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FADE IN:

EXT. HOLDING ROOM

Audrey approaches the guard and shows him her credentials. He nods for her to go on in.

INSIDE THE ROOM

Tony is sitting in a chair with his head face down on a table. Audrey can hear gentle sobs as she tentatively approaches and taps him gently on the arm.

AUDREY

Tony?

Tony seems to notice her presence but doesn’t look up.

AUDREY

(softly)

Hey, Tony, it’s Audrey.

He wipes his eyes and tries to pull himself together.

TONY

Hey…I’m sorry…just give me a sec.

AUDREY

No, it’s okay…

TONY

Did Jack send you to check up on me?

AUDREY

We both thought you could use some company. If you’d rather be alone right now I’ll go.

TONY

No, no, have a seat…I’m sorry I’m such a basketcase.

AUDREY

Tony, please. The day I met you all I did was cry…you must have thought I was the biggest baby.

TONY

No, I just thought you were having a rough day, to put it mildly.

AUDREY

Yeah.

TONY

Look, I’m really sorry that I couldn’t tell you the truth about Jack…I thought I had some idea what you were going through then but I realize now I had no idea…I had no idea how much it hurts…

AUDREY

You have nothing to apologize for, Tony. You did what you had to do to protect him.

TONY

I just wish…g-d, this is probably going to sound terrible, but I remember feeling so bad for you then…but looking back I feel jealous. I know you didn’t know Jack was alive but at least you hadn’t seen his body…at least you hadn’t seen proof that he was dead…I’m probably not making any sense.

AUDREY

No, I understand. Until you saw her body, you somehow hung onto hope that maybe it was a mistake, maybe her death was some kind of a hoax just like Jack’s was, right?

TONY

Something like that, yeah.

AUDREY

I understand. I can tell you from experience though that not seeing it doesn’t make it any easier…as hard as Paul’s death was, being able to see his body and say goodbye and watch him be buried at least brought a little bit of closure. With Jack it was so much harder because I never had a chance to say goodbye…it never even occurred to me that maybe he wasn’t really dead…all I could think about was how guilty I felt about the way things had ended between us and how empty my life felt without him.

TONY

Does it ever…does it get any easier? Do you ever stop feeling empty?

Audrey sighs, conflicted about whether to tell him the truth and risk making him feel worse or lie and hope that he buys it.

AUDREY

Yes and no. After a while you learn to go on with your daily life again, so from the perspective it gets a little easier. But learning to go on with your daily routine isn’t the same as feeling whole again…I wish I could tell you the emptiness goes away quickly but I can’t…maybe it would have eventually, but I guess I wasn’t at that point yet.

She notices his eyes beginning to tear again, and she instantly regrets the last part of what she said.

AUDREY

I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have said that…the last thing I want to do is make things worse.

TONY

Don’t apologize. I appreciate your being honest.

CUT TO:

CTU CONFERENCE ROOM

Bill is pacing around talking to Jack on his cell phone.

BILL

I understand the state he’s in, but I’m not sure how we can get around what he tried to do. If you hadn’t intervened he could have destroyed the only lead we have to preventing hundreds of thousands of casualties.

SPLIT SCREEN

JACK

Sir, after I broke the glass Tony had several seconds to act before I restrained him. If he was going to shoot the guy he’d have shot him.

BILL

I don’t disagree with you, but I’m not sure there’s anything we can do. Even if I don’t report the incident, Division’s going to want to know how the glass got broken.

JACK

You can tell them that I broke in when I was denied access to a suspect.

BILL

And I take it you want to delete the footage from the security camera that will contradict that?

JACK

I already took care of it, sir.

Bill shakes his head, finding it hard not to be somewhat amused by Jack’s expediency.

BILL

Alright. I’ll put down that you broke the glass and I won’t give details…if questioned I’ll give them the story you gave me. But I can’t order my people to lie, Jack. I can’t guarantee that none of them will talk if questioned by Division. And Tony stays in holding until this crisis is averted.

JACK

Understood.

BILL

What’s your ETA?

