SEVEN MONTHS LATER

A lot had changed in the seven months since Operation Nighthawk. For the first time ever, the lives of Jack Bauer and the people around him had improved.

Chase reconciled with Kim, who also decided to give her father another chance. Four months after Jack's rescue from Chinese captivity, Chase was engaged to Kim and once again working field operations for CTU in Los Angeles.

Curtis was still Head of Field Operations for CTU and enjoyed having Chase working for him again. Five months after helping Jack escape from China, they succeeded in capturing Dmitri Gredenko, the former Soviet general President Heller had suspected of terrorist activities. Heller's suspicions proved true-Gredenko had stolen three nuclear bombs and was planning on detonating them in three major American cities. When it was learned that Gredenko was hiding at an old US Army base in the desert between Nevada and California, Curtis and Chase led a CTU strike team to secure the bombs and arrest Gredenko. The disgraced Russian soldier was extradited back to Russia, where Russian President Yuri Suvarov wasted no time sentencing him to life in prison.

Jack himself did not waste a moment of his new life. He moved to Washington with Audrey and had taken a truck driving job. It was a lot less interesting than his days as a field agent for CTU, and Jack liked it that way. He was living the life he had wanted for a very long time.

Then Cheng Zhi came back into Jack's life, determined to destroy it again.

After the assault on Taiping Prison, the Chinese Premiere himself demanded Cheng's resignation. He told Cheng that his vendetta with Jack Bauer had gone too far, as Kim Tangshen had tried to warn Cheng. The Premiere had also learned the truth about the incident at the Consulate in Los Angeles and blamed Cheng for making China look weak. Cheng's life was ruined. But he wasn't angry at the Premiere, or his men who were so hadn't stood a chance against the Americans at Taiping.

His rage was directed at Jack Bauer. He remembered the promise he made himself, that his feud with Jack would never be over until one of them was dead. It was time to make good on his word.

Cheng fled China and went to America, eventually taking over a Chinese crime family in Los Angeles. He proved to be a very dangerous and capable leader. Despite losing favor with his superiors in the Chinese government, Cheng was still resourceful-and ruthless. He managed to steal the bombs CTU had recovered from Dmitri Gredenko and demanded to have the encryption codes for the weapons, or he would execute his two hostages-Russian First Lady Anya Suvarov and Audrey Raines. He also insisted that the codes be delivered to him by Jack Bauer personally.

This was not a matter of national security for Jack. The lives of two innocent women were in danger, and one of those women was the love of Jack's life. Jack was angry at himself for not ensuring that Cheng Zhi was killed the night he was rescued from Taiping Prison. How could he have survived being shot three times at point blank range? No matter. Jack Bauer realized he may die doing this, but he would sure as hell take Cheng Zhi with him.

THE CONSULATE OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Cheng and his men had managed to seize the Chinese Consulate in Washington. He was too arrogant to see the irony in his actions, that he had committed the same act that he imprisoned Jack Bauer for. Cheng convinced himself that he was left with no other choice. His country had grown weak. They no longer were willing to do what was necessary. It was up to Cheng alone to make China powerful again.

Audrey Raines and Anya Suvarov were both bound and gagged on the bottom floor of the Consulate. Cheng and three of his enforcers, armed with automatic weapons, stood close guard over them. They had never been scared in their lives, but they held out hope that someone would come for them and stop this Chinese madman.

"I'm still waiting for your Mr. Bauer to arrive," Cheng said to Audrey in a condescending tone. He lowered his head so that he was eye level with his hostage. "Perhaps he's no longer the one man army that he used to be. It makes me think that maybe I did break him after all."

Audrey hissed several expletives at Cheng, but he couldn't understand the words because of the gag in her mouth. Still, Cheng had to laugh.

"Don't pretend to be brave, Miss Raines. I can see the fear in yours and Mrs. Suvarov's eyes. Your father and her husband may be powerful men, but I am the one in control of this situation. Mr. Bauer is the only chance you two have to live through this. And I assure you that one way or another, Jack Bauer will not leave this building alive tonight." Cheng's cell phone rang.

"Yes," he said.

"I'm here," Jack Bauer growled, standing a block away from the Consulate. "Let me speak to Audrey."

"You are not in the position to give orders, Mr. Bauer," Cheng said. "Give me what I requested, and I will release Miss Raines and Mrs. Suvarov as I promised."

"Your word means nothing to me, Cheng," Jack snapped. "Put Audrey on or you'll never get your hands on the encryption codes."

Cheng was still in awe of this American's stubbornness. After everything he had put Jack through, Jack still underestimated him. Cheng removed the gag from Audrey's mouth. He pulled out his gun and pressed it against Audrey's head with one hand. His cell phone was in his other hand, held against Audrey's ear.

"Jack," Audrey sobbed. "Help me."

"I'm gonna get you out of there, baby," Jack told her. His voice remained strong and confident. "I swear to you."

"Hurry, Jack," Audrey pleaded. "He's going to kill us! He's…"

"There," said the taunting voice of Cheng Zhi. "You have your proof of life. Give me what I want, Mr. Bauer."

"Damn you, Cheng, you're going to be dead before this is over with," Jack hissed.

He crossed the street and was now standing right outside the Consulate. "So help me God, I am going to kill you."

