Season 7 episode 5

The following takes place between 4:00am and 5:00am

Karen was thrown into her cell after another good round of slaps and she groaned. How much longer would it take Jack to get there? Karen stood up and looked out the window. She tried for the hundredth time to wrench the bars off but it wouldn’t work.
Suddenly, Karen frowned. She had seen someone out there that had looked exactly like…
“No.” Karen mumbled. “No, they killed him. Didn’t they?” Her heart leapt and she turned around.
“Milo! Edgar! They are going to save us!” Karen looked up into the hole in the ceiling. “Milo? Edgar?” Karen began to panic. She threw around the straw, looked behind the door screamed their names up to the ceiling.
Karen whirled around and banged on the door. It slowly opened and a different guard held a gun to her. “What, you crazy old b!tch?”
“Where are the boys?” Karen asked slowly and dangerously.
“Pardon? What boys?” The man took a teasing tone.
“Where are Milo and Edgar?!” Karen shrieked. “You bring them here right now!”
“Sorry, since you seem to enjoy screwing with us, we’ve decided to make you pay. They have been separated and are in random cells. One may even be dead.”
“No he’s not!” Karen sounded like she was going to go insane. “No he’s not you’re fooling me. You wouldn’t kill a little kid.”
The man shrugged.
“No, you’re lying to me. You’re lying to me like you did about my husband!” Karen blurted it out and then gasped when she realized what she’d said.
“How do you know that?” The man grabbed the collar of her shirt.
Karen could only gawk like a fish.
“You are in so much trouble. I think it’s time we alerted my friends to a possible attack, don’t you?”
Karen shook her head vigorously but he dragged her out of the cell.

**************

Mike Doyle woke up to the sound of banging. He looked over at his clock. 4:00 in the morning. Who was here at this time of night?
The banging continued but it had an urgent sound to it so he got out of bed and threw his robe on.
“Okay! Okay! I’m coming!” Mike walked down the steps and stopped in front of the door, and started unlatching the locks. “Who is it?”
“It’s Nadia. Please open up!”
Mike stopped and crossed his arms. “What do you want now? It’s 4:00 in the morning, go back to sleep!”
“No, I can’t! I need help, Mike! Please let me in, I might get killed!” He heard a little sob.
Doyle hurriedly unfinished unlocking the door and flung it open. Nadia practically ran in, passed him and sat down on the couch, placing her head in her hands.
Frowning, Mike shut the door re-latched it and walked over. “What happened now? Are you going to come crying to me because you dumped another boyfriend and you think he’ll kill you?”
Nadia let out another sob. “I…was at C.T.U. and Bill Buchanan called me. He asked me to do a favor for Jack Bauer. He brought in Marilyn Bauer and he said she was a threat to national security. So, I let her stay in holding and before I knew it she’d escaped and…Oh Mike she started killing people and almost got me and…” Nadia stopped and continued to cry.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Mike’s voice softened and he sat down next to her. “Did you say Marilyn Bauer?”
Nadia looked up and nodded. “She’s evil, Mike. Pure evil. You’re the only person left I could trust. Please don’t make me leave!” She gripped his hands tightly.
Mike shook his head. “No, I won’t make you leave. Here,” he grabbed a handful of tissues and handed them to her. “Do you want some coffee?”
She nodded gratefully.
“Why don’t you tell me everything again and slowly this time. I have a sinking feeling that Jack Bauer is going to need some help soon.” Mike walked into the kitchen as Nadia started debriefing him on everything she knew.

