24 Decla.s.sified.

Collateral Damage.

by Marc Cerasini.

Prologue.

CTU Headquarters, Los Angeles.

Four days ago...

"h.e.l.lo, Jack."

A shadow fell across Jack Bauer's desk. He looked up from the report he'd been reading, into the eyes of District Director George Mason.

Jack stood, rubbed his chin. "Good to see you, George."

Mason's thin lips tightened. "I'll bet."

"How are things in Tacoma?"

Mason set his briefcase on the floor. "Oh, you know, Jack. It's about as far from real real Washington as you can get. Makes a guy feel lost, out of touch. Washington as you can get. Makes a guy feel lost, out of touch. Banished, Banished, if you know what I mean. And all because of the 'Company' he keeps." if you know what I mean. And all because of the 'Company' he keeps."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "So you're lonely, George?"

Mason smirked. "I still have friends. Oh, and by the way - Teddy Hanlin sends his regards. And so does his partner, Seth Campbell." Seth Campbell."

Campbell wasn't actually working with with Mason any more. The corrupt CTU agent had been caught taking bribes. He was now serving a ten-year sentence in a Federal penitentiary. Jack was the one who'd put him there. Mason any more. The corrupt CTU agent had been caught taking bribes. He was now serving a ten-year sentence in a Federal penitentiary. Jack was the one who'd put him there.

Mason's mention of him now was a clear tell. He wanted Jack to know exactly why he'd barged into Jack's office late on a Friday afternoon: payback. payback.

Jack hid any reaction to Campbell's name, simply closed the report on his desk with a sharp sweep of his hand.

Mason's crafty eyes darted to the desk, then back to Jack. "You've been reading the weekly operational review, I see."

"You don't miss a trick, do you, George?"

"Then you know CTU's New York division will be activated in three days."

Jack nodded. "It only took six years."

"Things move slower on the East Coast," Mason said. "The situation there is... political."

"Right. The Agency's political. This is news?"

"I mean it's more so there than here. Brice Holman has been running investigations out of the Agency's regional office for the last three years. Now he's finally getting his own Manhattan-based CTU Operations Center and a full staff. But there are apparently some jurisdictional disputes, turf wars. A lot more toes get stepped on. But I don't have to explain about toes getting stepped on, do I? Not to you?"

Mason slid Jack's overflowing in box aside and settled on the edge of his desk. "I've got a job for you, Jack. Washington - the real real Washington - ordered me to dispatch an operational consultant with solid managerial experience to oversee activation of the East Coast Division..." Washington - ordered me to dispatch an operational consultant with solid managerial experience to oversee activation of the East Coast Division..."

"Hold on, George. That kind of a.s.signment is way above my pay grade. I thought Bill Buchanan out of Seattle was handling this."

"He was, until a pair of his agents defused a bomb at the base of the s.p.a.ce Needle this morning."

Jack blinked. "That wasn't in today's threat report..."

Mason chuckled. "You won't hear about it on the evening news, either. No sense in causing panic."

Bauer's features darkened. "You mean no need to alert the public to the danger of terrorism, so that when the day comes that we can't can't prevent an attack, the citizens won't be prepared to deal with it?" prevent an attack, the citizens won't be prepared to deal with it?"

"Yeah, Jack. That, too." Mason laughed. "G.o.d, relax, Bauer. The bomb was planted by some eco-green fringe group protesting logging or something. They've already been caught."

"Good." Jack folded his arms. "Then Buchanan can go to New York."

Mason shook his head. "Unfortunately, with a procedural review of the situation, coupled with the drafting of an after action report, Bill is stuck in Seattle for the next few weeks. That means you'll take Manhattan." Mason smiled.

Jack's phone rang. He ignored it.

"Don't worry, Jack. I won't send you alone. I can spare Almeida. I'd like to give you Jamey Farrell, too, but since Milo Pressman transferred to Langley, we'll need her here. You can take O'Brian instead. You two worked well in Las Vegas, and you'll need a guy like Morris because any major glitches will most likely be technical..."

"Listen, George..."

Mason silenced Bauer with a raised palm. "This should be an easy a.s.signment. You'll show Brice Holman the ropes in New York, help him organize his staff and set up protocols to interact with the other divisions and agencies..."

"Why me?"

"I want you to liaise with the other authorities in the region," Mason purred, ticking them off with his fingers.

"I'm talking about the New York City Police Department, the Office of Emergency Management, the DEA, the local branches of the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Smooth over any problems and..."

