang in there.”

Nina nodded as she watched him exit.

‘If you only had any idea Jack’ she murmured than closing her eyes, knowing fully well she was nowhere near strong enough to aid McLaughlin with their mission, she needed sleep.

Russell scanned the area warily, shutting the door with a quiet click before whipping his cell out of his back pocket and dialling.

Ottawa, Canada

“Murdock” Answered a hazel haired man form the office of his high-rise apartment building in downtown Ottawa.

“Ian its Russ, Kovac’s on to agent Myers and he’s had the counter terrorist’s unit regional director abducted from his office.”

“What, why?”

“I don’t know, Kovac’s planning something and until I know what we have to be on full alert, I need back-up around the compound.”

“Alright, we’re going to coordinate this interagency with the CIA, it’s their county, we’re just assisting. Back-up will be their within the hour Russ.”

“Thank you but there’s one more problem; the safe house has to be moved.”

“That’s the CIA’s call McLaughlin, it was decided when we took her into this country that the CIA were the one’s to call the shots.”

“Listen Ian, this is an emergency, If Teri isn’t moved out of the safe house she’ll die, Kovac is on to Nina if he finds out it was all just some experimental drug and that Nina’s one of us he’ll have both of them killed immediately.

Murdock shook his head, there was no way those idiots at the CIA were blaming this on him if things went bottom up.

“Fine”

”Someone’s coming I’ll report back when I know more.”

“McLaughlin I have another assignment for you.”

Russell eyed Kovac warily, tucking his cell back into his jeans pocket.

“I’ve decided that the girl is no longer any use to me, kill her.”

11:59:57

11:59:58

11:59:59

12:00:00

More to come soon, please tell me what you think

[Lovin~Kiefer]

Keep the story coming...its brilliant hun!