Author's Note – I know some of y'all were not happy with what happened to Chloe last episode I hope you're still enjoying this story overall and that you liked the showdown between Jack and Mandy. I wanted an extended showdown between Jack and the big bad here. I also hope that y'all enjoy the final thrill ride in this chapter. I do want to say that this story and these scenes have been planned even before Live Another Day, before the drone threat in that season and before they decided to make the CIA station chief evil in that one.

You MIGHT consider there to be a sudden genre shift somewhere in this chapter but that's not entirely accurate. . I've tried to pay homage to all the past seasons in this story and its only slightly more than what they explored at the end of Season 7.

I hope that y'all have enjoyed this ride. After this I will finish "Season Zero: Day of Reckoning" and many months later I might start on a crossover story between 24 and Sons of Anarchy that will take place after the real Live Another Day finale, so consider this to be my series finale for 24 based on this universe. Please do go back and read "Season 6: Europe" and "Season 7: Dark Forces" which continue to be timely stories today. They are based on the Season 5 ending on the real show and are set in a parallel universe as this story. Season Zero: Day of Reckoning can be a common prequel for both of these timelines. Again, please leave reviews but try to not spoil the ending :)

EPISODE 18

CTU HELICOPTER

The scene opens with the CTU helicopter flying through the deep blue sky heading back toward CTU. The doctors and nurses are tending to him again.

"So you really won't know if this works until the top of the hour?"

"That's correct, Jack," Dr. Robinson replies. "Based on the pharmacokinetic properties of the experimental treatment, that's when we'll begin to see a clinical effect. We can only continue to treat your symptoms for the time being."

Jack nods and says quietly, "Thank you, doctor. I know you are all trying your best to help me." Jack takes out his phone and tries to call CTU to get any new updates on the situation.

"CTU, this is Bauer, do you copy" Jack says. "Do you copy" He repeats himself, looking worried and agitated as there is no answer. He looks over at the helicopter pilot who is staring straight ahead as the chopper flies away back toward Charleston. There is silence for some time until there is static and a voice comes on the video.

"Jack!" Chris Tanner's voice is heard, panting hard. "We….we have a situation!"

"Calm down, Chris, what's going on down there? We're inbound now."

"Aaron Bailey is the final terrorist, he's been working deep cover for Mandy this whole time. She must have activated her! He ambushed us and took over the drones. I was lucky to get out alive. Chloe didn't make it. I'm so sorry Jack! Almost everyone else at CTU is dead!"

It takes Jack a few seconds to process what he had just heard. A painful grimace forms on this face. Jack then screams in torment for a long time as the others in the helicopter look at him in concern.

"Jack! I'm sorry about this but we must assume Bailey's already selected his targets. We no longer have control of the CTU drone fleet. We need to get back into CTU so we can retake control of the navigation control system before it's too late."

Tears are welling up in Jack's eyes as he processes Chloe's death. "I'm going to get that son of a bitch," he swears.

"Yes, Jack, yes we will get him. I want payback as much as you do, I swear it." Tanner says.

"Do you have anything else on the situation, any possible targets or an ETA for the drones?" Jack proceeds to ask him.

"The Pentagon is on it right now. They'll be through Bailey's artificial firewall within the next few minutes and we'll know the general trajectory of the drones despite their stealth capabilities."

WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM

There is a tense mood in the Situation Room as Heller, Novick, Rob, and some of the advisors and military leaders are gathered. The map shows the Carolinas with the positions of the drones flying toward Charlotte.

"Aaron Bailey? He's the last cell?" Heller demands.

"Yes, sir," Rob Weiss confirms it. "He killed most of the CTU Southeast Division staff including Chloe O'Brian."

"What?" Heller gasps.

"I'm sorry, sir. It was confirmed on the security cameras before the feed went dead after Bailey took CTU offline. He is also in control of 5 of the CTU drones armed with Hellfire missiles as well as the new prototype warhead from Anderson Aerospace."

"Mr. President, we've triangulated the coordinates of the drones flight path. All of them are headed toward Charlotte." General Baker says, zooming in further on the map, zeroing in on the Charlotte metropolitan area. "Three of the drones are on a direct course for the downtown area. Give or take a half mile, we believe Bailey's target is Bank of America Stadium."

President Heller shakes his head in nervousness and frustration. "I'm only assuming there's a game going on there at this moment."

"Yes, sir," Rob Weiss replies, "The Panthers are playing New Orleans right now. The stadium is filled to its capacity of 74,000. We believe the attack and the resulting stampede that no doubt will occur will kill most of them, especially if the missiles hit in a way that collapses the stands."

General Baker takes over again, zooms out from the stadium and then zooms into another nearby area. "If he still has warheads to spare, we must also assume he will use them against additional civilian targets in the area. Based on our assessment he will not target the financial district on a weekend but the densely populated residential Uptown district is going to be an inviting target.

"Son of a bitch!" Heller thunders, slamming his fist into the table. "How the hell did this happen? Bailey was a mole and there were never anything to suggest this before?" There is silence around the room.