4:11:29 4:11:30 4:11:31 4:11:32
4:15:34 4:15:35 4:15:36 4:15:37

Jack slowly motioned to Bill who joined him behind an oak tree a few yards away from the door to the building. “I see a bunch of men on top of the building and they are surrounding the building. They must know we are out here. Okay, I need Chloe to go with Morris, and Laura will go with me. You’re on your own because you have to find the holding rooms and alert Karen and the boys we’re here. Then you make your way back to the front where I entered and find me. Can you do that?”
“I don’t know, Jack. I was in the navy over thirty years ago and never had to shoot a gun. I don’t know if I can do this. The other plan was better.”
“It was, but now we’re surrounded five to fifty so you have to shoot to kill. Otherwise we won’t make it out alive.”
Jack turned around and motioned Morris to put the silencer on the gun. Laura crept to Jack and looked up uncertainly. “Are you sure this’ll work?”
“It has to. Let’s go.”
Jack and Laura moved cautiously around a corner and nearly ran into a guard. Jack grabbed him in a choke before he could react and killed him. Jack then handed Laura his gun. “Are you sure that you can do this?”
Laura took a shaky breath and then nodded. Jack touched her hand for a split second and then turned around and climbed the wall to the top of the building. He looked around and then hunkered down as a man with a machine gun turned towards where he stood. Jack crawled over behind a part of the wall and waited. When the guard had turned around again Jack took out his knife and stabbed it in the back of his neck. At that same moment, the other guard aimed at Jack and a shot rang out before a bullet hit him square in the chest. Jack looked down at Laura, gave her a thumbs up and then she climbed up after him.
“Hurry. We have to beat the O’Brians to the back gate or else they can’t get in.” Jack handed Laura his gun, picked up the machine gun, and ran across the roof as quickly as he could. They hunkered down near the back, looking down. Two men were patrolling. Jack quickly killed both of them. When two other guards came running three shots fired from the distance and Morris and Chloe emerged.
They nodded up at Jack, who turned around and ran towards the front of the building.
“Now we have to get through the front door.”

******************

Karen once again found herself in the lead kidnappers office. He looked down on her and wrenched up her chin. “How did you know your husband was alive? And it’s no use stalling because every one of our people has been put on patrol. He’ll die before he makes it in.”
Karen’s heart leapt in her chest again, but she kept her face sarcastic. “I don’t care what you do to me. He and my friends are here and they’ll kill you all. I wouldn’t underestimate Jack Bauer if I were you.”
The man stood up. “Bauer’s here? Dammit!!”
He picked up his phone and dialed a number quickly. Suddenly, Karen heard the sound of a machine gun. She jumped and looked upwards.
“It’s Schaeffer. Yeah. Bauer came here, Anderson must be dead. They’ll be in here in a second and then kill us. What? Are you sure? Fine.”
Suddenly, Karen heard a thud nearby. A split second later the door burst open and Jack shot the guards.
Schaeffer grabbed Karen and held her in front of him. “Don’t touch me or I’ll kill her!”
Chloe and Morris ran in with guns up and when they saw Karen they lowered them.
“Everyone drop the guns now, or I’ll kill her! Now!!” Jack, Chloe, Morris, and Laura slowly lowered their guns and threw them on the ground.
“It’s over!” Jack yelled. “You’re the only one of your men that isn’t dead. If you let her go then we’ll testify on your behave in court.”