"Smooth over problems?" Jack cut in. "I'm the last person you should be sending for that. The last time I had contact with the New York branch of the FBI, I exposed one of their agents as a traitor and problems?" Jack cut in. "I'm the last person you should be sending for that. The last time I had contact with the New York branch of the FBI, I exposed one of their agents as a traitor and neutralized neutralized him." him."

"Which is why you're the perfect man for this job." Mason tightened the knot on his tie. "It shows the other guys we mean business."

Mason picked up his briefcase and set it on Bauer's desk. "The codes, protocols, and operational drives are here. Agent Holman and his staff are expecting you to arrive first thing Tuesday morning. Enjoy your weekend with Tracy and your son..."

"It's Teri. Teri. And I have a And I have a daughter." daughter."

"Like I care. You're going to New York, Bauer. Your flight leaves Monday."

1.

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 A.M. AND 8:00 A.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.

7:00:02 A.M. EDT.

New York, New York.

Jack Bauer glanced at the World Trade Center, rising above the rooftops of Lower Manhattan. The weather was clear this Tuesday morning, the June sunlight gleaming against the two identical skysc.r.a.pers of gla.s.s and steel.

In the driver's seat to his left, CTU Agent Tony Almeida turned the Dodge minivan onto Hudson's slow parade of traffic. The taxis, buses, SUVs, and luxury sedans were all heading downtown, toward Tribeca, the Financial District, or the Jersey delivery system known as the Holland Tunnel.

As their minivan slowed to a crawl, Jack continued to stare at the twin towers. Back in '93, the bombing of those buildings - by a blind Muslim cleric and his insane flock - had been the impetus for creating CTU.

Ironic, thought Jack. thought Jack. One of the last major urban areas to get its own CTU Operations Center is the very city that was attacked by terrorists. Doubly ironic because no one wants it. Not the FBI, not the DEA, not even the local authorities... One of the last major urban areas to get its own CTU Operations Center is the very city that was attacked by terrorists. Doubly ironic because no one wants it. Not the FBI, not the DEA, not even the local authorities...

Just one month ago, the senior Senator from New York had argued that the presence of CTU was redundant in a city where even the NYPD had its own overseas operatives countering terror threats.

Sure, at its inception, CTU had been granted special powers by Congress, among them the ability to conduct counterespionage and counterterrorist operations on U.S. soil, against U.S. citizens if necessary - a mandate the CIA had never before been given. But Jack knew it would take months, maybe even years, before CTU's New York operations would be effective. He didn't know what his superiors expected him to accomplish by sending him here...

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l!" Morris...o...b..ian blurted from the backseat.

Tony had slammed on the minivan's brakes, and Morris's steaming hot Starbucks had sloshed over his hand. "Seven o'clock in the b.l.o.o.d.y morning, and traffic is already snarled. This town is worse than L.A."

Jack peered through his pa.s.senger-side window. Workers were already crowding the sidewalks. A young Hispanic bicycle messenger, wearing a red "Tri-State Delivery" Windbreaker, a canvas bag slung over his shoulder, pedaled along the curb beside them. The messenger could have sped up, Jack noticed, but he didn't. Just kept pace with them for some reason.

"Look at these people. It's a beautiful, sunny day, and not a convertible in sight," Morris went on. "What's the matter with them? Are they vampires?"

Tony smirked into his rearview. "Maybe they're afraid of pigeon droppings."

The cab that had swerved in front of them to score a fare now raced away. Traffic flowed faster and another taxi slipped in front of them.

Jack lifted his chin, pointed. "The building's three blocks ahead, on the right."

Tony nodded and continued in the right lane.

CTU's New York offices occupied the top three floors of a ten-story office building. Jack unhappily surveyed the scene. Unlike CTU Los Angeles, which was located in a remote, industrial section of the city, the Manhattan offices were on a teeming city street, surrounded by bustling businesses.

The United States Customs Service was practically across the street. On the next block, a curved modern office building housed an international advertising agency. Behind CTU, a ma.s.sive UPS complex sprawled across two blocks. Beyond that, the West Side Highway and the Hudson River both flowed with traffic.

There were people piled upon people pa.s.sing through this area on any given day, and Jack knew that any one of them could pose a threat. With their headquarters so vulnerable, CTU New York was going to have to spend energy just covering its own back.