JACK

We’re about two minutes out.

BILL

Alright. Call me when you have an update on the last canister.

JACK

Got it.

Bill hangs up and walks out to the main floor. TRACK WITH HIM as he approaches Edgar.

BILL

Edgar, where’s Chloe?

EDGAR

She, uh, she had to step outside for a minute…she had to make a phone call.

Bill looks a little suspicious but lets it go.

BILL

Alright. When she gets back tell her I need to see her in my office.

EDGAR

Yes, sir.

CUT TO:

HOLDING ROOM

AUDREY

Look, Tony, I know how hard it is right now, but like you said that day, you have to believe that everything happens for a reason.

TONY

Audrey, when I said that to you I said it knowing that Jack was alive. What kind of a reason could there possibly be for Michelle’s death? And if she had to die, why…why couldn’t they have taken me too? Why did I have to survive the explosion?

His voice trails off, a fresh flow of tears beginning when he says this.

AUDREY

I don’t have an answer for you, Tony. I wish I did but I don’t. But maybe someday you’ll find out…maybe you’re destined to do something great…maybe there will come a time when someone really needs you and you’re able to be there.

Tony nods, wanting to retort that he is tired of “doing something great” and getting nothing but pain in return but lacking the will or the energy to go off on a tirade.

AUDREY

I don’t follow baseball that closely, but aren’t the Cubs having a really good season?

TONY

(nonchalantly)

Yeah, they’re in first place.

AUDREY

I tell you what. The Major League Baseball Commissioner is the son of one of my dad’s good friends from college. When the Cubs get to the playoffs, I’ll make sure you get box seats at every game in the National League championship and the World Series.

Tony chuckles ever so slightly, more grateful than he can express for her giving him something to look forward to, however small and unlikely it may be.

TONY

Eh, they’ll probably blow it in the end…they always do.

She chuckles, then reaches into her purse and hands him some tissues.

TONY

(softly)

Thank you.

AUDREY

Of course.

TONY

So I’m probably overstepping my bounds here, and feel free not to answer, but what’s going on with you guys?

AUDREY

You mean with me and Jack?

TONY

Yeah.

AUDREY

It’s complicated.

TONY

Do you love him?

AUDREY

(without hesitation)

Yes.

TONY

An he loves you, right?

AUDREY

Yeah.

TONY

Then what’s complicated?

AUDREY

The president wants him to disappear again when this is all over.

TONY

What are you talking about?

AUDREY

I guess nobody told you…this morning, when Jack marched into the president’s retreat and outed Cummings, Logan told him that his being alive created problems for this country…

TONY

(angrily)

He said that?

AUDREY

Something like that, yeah. And Jack promised him that when this was all over he would simply disappear again.

Tony clenches his fists.

AUDREY

I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet, but I’ve decided that wherever he goes I’m going with him…I’m just scared that he’s going to disappear before I get the chance.

TONY

He’s going to need some convincing on that even if he does come back here. He’s not going to want to put you in danger.

AUDREY

I know.

CUT TO:

EXT. LAX - RUNWAY

Jack and Curtis get out of the CTU vehicle and approach the plane. They are met by airport security.

SECURITY OFFICER

Agent Joe Windsor.

He shows them his badge and they shake hands.

JACK

What’s the status of the plane?

WINDSOR

We’ve been trying to disarm it, but it looks like it’s got a sensor mechanism that’s set to go off immediately if it’s tampered with.

JACK

Let me take a look.

He goes into the plane and starts fiddling. He suddenly notices something and becomes frantic.

JACK

Curtis, get in here. Curtis steps onto the plane.

CURTIS

What’s going on?

JACK

Call CTU and tell them to get a team of aircraft mechanics here now.

CURTIS

What’s going on?

JACK

This isn’t a bomb designed to poison the people on this plane - it’s a remote aviation system.

CURTIS

What do you mean?

JACK

In 27 minutes, this device is set to turn the plane into a remote delivery system for the weaponized nerve gas.

FADE OUT.

COMMERCIAL BREAK