After the events of Season 8 in New York City, Jack Bauer has gone dark, President Taylor has resigned, and Chloe, after being arrested for aiding in Jack's escape, has been given a Presidential Pardon by now President Greg Andrews after she served for just over one year in prison. President Logan survived his suicide attempt but died two weeks later in the hospital.

It is now three years later. Jack has been hiding out under the false identity "Richard 'Rick' Thomas" in Vancouver, Canada.

A mysterious letter came in the mail, addressed to Rick Thomas from "an old friend". The moment Jack saw it he knew that it could have only come from Chloe. It read:

Jack,

It's been three years since I last saw you and I need your help. Morris divorced me and has custody over Prescott. I've been trying to get my life together but nothing has been working. I know I'm not supposed to contact you but this you're the only person who I know will help me. Please, Jack. I'm living in Seattle with my mother. Please, Jack. I need your help.

Love,

Chloe

Jack didn't take any time to think before he decided to help her.

Meanwhile, a new terrorist organization has sprung up and has been making threats to attack cities in the US. They haven't done anything but make threats, but those threats are very, very real.


The following takes place between 1PM and 2PM.

1:00PM

Sea-Tac International Airport. A man wearing a dark brown jacket and sunglasses puts up his hand to hail a cab. This man is none other than Jack Bauer. The closest cab immediately pulls up next to him. Jack opens the door and gets in.

"Where to?" asks the driver.

"Woodland Park Zoo. Do you know where that is?" Jack replies. Woodland Park Zoo is north of the downtown part of Seattle, while the airport is south of the city.

"Oh, yes, sir. I know it," the driver states. He begins to pull out and into traffic. "Where did you fly in from?"

"Vancouver." Jack replies as he looks out the window.

"Are you Canadian? Visiting here in the US?"

"Actually," Jack says as he looks at the driver and takes off his sunglasses. "I'm an American, but I've been living in Canada for a few years now. I just came down to visit an old friend."

"Well I hope you have a nice reunion with your friend." The driver happily says.

"I hope so as well."

The driver makes a left turn to get on the access road to head north. Jack opens his bag and gets out the letter that Chloe sent him. He looks at the address one more time. It was sent from a home on 62nd Street in Phinney Ridge. The Woodland Park Zoo is close enough for Jack to walk when he gets there.

1:02 PM

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., President Andrews, in the Oval Office, is on a phone call with Washington Governor Christopher Stuart. They are discussing the terrorist group's newest video to hit the Internet, claiming that there would be a terrorist attack on the West Coast.

"Now listen," President Andrews stated, "I know they haven't actually done anything yet, but that doesn't mean that an attack won't happen."

"I know Mr. President," Governor Stuart replied, "but if such an attack is to take place, the chances of it being here are minimal."

"Governor, we know that the most likely chance for an attack would be in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle."

"Yes, sir, that's why I have a plan and I'd like to receive your approval," the Governor states.

President Andrews looks at his staff for a moment before answering.

"Ok, Governor, what's your plan?" the President asks.

"Well, I've decided not to cancel this year's state fair."

"Chris, don't you think that would make for a big target?"

"It's a chance I'm willing to take. We'll have extra added security. Thousands of people go every year and canceling it would definitely be a bad idea."

The President looks at his Chief of Staff, Mike Walters, who shrugs and looks away.

"Governor," the president replies. "It's your state to do with what you wish. But know the threat is real. Don't put any innocent lives in danger."

"Yes, sir," the Governor says as he hangs up.

Mike Walters says to the President, "Don't you think that is a terrible idea, Mr. President, for him to not cancel the fair? I mean, don't you think that's where the terrorists might want to hit?"

"Yes, Mike, I do."

"So what is your plan, sir?"

"Well, if these people plan to bomb our cities and they chose Seattle then we might be able to catch them in the act. There's only a slim chance, but there's still a chance."

President Andrews goes behind his desk and sits down. Mike stands in front of it as the President signals for all others to leave the room.

"Listen, Mike, keep this a secret, but I don't want anything to get out. I want you to write a statement for me in the case that Seattle does get hit. I want to be ready just in case something happens."

"Yes, sir," Mike replies as he exits the room.

1:09PM

The terrorist group, known simply as Greenfire, is in a warehouse. They have a table stocked with dozens of assault rifles, grenades, explosives, RPG's, and body armor. Parked next to the table are three white SUVs with armored plates attached to the sides and painted white to match the color of the vans. Their leader, Liam Cramer, is putting on a bulletproof vest as he steps up on a small platform to look at his roughly three dozen men.

