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ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. WHITE HOUSE: CONFERENCE ROOM (UNDERGROUND)

Jack hangs up the phone as Audrey appears at the door. He motions for her to come in.

JACK

Hey.

AUDREY

Hey.

(pause)

I talked to Mike and Patricia, and we think the best thing to do is declassify as much information as we can to help clear things up and show that we have nothing to hide. So I need you to look through these documents and mark anything you don’t want declassified.

JACK

It’s not up to me…you don’t need my permission.

AUDREY

Some of these are your CTU files that you may want to share with the entire world…anything you’re uncomfortable with, I will fight to keep classified.

JACK

I appreciate your concern, but I trust your judgment. Just make sure you check with CTU to make sure none of it will compromise any current investigations. And when this crisis is over, I’ll do anything I can to help clear your name in all this…if you want me to do any interviews or produce any records…anything you think would help, let me know.

AUDREY

Thanks…I appreciate that.

An awkward silence follows, neither of them sure what to say.

AUDREY

My father was out of line before…he shouldn’t have said those things.

JACK

(bitterly)

He didn’t say anything I didn’t already know. I just wish you hadn’t come in and interfered before. I told you not to take the bullet for me.

AUDREY

I don’t believe this. Right now, my brother is missing, the news media is airing details of my private life and analyzing whether or not I was involved in a presidential assassination attempt, and my father won’t even look me in the eye…the last thing I need is grief from you on top of everything.

JACK

Yeah? Well the last thing I needed was grief when I was trying to stop terrorists from annihilating us with a nuclear missile, but that didn’t stop you.

Jack instantly regrets his words the second they leave his mouth. He feels a pit in his stomach when he sees her shell shocked expression.

JACK

I’m sorry…I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.

AUDREY

You don’t owe me an apology…just please, let me be alone for a minute, okay?

JACK

Yeah.

He sighs and leaves the room, silently cursing himself for what he said.

CUT TO:

INT. CTU WASHINGTON/BALTIMORE: MAIN FLOOR

Tina is listening to the audio file that the terrorists sent to media outlets, trying to do a voice analysis.

AUDREY (O.S.)

Fine. Jack and I were together for about six months before he had to disappear. We started sleeping together after about 2 months…you do the math.

Tony is walking across the floor when he overhears this. He walks over to Tina.

TONY

What the hell are you doing?

TINA

I’m analyzing the recording to see if I can get a voice match.

TONY

(irritated)

Well, could you do it a little more discreetly, and put headphones on instead of airing that for the world to hear?

TINA

Alright, I’m sorry…I put it on the speakers so Scott could hear it too, in case he noticed anything I didn’t.

TONY

Look, if you can’t do your job give it to someone else, but don’t air something that nobody should have to listen to in the first place for everyone to hear.

TINA

Alright, I’m sorry…

Chase notices them arguing and motions for Tony to come over.

TONY

I’m sorry…I know you said go easy on her…Audrey’s like a sister to me, and I know she’d appreciate it if we were as discreet as possible with handling this tape.

CHASE

I understand. I’ll make sure it doesn’t get played out loud again.

TONY

Thanks.

Tony’s phone rings.

TONY

Almeida.

MICHELLE (O.S.)

Hey, it’s me.

TONY

Hey…are you at the bank?

SPLIT SCREEN

MICHELLE

No, not yet. I should be there in a few minutes.

TONY

Alright. I want you to call me as soon as you get there.

MICHELLE

Alright, I will. Listen, Tony, I know you’re worried, but I’m going to be fine. I’m just going to look at their computers…and if it makes you feel any better, I’m using Audrey’s car.

Tony chuckles slightly.

TONY

Make sure you get the sequence right when you get back in the car.

MICHELLE

Don’t worry, I’m not going to accidentally alert local and state authorities and have to prove I didn’t steal the car.

TONY

You and Audrey are never going to let me live that down, are you?

MICHELLE

Probably not.

Her tone becomes more serious.

MICHELLE

G-d, to think that before today we used to make fun of how overprotective her father was…

TONY

I know. I was just thinking the same thing.

MICHELLE

I have to go. I’m almost there.

TONY

Michelle, listen. I want you to promise me that if you feel at all uncomfortable or sense anything unusual, you’ll get out of there right away, even if you’re not done with what you’re doing.

Michelle sighs.

MICHELLE

Alright, I promise.

CUT TO:

INT. WHITE HOUSE: UNDERGROUND BUNKER

Jack is walking toward the elevator when he realizes he forgot something. CAMERA FOLLOWS him down the hall as he walks back to the conference room, stopping short when he hears Audrey talking on the phone.

AUDREY (O.S.)

I need a little bit longer than that…I have to figure out how I’m going to get past all these Secret Service agents. Alright, I’ll call you as soon as I’m out.

Jack waits for her to hang up, then enters the room abruptly,
startling her. They just stare at each other for a moment as she tries to read his face to see how much he overheard.

JACK

Where are you going?

Audrey is silent for a minute, trying to decide what to do.
Finally, she realizes that she can’t lie and decides to take a chance and tell him what’s going on.

AUDREY

I just got a call from Tad Williams.

JACK

What???

AUDREY

He says he has information that may help us find my brother but he can’t give it to me over the phone.

JACK

What kind of information? And if he knows anything why would he go out of his way to tell you?

AUDREY

He says that he helped dig up information about us and about my brother for what he thought was to be used as political leverage. He claims he had no idea that what he was doing was part of some terrorist conspiracy.

JACK

And you believe him?

Audrey sighs.

AUDREY

Tad Williams is a jerk, but I don’t think he’s a terrorist. And his story makes sense…he has every reason to want to humiliate me and have something to hold over my head.

JACK

What, because you weren’t willing to sleep with him to get a senator to vote for missile defense?

AUDREY

I know it sounds petty but that’s Washington for you. There are a lot of people with oversized egos in this town and Tad is one of them.

Jack wipes his forehead and sighs.

JACK

Where does he want you to meet him?

AUDREY

A parking garage near 16th and I.

JACK

How do you know this isn’t some kind of a setup?

AUDREY

(softly)

I…I don’t know. But it’s a chance I have to take.

Jack opens his mouth to protest but Audrey stops him.

AUDREY

Please, Jack. We both know that if you were in my situation, you’d go.

Jack is quiet for a minute as he considers.

JACK

Alright. Here’s how it’s going to work…I will help you get out of here, but I’m going with you to the garage, and I want CTU and Secret Service stationed in and around the garage.

AUDREY

No, you can’t…I have to be alone…and if we put Secret Service outside it’ll tip the press off that I’m inside.

JACK

Not if we do this right. Audrey, listen to me. We both know you’re never going to be able to get past Secret Service on your own, and if you do, they’ll lock down the entire city until they find you, which means diverting resources from finding your brother. So if you want to meet Tad you’ve got to work with him. I will help you but I am not going to let you put yourself in danger. So what’s it going to be?

AUDREY

We have to go now, before my dad gets out of his meeting.

JACK

Alright. Let’s go.

FADE OUT.

COMMERCIAL BREAK