“Bull!” Schaeffer screamed. “As soon as I let her go you’ll kill me!”
“No we won’t!” Morris said, his hands in the air, “you have information we need. Killing you would make this harder for us!”
“Chloe, Milo and Edgar are somewhere in the build…Ow!” Schaeffer pressed the gun, hard, into Karen’s neck.
“We killed one of them!” Schaeffer yelled.
“No you didn’t you son of a b!tch! You said you killed Bill but you didn’t! You’re trying to make…” she stopped when he cocked the gun. Chloe and Morris looked at each other and ran out of the room.
Schaeffer tightened his grip on the gun and looked back and forth between Jack and Laura.
Suddenly, a shot rang out and Schaeffer looked like he was going to choke for a second before falling to the floor. Jack looked in shock at Bill who stood behind Schaeffer with his gun still raised. A part of the back wall had been moved aside to reveal a secret entrance.
Bill dropped it and looked down at Schaeffer who was still gasping for breath. “Who do you work for?”
The man kept his mouth shut and continued to gasp for air. Jack leaned over the man. “What is being planned? What attack is being planned? Tell me and I’ll take you to a hospital.”
“At 1:00…the Chinese…use the missiles…” the man stopped.
“Come on!” Jack said impatiently.
“Nick Henderson…runs plan…Marilyn Bauer…at…” he stopped breathing.
“No! I need more!! Tell me more!!” Jack ripped open the man’s shirt and started pushing for air.
“Jack, it’s no use. He’s dead.” Karen looked down at Jack.
Jack stood up and looked over at Laura. “Let’s look for the main computer’s hard drive.”
They left leaving Bill staring at Karen who looked at him remembering he was there. “They told me…they said they killed you…” Bill grabbed her and held her in his arms as she cried on his shoulder.
“I’m so sorry.” Bill ran his hand over her hair trying to comfort her.
She looked up at him. “They said they were going to kill Milo and Edgar. I had to do what they wanted. It’ll be all my fault if one of them died. It’s my fault!” She moaned and Bill had to grab her by the shoulders.
“Hey, look at me. None of this is your fault. You are the bravest woman I know. You let them hurt you to protect those boys.” He gently touched her cheeks and forehead where the men had hit her. “Chloe and Morris will never hate you for what you did.”
Karen took a shaky breath and rubbed the tears from her eyes. “But they were my responsibility…”
“Karen,” Bill said firmly, “you did the right thing. If you weren’t here we never would have found the boys and they may have been killed. You saved their lives.” Bill kissed her. “I am so proud of you and I love you so much.”
Karen gave him a small weak smile. “I love you too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and they stood there.
“Mrs. Karen?” Milo peeked his head into the doorway. “Can we come in?”
Karen whirled around and saw the boys standing shyly in the doorway.
“Your okay!” Karen yelled, and they ran to her. She hugged them tightly and started crying all over again.
“You saved us.” Edgar said. “We love you.”
“I love both of you too, so much.” She kissed each of them on the forehead.
Chloe walked in and stood in front of Karen. “I…could never repay you for what you’ve done. Morris and I owe you our lives and the boy’s lives. Thank you.” Chloe’s eyes glistened with tears and she hugged Karen and then let go, awkwardly. Karen would always seem like her boss. But Karen understood the gesture.
“You know those boys are like my own children.” Karen said.
Jack ran back into the room with a laptop. “I’m afraid we have a serious problem.”