"Gentlemen, today is the day," Liam states. "We've been planning for months and the world is plenty confused. At this point they believe we're the boy who cried wolf. But finally, now that they no longer take us seriously, we can strike and have the hit be the hardest." He picks up a rifle and points it in the air. "Thank you, men, for what you're about to do. You all have your assignments. Do not be late to where you're supposed to be. Your watches have all been synchronized so you can start at your specific times."

Behind him is a wall with three different pictures and maps relative to each person. These are the points that will be attacked.

"Men, we move out in half an hour. Be ready. Eyes open."

1:17PM

The taxi driver is getting closer to the Woodland Park Zoo. Jack can see a sign that states they're only one mile from the zoo. Jack begins to get anxious. He knows it's been three years since he's seen Chloe but unlike past times when Jack has gone dark, the first contact that he got was this letter. Jack doesn't even know how she was able to track him down. If she could do it then theoretically anybody with the willpower could hunt him down.

"Not much farther now, sir," the taxi driver tells Jack.

"Thank you. When we get there you can let me off right in front."

"As you wish, sir."

Another sign. Half a mile now. Jack remembers the last phone call he had with Chloe in New York when he thanked her for all she's done for him. He's not sure exactly how he'll act when he sees her, but he knows that whatever happens will happen.

As the taxi pulls up to the zoo entrance, people and children are running around and happy. Jack can't help but give a smirk at seeing their cheerfulness. When the cab stops, before the driver even asks, Jack hands him a $100 bill.

"Keep the change." Jack says.

"Thank, you, sir. Have a wonderful day!" the driver replies. He then drives off away from the zoo, leaving Jack there by the curb with people all around.

Putting his sunglasses back on, Jack one more time looks at the letter he received from Chloe. He notices a street sign and knows he has to walk north for a few blocks to get to Chloe's mother's house.

1:22 PM

Governor Stuart's limo is driving on the highway after leaving the capitol building in Olympia. The Governor is in the back of the limo along with his wife and daughter. His wife, Jenny, is wearing a pink top and black knee-length skirt. Their daughter, Caitlyn, is wearing a blue vest and also a knee-length skirt, although hers is white.

The window to the front of the limo slides down. In the passenger's seat is the Governor's assistant, Ron Daniels.

"Governor Stuart," Ron asks, "we're expecting more traffic than usual for tonight's ceremony. We might be late getting to the fair."

"How far out are we?" the Governor replies.

"Just over an hour, sir. Would you like us to get a police escort so we can get there faster?"

"No, thank you, Ron. We have time to spare. The ceremony doesn't start until three so there'll be no need for a police escort."

"As you wish, Governor," Ron says. He then puts the dividing window back up.

"Dad," Caitlyn asks, "What should me and mom do during the ceremony."

"You don't want to be up on stage with me?" he replies.

"Well, I mean that's how we did it last year and I felt really uncomfortable."

"What do you think, honey?" he asks to Jenny.

"I think," Jenny says and pauses for a moment. "I think that if she doesn't want to be on stage then it wouldn't be a problem if we sat near the front. Besides, the crowd will be cheering for you, not us."

The Governor smiles and looks out the window as the car begins to slow down and hit heavier traffic.

"I'm not looking for cheers, dear. I just want a fun festival."

1:29 PM

Jack stands outside of a small, one-story blue house. He looks both ways before approaching the house. As he stands in front of the door he takes off his sunglasses again and puts them in his bag. Jack takes a short breath before knocking on the door.

No answer.

Jack starts to get nervous. He knocks again.

Again, no answer. As Jack begins to walk away, he hears the deadbolt of the door get unlocked. He stops and turns around to see the door open and Chloe standing before him.

Neither says anything for a moment; they just look at each other.

Finally, Chloe jumps into Jack's arms.

"Jack!" Chloe yells. She closes her eyes and hugs Jack tightly.

"Hey, Chloe," Jack replies. He's trying not to show any emotion.

"I've missed you, Jack," Chloe says. She breaks the hug and wipes a small tear from her eye before talking again.

"I've missed you too."

"Well, why don't you come in? Make yourself at home." Chloe motions for Jack to come in so he does. As she closes the door behind him she looks around to make sure nobody followed him. The paranoia of working at CTU and Jack going dark after New York is still with her.

Jack sets his bag down on a table by her sofa. The house is fairly clean except for a desk and computer area which has papers all over it. Jack can't help but smile to see Chloe's past hasn't left her.

"Jack, how was your flight in?"

"It was fine."

Both seem to feel too happy to see each other that neither can come up with much of a conversation.

"Where have you been hiding before you went to Canada?" Chloe asks as she and Jack sit down on the couch.

"After I left New York I decided to hide out in the country for a while. I got a job on a farm in Kansas before heading to Denver. That's where I met with one of my old partners to get all of my official documents faked to really disappear."

