Jack asked.
“The Chi-Coms would have no choice but to dump dollars, too, once a run starts. That, or they collapse along with us.”
Jack’s face flushed. His fingers tightened on the chair’s armrest. “These attacks were nothing but a ploy,” he said, unable to hide his outrage. “Just an excuse for Soren Ungar and the Arabs to dump our currency. The Hawk, the zeal-ots from Kurmastan, maybe even Ibrahim Noor himself, they’re nothing but pawns in the world’s biggest currency scam. Collateral damage, just like their victims.” Jack locked eyes with Henderson. “Will Ungar pull the trigger when the markets open in the morning?”
Henderson shook his head. “He’s going to wait until the full impact of the U.S. attacks set in. He’s got the perfect forum, too. In two hours and fifty minutes — two-thirty in the afternoon, Geneva time — Soren Ungar is scheduled to make his annual speech before the International Board of Currency Traders in Switzerland. That’s when the little bastard is going to drop the bomb.”
Jack leaned forward, his voice quiet but tight. “He has to be stopped.”
“How? Assassination of a foreign national is illegal, under penalty of U.S. law. Besides… we don’t have the assets to move that quickly.”
“Yes we do.” For the first time since he entered the office, Jack smiled. “I know a man stationed in Geneva right now. If anyone can pull off an assassination like this, it’s Robert Ellis.”
“Ellis, huh?” Henderson nodded. “Yeah, he is good…
but it’s doubtful anyone at CTU will green light the operation. Not even Richard Walsh would sign off on that—
too much heat. And you can forget Nathan Wheelock.
Mr. Clean would never get his hands dirty with authoriz-ing an assassination on foreign soil; besides, the internal buzz is pretty ugly on the Northeast District Director.”
“Is that so?” Jack folded his arms.
“Sure. You and I will probably be asked to testify when all of this is over, but let’s face it: this mess happened in his region, under his watch, as a direct result of his managerial policies.” Henderson shook his head. “If Brice Holman had been supported instead of shut down, the terrorists could have been stopped. I’d say Wheelock’s career is hanging by a thread that’s about to snap, which doesn’t leave anyone high enough to authorize the action.”
Jack’s gaze narrowed. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about Wheelock’s career. What I can’t believe is you, trying to find another authority to hide behind.” He rose to his feet.
“
Henderson arched an eyebrow. “Spoken like a true patriot.”
Jack loomed over Henderson. “You’re forgetting that Brice Holman and others have already paid the ultimate price. If we do this, they won’t have died in vain. And we’ll be ensuring America’s security.”
Henderson glanced away.
“Look,” Jack said in a calmer voice, “if you want to pass the buck, then I have a name for you. Tell
As Jack’s voice trailed off, Henderson rose to his full height, finally meeting Jack’s eyes. “Okay,” he said. “Who is this magic man?”
“The Chairman of the Special Defense Appropria-tion Committee,” Jack replied. “Senator David Palmer of Maryland.”
“Slip this into your pocket,” Tony said, handing Judith Foy the dead driver’s cell phone.
“What’s it for?”
“Keep the line open and I can hear most of what’s going on around you, though obviously you can’t hear me.” Tony shrugged. “It’s not like wearing a wire, but it will do in a pinch.”
“So if this plan all turns to crap, you’ll rush in like the cavalry in a John Ford movie?” Judith said with a smile.
“Something like that,” he replied. “CTU knows everything we know, and probably more. CTU knows there’s a biological warfare lab in the warehouse, and they know the address of the Thirteen Gang’s headquarters. Once we determine Ibrahim Noor is inside, the tactical teams will be dispatched and CTU will raid the entire block.”
Tony paused, then met her gaze. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“Yes I do,” Judith insisted. “Noor needs this metal box, so he or his minions will let me in. Once I’m inside, I can feed you intelligence, let you know if Noor is present.
Maybe we can stop something bad before it happens this time.”
“I’ll be no further than across the street, even if you can’t see me,” Tony vowed. “Use the panic phrase if you get in trouble. I’ll do what I can to get you out.”
Agent Foy nodded, her face pale under the ball cap.
“Remember:
Judith nodded. “I should have figured you for a jarhead, Almeida,” she said before stepping into the shadowy urban landscape.
Jack Bauer barged into Layla Abernathy’s office.
“Forgot how to knock, Agent Bauer?” she asked.
He closed the door. “I need to talk to you.”
“Make it quick, I’m typing my resignation—”
Jack switched off her computer. Layla threw up her arms. Jack saw needle marks in her wrists, forearms. He pointed.
“Henderson did that?”
Layla dropped her hands to her lap. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Don’t resign,” Jack said. “At least wait twenty-four hours. See this crisis through. Then you can quit if you still want to.”
“Why?” Layla cried. “For a country that betrayed me?
For an organization that had me tortured?”
“For innocent people who don’t deserve what’s happening to them now, or what may happen to them in the next few hours,” Jack countered. “If you quit and something terrible happens, trust me, you won’t be able to live with yourself—”
“CTU doesn’t need me—”
“We
Layla dismissed his praise with a wave. “I don’t believe you.”
“Don’t you think there were times when I was on the outs?” Jack pressed. “I’ve been painted as a dirty agent, more than once. I’ve had my security clearance revoked, and I’ve faced prosecution. No one comes away clean in this business. You have to learn to stick it out, soldier through, keep your focus on what you
Layla blinked and slumped back in her chair. She was quiet for a long moment.
Jack sat down beside her. “I know what you went through was terrible. But — off the record — I sometimes think that the bad things that happen to us are a kind of punishment for the things we’re forced to do to others.”
“It sounds like you’re talking about yourself now,” Layla softly replied.
Jack met her gaze. “Let’s just say that I’ve done things I’d never want my family to know about. I don’t want