4:29:21 4:29:22 4:29:23 4:29:24
4:33:04 4:33:05 4:33:06 4:33:07

Julie was pacing the floor when Mike knocked on the door.
“Come in!”
Mike and Marsha entered Julie’s office and both seemed to avoid looking into her eyes.
“Here is what we found.” Marsha handed the president a folder which she promptly opened and scanned through the pages.
Julie nearly dropped the papers and turned to her Chief of Staff. “Are you sure that this information is accurate?”
Marsha nodded sullenly.
“But I thought…we all thought that he…”
Mike nodded. “We were all under that assumption, Mrs. President, but apparently we were wrong.”
Julie put her hand to her head. “I just don’t understand. Bauer threw this at us an hour ago and I still don’t know exactly what is happening. I have a meeting with the Chinese in three hours and…” Julie plopped down in her chair. “Marsha get me some water, please.”
Mike turned to Julie. “Mrs. President, you can’t give up now. These events are becoming stranger and stranger and they all seem to be connected somehow. The very man who shot down Air Force One was in dealings with Jack’s sister-in-law which involves our missiles. This was going to go down the same time you were meeting with the Chinese government and now a man who we thought is dead is connected to both. We need to get to the bottom of this before a larger attack succeeds.”
Julie gave Mike a look and nodded. “Grace. Get Jack Bauer on the phone.”
Marsha re-entered and gave Julie her water.
A few seconds later Grace’s voice came back. “I have Jack Bauer.”
“Mrs. President, this is Bauer. You’re also on with Bill Buchanan, Karen Hayes, Chloe and Morris O’Brian, and Laura Fisher. Our rescue operation was successful.”
“Congratulations, Jack. I am happy for you, but unfortunately, we have some new Intel related to the events today and I’m afraid that it may involve my meeting with the Chinese in three hours.”
“Charles Logan.”
Julie gasped. “How did you get that information?”
“You received it too? Well, apparently Martha Logan didn’t quite succeed in killing her husband because he has been living “undercover” for the past three years. Two days ago he was spotted but it was obviously kept under the radar. We need to find him.”
“Jack how do you expect to find him? He may try to sabotage my meeting and you only have three hours. He could be anywhere in the country.”
“With all due respect, Mrs. President, your meeting should be the last thing on your mind right now. The lead kidnapper of Karen Hayes was named Robin Schaeffer and he reported to a superior named Nicholas Henderson. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know any other Henderson’s out there besides the one I killed four and a half years ago.”
“Jack, this is Mike Novick. Are you telling me that we are dealing with a relative of Christopher Henderson?”
“It would appear so sir.”
“But, that makes no sense.” Marsha cried. “When he died, there was an investigation. The only known family member was his wife Miriam and some of her relatives. He had no children, brothers, and his father died when he was a boy.”
“Then something must have been overlooked then.” Jack replied sarcastically.
“Watch it, Jack.” Julie said. “Don’t talk to my people that way.”
“Mrs. President? This is Karen Hayes. Normally I’d agree that your policies are the most important thing, but in this situation I believe Jack is right. I was kidnapped by these people and held captive for three and a half hours. They are very serious. They almost killed me more than once.”
“Well, what do you want me to do?” Julie said exasperatedly.
“Jack, Karen, and I are going to go find Logan. Morris, Chloe, and Laura are going to find a safe place and try to track Henderson and help us find both of them.” Bill answered.
“Fine. But you better find them quickly. We don’t have all day here.”
“Understood.” Jack replied and hung up.
He turned to his friends. “Chloe, Morris, and Laura should probably go to Doyle’s. Nadia’s already there and the two of them could help you. In fact, if Doyle wants he could help Bill, Karen, and I.”
Laura walked up to Jack. “Please. I don’t want to be separated from you. Can’t Bill or Karen switch?”
Jack sighed. “Splitting everyone up is not a good idea right now. Those four need to stay with their spouses and we’ll operate better.”
“But Jack, I want to work with you. I’ll worry about you.” Laura put her head on his shoulder.
Chloe looked at Jack and Laura strangely but then turned back to Morris and her boys quickly. However, Jack saw it and it made him uneasy.
“Laura, don’t make this any harder. Bill can use a gun the best and Karen may have heard information that we need. You, Chloe, and Morris are the best with the computers.”
Laura took a shaky breath. “Alright. Good luck.” She kissed him and walked over to join Chloe and Morris.