"Right, you went under the name Richard Thomas… a mattress salesman who moved from Denver to Vancouver." Chloe's tone made it seem like she thought the identity was a pretty badly-faked one.

"Well that's what I went with. Everyone bought it." Jack smiled as he got the letter out of his bag. "That is, apparently I wasn't good enough for you to not track me down."

Chloe pointed at the computer on her desk. "Took me three months to do it. You covered your tracks pretty well. I wouldn't have asked you to come back if it wasn't important."

"The truth is, Chloe," Jack said, "I've been gone too long. I've looked for any excuse to come home."

"No offense, Jack, but do you really even have a place you consider to be home?"

Chloe stared at him. She knew that Jack is just as messed as she is.

"No," Jack replied. "Not since I gave up the fact that I'll likely never see Kim or my granddaughter ever again."

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"It's not your fault, Chloe."

"But I feel like it is." Chloe got up and walked over to her desk. She started picking up papers at random trying to clean it up. Jack walked up behind her.

"Chloe."

She just stood there and didn't move.

"I came here to help you." Jack stated. "We can solve my problems after we've solved yours."

He gently turned her around to look at him and hugged her again.

1:40 PM

The Greenfire Terrorists' leader, Liam, is riding in the passenger's seat of a van. He has an earpiece on and is talking to a few of his men.

"Listen up. There's no turning back now. You each have your plans and I know you'll follow through. The moment that you've started your task you need to let the others know so they'll keep to the schedule. If anything happens unexpectedly then you know what to do."

He takes out a paper with a blueprint on it.

"Team A, the ceremony starts in just over an hour. I want you to wait until the Governor starts speaking, and then you do it. Do not do it until he begins, even if he's on the platform. I want to make sure TV cameras are on him. This needs to go public. We need to show the world that we mean business."

1:45 PM

Jack and Chloe are still talking in the living room but it appears that they've calmed down from earlier.

"How is your mother doing?" Jack asks.

"Not that well. Her dementia is really settling in. Half the time she doesn't even know what's going on."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"She spends most of the day sleeping and whenever she gets up its just to eat or use the bathroom. She fell a few days ago so I've been monitoring her more than usual."

"Have your thought of maybe hiring a caretaker?" Jack asks her.

"No," she replies. "I can't afford one. If Morris was here then maybe I could, but not anymore."

"If you don't mind me asking, Chloe, how have you been maintaining a living?"

"I had about $200,000 saved up over a few bank accounts, but it's almost halfway gone in just a year."

Jack takes out his wallet. Chloe pushes it back at him.

"Jack," she says, "I don't want any of your money."

"You need it more than I do."

"Jack, we've done a lot to help each other out over the years but nothing financially."

Jack tries to cheer her up with a smile as he says, "There's a first for everything."

Chloe does respond with a smile, so Jack knows he must have said something right.

"If you don't mind, Chloe, but I've been flying this morning. Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Of course not. The bathroom is down the hall and to the right."

"Thank you." Jack gets up and walks into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

1:52 PM

President Andrews is sitting at his desk reading a document. There's a knock at the door and Mike walks in.

"Mr. President," Mike says, "I've completed that draft you asked me to write."

"Thank you, Mike." President Andrews stand up and takes the paper from Mike.

Mike points to the main body paragraph. "I left it generally vague so that if something happens then we can specify certain sections to fit the reality."

"Mike, do you happen to know how many people are expected to be at the opening ceremony?"

"On the Internet it said anywhere between ten and fifteen thousand."

The President stops reading and looks at Mike. "That many?" he asks.

"Yes, sir." Mike replies. "But again, we don't know what the terrorists are planning, if they even decide to strike at all.

"Have Governor Stuart arrived at the fair yet?"

"Last I heard he was en route. He'll probably get there in about a half an hour or so."

"Thank you, Mike," the President says. "Let me know the moment he arrives. I want to let him know this. He probably already knows, but just to reiterate the fact."

"Yes, sir."

1:58 PM

Jack is taking a shower in the bathroom. He sees there are many female hair products around. The walls are all a light pink color, giving off a very feminine feel to the room. A typical women's bathroom, he thinks. The cold water runs down his back and scars. His entire body is a record of what it takes to protect the country. So many times he's been beaten, tortured, cut, and shot, that sometimes you don't know where one scar begins and the other ends. He feels the one bullet hole in his upper chest where Chloe had to shoot him in New York. Not many people can have that close of a friendship where one can tell another to shoot them and then they do it, but still staying extremely close and never even having to bring it up, but just pretending like it never happened.

Jack feels like this is his chance to get his life back that he's been missing for the past three years. Chloe feels like with Jack being there her life will get better as well.

2:00 PM


Thank you for reading my first chapter! It's been years (literally about 5) since I've done anything with Fanfiction. I have this story planned out so it should go smoothly!