A horn blared behind them. In the rearview, Jack noticed a black Lincoln Continental cutting off another car in order to slip in right behind them. Traffic was flowing faster in the other lanes, but he stayed behind them instead, hugging their b.u.mper. The driver wore a Lakers cap pulled low. His eyes were invisible behind mirrored sungla.s.ses.

Jack frowned at the Lakers cap, glanced out the side window again, at the messenger on the bicycle. The young Hispanic male was still keeping pace with them, occasionally glancing over.

Jack looked ahead. The yellow cab in front of them drove right by an attractive businesswoman, trying frantically to wave it down. The cabbie ignored the fare. Why? Why? His ON DUTY light was illuminated. And there was no one riding in the back of his taxi - at least that Jack could see. His ON DUTY light was illuminated. And there was no one riding in the back of his taxi - at least that Jack could see.

It could be nothing, Jack told himself, but the hairs on the back of his neck told him otherwise. He kept one eye on the cab. Glanced again at the Lincoln behind them. The bicycle messenger beside them.

Tony and Morris were still chatting back and forth, oblivious to anything out of the ordinary.

Then the taxi in front of them abruptly stopped. It didn't swerve toward the curb for a fare, just hit the brakes in the middle of the street. Tony instantly hit his own brakes, lurching them all forward.

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l!" Morris cursed again as his hot coffee spilled.

That's when Jack saw it - the skinny messenger dumped his bicycle and rushed their vehicle, hand reaching into his canvas shoulder bag.

"Down on the floor now!" now!" Jack pulled the Glock from his holster, popped the door, kicking it open, right into the a.s.sa.s.sin. The man flew backward and stumbled against the curb. Jack pulled the Glock from his holster, popped the door, kicking it open, right into the a.s.sa.s.sin. The man flew backward and stumbled against the curb.

Jack dived, crouching, from the minivan as the front windshield shattered, showering Tony with safety gla.s.s. Two holes drilled through Jack's empty seat. Then the rear window exploded inward.

Crouching low, Bauer leveled the Glock at the man on the ground. "Don't move!" he commanded.

The man on the sidewalk pulled his hand out of the canvas bag, freeing the .45. He rolled to aim - Jack shot him in the face.

Another pop, and a bullet whizzed by Jack's ear.

He spun and glimpsed the shooter, crouching in the backseat of the cab that was blocking them. The big, bald white guy grimaced, showing gold front teeth.

Jack leveled his weapon, fired. The cab's back window shattered, but the squealing tires were already rolling onto the sidewalk. The vehicle sped away, scattering confused and screaming pedestrians before lurching back onto the street, in front of a parked city bus.

An engine gunned behind him, and Jack turned to find the Lincoln driver trying the same move as the taxi.

"Stop the car now!" Jack shouted.

The Lincoln tore off the pa.s.senger door as it sped around the Dodge. The maneuver gave Jack a clear shot at the driver. He took it. The gun bucked in Jack's hand. The window spiderwebbed, and the driver's shoulder exploded in a haze of blood, muscle, and bone.

The driver was thrown forward, head striking the steering wheel. The Lincoln careened into a magazine kiosk and came to a halt.

Jack was beside the vehicle in seconds, Glock clutched in both hands. He checked the backseat, but no one else was in the car.

The driver's sungla.s.ses and Lakers cap were gone now, and Jack recognized the man. He yanked the door open, dragged him out of the car, and slammed him down on the sidewalk.

"Who told you I was in New York?" Jack demanded, shaking the man by the lapels of his jacket. "Talk, De Salvo. Who tipped you off? Who set me up?"

The man's eyes were glazed with pain. He tried to laugh, coughed blood instead. "Go to h.e.l.l, Bauer, you lousy son of a..."

His head lolled. Jack knelt over him and checked for a pulse, found none. He quickly searched the dead man, came up with a wallet and tucked it into his own pocket.

Tony rushed over, holding his weapon. He stared at the dead man. "Who is he?"

"W,as. Angelo De Salvo. His two older brothers masterminded the Hotel Los Angeles robbery." Angelo De Salvo. His two older brothers masterminded the Hotel Los Angeles robbery."

Tony whistled. "No wonder he wanted you dead."

Sirens warbled, drowning out the street noise as three NYPD squad cars converged on the scene. Jack and Tony holstered their weapons and displayed their IDs. While the police circled them, both CTU agents glanced down the street, at the building that housed the Unit's New York headquarters. The place was still as a grave.