4:40:22 4:40:23 4:40:24 4:40:25
4:44:45 4:44:46 4:44:47 4:44:48

“This information says that Logan was seen last in the downtown area. Maybe we should go there.” Karen looked up at Bill and Jack.
Bill turned around in the car. “He wouldn’t be there now. Being seen in a public spot like that must have been a mistake. He’s probably hiding out in a secret location.”
“Maybe the President was right.” Karen sighed and looked out the window. “He could be anywhere. We don’t have much time.”
“Hey,” Bill took Karen’s hand. “We can’t give up, okay? If we do, it’s letting them win.”
Karen squeezed her husband’s hand. “You’re right.”
“What do you think, Jack?” Bill turned to his best friend. “How do we find him?”
“We let him contact us.” Jack said casually.
“What?!” Karen looked at Jack like he had three heads. “Let him contact us? Jack, he’d never do that! We are after HIM, remember? Calling us would mean getting himself caught!”
“Yes, but he’ll claim he wants to help us and maybe try and cut a deal. That is what he did three years ago. That is what he’ll do again. I know him.”
Bill sighed. “If that’s what you think, okay. But you better be right. If the President finds out…”
“I know!” Jack interrupted.

********************

“How much farther?” Chloe asked. “The boys are getting restless.”
“We’re almost there,” Morris answered. “Luckily they are close enough that we aren’t driving three hours.”
“I’m sleepy.” Edgar rubbed his eyes. “I want to sleep.”
“Me too.” Milo chimed in.
“We’re almost there, guys, okay? Then you can sleep.” Morris turned onto an exit.
“So, Laura, how long have you and Jack known each other?” Chloe asked casually.
“Two and a half years. When he got the job at NSA he was placed under my command.”
“I see. So, how long have you been dating?” Chloe was obviously prying now.
“Chloe…” Morris muttered.
“We aren’t dating.” Laura said in a tone that would normally finish a conversation.
“Yes, but you kissed him.” Chloe continued.
Laura turned around and raised her eyebrow. “And?”
“Best friends don’t do that.”
“I don’t see how any of this is your business.” Laura said a little rudely.
“Yeah, it’s not, let’s change the subject.” Morris interjected.
“No, I want to know. He’s been my friend for many years and it’s my job to protect him.” Chloe replied even more bluntly.
“Excuse me? Protect him? Jack Bauer trusts me with his life and I trust him with mine. I am not a criminal, I have done a lot to help him today. I don’t need this from someone I’ve known for only three hours!”
“You don’t know anything about the real Jack Bauer!” Chloe’s voice was getting steadily higher. “And he happens to have a girlfriend, so if you don’t mind I suggest you back down!”
“Is that a threat?” Laura gave Chloe a dangerous look.
“Call it what you want.” Chloe replied nastily.
“Well, we’re here!” Morris practically yelled. “Everybody out. We need to get inside as quickly as possible.”
Chloe glared at Laura as she helped Milo and Edgar out of the car.
The door flew open. “Get in! Quickly!” Nadia held the door open as everyone came in. “We made some coffee and rolls. Both and Doyle and I are ready to help you in anyway we can.”
“First, we need a place for the twins to go to sleep. It needs to be close by and away from the windows and door.” Morris said as he closed the front door.
“I’ll show you a room.” Doyle led Chloe down the hall with her boys.
“We need to know everything now.” Nadia said. “We want to help you.”
“Alright. But let’s wait for Doyle.”
When Mike and Chloe came back, they tried to let Nadia and Doyle in on everything they knew.

4:52:12

There was a knock on Julie’s door. “Come in.”
Her husband walked in and shut the door. “The meeting with the Chinese is in less than three hours. Why aren’t you ready?”
Julie sighed. “A situation came up and it involves national security and possibly the meeting. I can’t tell you what it is, but this is bigger than anything I could have ever imagined.”
“Poor dear.” Robert Dern gave his wife a hug. “Do you need anything from me?”
Julie smiled and patted his cheek. “I need you to make sure that Emily and Mary don’t think that anything is wrong. We can’t have them freaking out while I’m trying to prevent a war.”
Robert nodded. “They are ready. I don’t think that there will be a problem though, Jul, they are teenagers now.”
“I know…just…keep them calm.” Julie answered. She looked at her watch. “I guess I’d better get dressed. Rob, can you do me a favor and tell Marsha where I am if she comes looking for me?”
“Sure, hon.” Robert sat down in Julie’s chair and playfully put his feet up on the desk.
Julie giggled and left the room.
Robert stared at the door for a second before running his hands over the chair’s arms. He sat back and glanced around the room. How cool must it be to run a country? It should have been him preparing for that meeting. It should have been him.

*************

Karen continued leafing through the information in the backseat and stopped suddenly, throwing them next to her. “There is nothing here. Just information about my kidnapping and where it was held. The only other lead we have is Logan and Henderson.”
Jack pulled off of the highway and turned around onto a back road. He pulled into an alley and waited.
“What are you doing?” Bill asked.
“This road isn’t covered by cameras.”
“So? What are we waiting for?” Karen said a little impatiently.
“They can’t track us when we are sitting here.” Jack looked outside the window.
“How do you know they are tracking us?” Bill asked, shocked.
“That’s probably one of the reasons why they knew we were coming to get you.” Jack replied. “And why Bill, Chloe, and Morris were almost caught at Marilyn Bauer’s house. If we are driving around we aren’t hurting anything. They won’t attack us in public.”
“That’s very reassuring.” Karen sat back and folded her arms.
Suddenly, Jack’s phone rang. He hit the speaker button.
“Bauer.”
“Jack, I’m sure you know who this is.”
“Yes, Mr. Logan.” Jack replied while staring at Bill and Karen’s dumbfounded faces.
“Do you know why I’m calling?”
“You have information that we need. You couldn’t track us because we pulled off into a deserted street.”
“Yes.”
“What do you want to tell us?”
“I know where Nicholas Henderson is and what he’s up to. Meet me in fifteen minutes off of mile marker 23 in the first neighborhood on your left. I’ll have the lights on.”
“Why are you in a populated neighborhood? People would recognize you.” Bill blurted.
“Oh, you have friends? Bring them if you must. But don’t come in with guns blaring or you won’t get my information.”
“Understood.” Jack said.
“Oh, and I want something in return.” Logan said.
“What?” Jack spoke through his teeth.
“I’ll tell you when you get here. Don’t be late.”

4:59:57 4:59:58 4:59:59 5:00:00