"You already failed to do that, Mr. Bauer," a smirking Cheng told him. "Come inside before my two lovely guests are penalized for your mistake." Cheng put his phone back in his pocket.

COUNTER TERRORIST UNIT

WASHINGTON, D.C.

"We need to move this along faster, Mr. Baker," Russian President Yuri Suvarov said. "This Cheng Zhi is serious."

"I realize that, Mr. President," Tom Baker, Director of CTU's D.C. headquarters, told Suvarov. "Jack Bauer's arrived at the Consulate and our teams are ready to make their move. I gave you and President Heller my word that your wife and Audrey Raines wouldn't be harmed, and I won't go back on it."

"President Suvarov and I have faith in you, Tom," President James Heller said. "And in the men out there in the field. I wish I was there with them. I want to be the one to snap Cheng Zhi's neck."

"If I know Jack Bauer, he'll be more than happy to do that for you, sir," Tom said, only half-joking.

THE CHINESE CONSULATE

Four of Cheng's men, all armed with automatic weapons and wearing full black facemasks, were outside waiting for Jack. Jack let them search him and confiscate his firearm. As they were leading Jack inside the Consulate, the four men fell to the ground dead simultaneously. Four different men, also dressed in black and wearing facemasks, stepped out of the shadows, armed but with their weapons equipped with silencers.

"Good work," Jack said to the four CTU agents. "Let's move in." One of the agents signaled to the darkness. The remaining men of the joint CTU/Russian task force joined Jack and the other members of the team. Jack recovered his firearm and led the way inside.

"Tom, we're in," Jack said into his earpiece.

"Copy, Jack," Tom Baker replied. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Jack turned to the team. "Do it." The teams spread out, wasting no time engaging their Chinese adversaries. Jack shot and killed a handful in seconds. The gunfire quickly got the attention of Cheng and his men on the bottom floor.

"Go," Cheng ordered in Mandarin. The four men rushed out of the room. Jack Bauer was waiting for them in the hallway. Their final seconds were spent staring into the burning eyes of a blonde-haired American on a mission. Cheng knew immediately that his men were dead, and who their killer was.

"You don't learn, do you, Mr. Bauer?" Cheng called. "Once again, you have violated sovereign soil. How is it possible that you are not considered a terrorist?"

"This ends here and now, Cheng!" Jack exclaimed, slowly walking towards the door the armed Chinamen emerged from. "I have what you want! Now let Audrey and Mrs. Suvarov go! This is between you and me!" Jack stood in the doorway, his gun already aimed at Cheng. He was relieved to see Audrey and Anya Suvarov alive.

"Yes, it is, Mr. Bauer," Cheng said. "Let's keep it that way." He had grabbed his gun the second he heard shots fired upstairs. He aimed his weapon at Audrey.

"Drop it!" Jack ordered.

"Like you said, Mr. Bauer," Cheng told him. "This is between you and me, and right now I am the one in control. Throw your gun down and they live. Otherwise…Miss Raines dies first. Make a choice."

Jack didn't know it, but one of Cheng's men had followed him downstairs and was creeping down the hallway right to Jack's location.

Jack lowered his gun, then re-aimed it at Cheng's knees and fired off three shots. Cheng dropped his weapon as his legs gave right out from under him. Jack got closer and took aim at Cheng's head.

"You were wrong, Cheng," Jack said. "You're the one who's been broken." He fired two more times. Two bullets went right through Cheng's forehead. This time there was no doubt that Jack Bauer had killed his enemy. He hurried over to Anya Suvarov and Audrey and untied them.

"Spay-see-ba, Mr. Bauer," Anya told him. Jack understood Russian for thank you.

"You're welcome, ma'am," Jack replied. He held Audrey's face in his hands and kissed her. "You sure you're all right?"

"I am now," Audrey said. "Let's get out of here."

"Right." Jack activated his radio earpiece. "Tom, it's Jack. I have Audrey and Mrs. Suvarov. Cheng Zhi is dead."

"Nice work, Jack," Baker said. "The team's secured the Consulate. Now get everyone the hell out of there."

"My pleasure," Jack replied. The last of Cheng Zhi's men stood in the doorway. Jack had concealed his gun. He went for it, but a round of automatic gunfire rang out behind the Chinese gunman, who hung in the air for a moment before collapsing to the ground, dead. Jack still drew his weapon.

"He is one of ours," Anya Suvarov said, taking notice of the small Russian flag on the vest of their timely rescuer. Jack put his gun down, as did the Russian agent. The Russian next took off his mask. Anya was confused, as the man certainly didn't look Russian. He appeared to be of Spanish descent.

Her shock didn't come close to the stunned faces of Jack Bauer and Audrey Raines.

"Oh my God," Audrey whispered.

"Hey, Jack," the man greeted. Jack was frozen. After thirteen months of torture, did he really lose his mind? He could swear a ghost was speaking to him.

"Showed up just in time to save your ass again, heh, buddy?" the man asked with a grin. Jack didn't so much as blink.

"We'd better get out of here," the man continued. "I know we've got a lot to talk about." Jack, Audrey and Anya slowly walked towards the open door, still trying to grasp what-and whom-they were seeing.

"For God's sake, Jack, say something," the man said. Jack looked into the ghost's eyes.

"Tony," Jack finally said to his best friend. A best friend he never thought he would see again in this lifetime. "Tony-you're alive."