SPLIT SCREENS

Aaron Bailey is smiling a cold, wicked smile as he looks at the large monitors showing the drones flight path, which is still in South Carolina airspace just west of Columbia. CTU agents zip up the body bag containing Mandy. Rebekah and Kate are in a hospital waiting room while Andy is in surgery. We see President Heller and his advisors working furiously in the Situation Room. Then the split screens change and we see the bloody bodies sprawled over the CTU main floor, Chloe's body, and Jack inside the helicopter.

OUTSIDE CTU

The CTU helicopters overfly the Port of Charleston passing above the busy shipping lanes in the harbor then come in over the military facilities of Joint Base Charleston. Jack has a hard, determined look on his face as he disembarks from the chopper and meets up with Tanner who is approaching with several armed CTU agents.

"How many of you made it?" Jack demands with concern.

"Just myself and three others, two of them are seriously wounded. Kevin here was just coming back from the exterior corridor when this shit went down," Tanner tells him. Jack sees that Tanner has been patched up by medics after his light wounds from the flying shards of glass and electrical equipment during the one-sided shootout inside CTU.

"Any other backup?" Jack asks.

"From the military but they're still putting a team together and they don't know the inside of this building like we do."

"Bailey's drones are almost halfway to Charlotte now. There are 70,000 innocent people in that stadium and we don't have any time to spare." Jack looks at Tanner and Kevin and nods at both of them. "I know I can't ask this of you, but it's going to have to be just us right here."

"I'm in, Jack, just tell us what you have in mind," Tanner replies immediately. "Those were my friends in there and I'm going to end that son of a bitch."

"Me too, Jack," Kevin says.

"Thank you," Jack replies and takes out his PDA. "CTU Headquarters gave us the secure codes to override the protective barriers separating the main floor from the rest of the building and I have the detailed schematics for the building. I'll enter through the main floor with Tanner. Kevin, you will go through the ventilation system into the restroom area and surprise Bailey from there.

CTU – DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

Bailey sees Jack on one of the base security cameras and he adjusts the feed to look for more agents on the scene. He glances again at the progress of the drones' flight path. "I see you, Jack," Bailey says to himself evilly. "I got your ass now, boy."

The phone on Chloe's workstation rings and Bailey sees that somehow Jack has managed to reach that comms line. He snatches the phone off the receiver. "Ah, the one and only Jack Bauer! I feel so honored that you've gone through such great lengths to speak to me. Though I'm sure if Chloe O'Brian was alive and working for you she could have gotten to me much sooner." Bailey purposes eggs him on.

SPLIT SCREENS

Split screens show Kevin on the roof cutting through the ventilation system on the top and Jack and Tanner going into the modest lobby area of the office building housing CTU, the CTU logo prominently displayed. The building is deserted. More split screens show the drones flying above some cloud cover and President Heller in the White House looking at the tracking map for the drones as they fly northwest past the Columbia area.

CTU

"Oh, Jack!" Bailey says, continuing his taunt, "Aren't you gonna ask me why? Why am I doing this? Why I hate this country so much? Where I 'went wrong'?"

"I'm not interesting in what happened to you. The whys don't matter to me. I know you're a soulless animal and I swear that in the time I have left on this Earth, I'm going to put you down like the rabid dog you are," Jack tells him in an angry and determined tone of voice. "I'm going to kill you just like I did with Mandy, and every son of a bitch that's every crossed paths with me."

"Anger's good, Jack! I see it makes you tick, just like it makes me tick. You gotta admit, you're not so different from me, all of my friends that you've gone after today or your old buddy Tony Almeida. You're not so different from us! By the way, you're lucky we weren't able to get Tony out of prison. There's so much he'd like to do to you."

"I'm NOTHING like you people!" Jack screams.

"Oh yes, Jack, and I hope you don't miss the show that we've put on for you. All this hero shit in the past, nobody's going to know about it. You succeed a thousand times not even a blurb about it in the news. When I kill 70,000 people in that stadium, Jack, the world will know that you failed! YOU will be blamed for this, Jack!" Bailey says. "As for me, the world will understand my anger and my hatred against this country and all the injustices its perpetuated at home and abroad. Maybe America will call me a monster and a mass murderer, but the world will celebrate my actions."

Jack cuts him off. "Here's how it's going to go down, Bailey. You disarm the drones and return them to CTU, and I'll promise you a quick death, which is more than you deserve for what you did to my best friend. Besides Audrey and my daughter there is nobody in this world closer to me with Chloe O'Brian and you WILL pay for this one way or another."

"You better come get me then, motherfucker!" Bailey laughs and hangs up.

APPROACHING THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE LINE

There is a loud whoosh as the hijacked CTU drones race across the sky. We see a downward view of the drones with the green landscape of farms and forests zipping by then the camera angle changes and we see scattered exurban subdivisions in the distance mixing in with barns, soybean fields, and silos.

OUTSIDE THE MAIN FLOOR / WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM

Jack sees the progress on the hacking device on the door to the main floor.

"After here it's a straight charge to main floor," Tanner informs him. "Bailey's most likely either in his office or he's commandeered Chloe's workstation." He pauses and asks Jack. "What about the heartbeat sensors? You have them in your pack?"

Jack shakes his head. "They won't work through here. The walls and facility are designed so scramble these signals as a precautionary measure." He then adds bitterly, "All this time they still think the only enemy's on the outside."

"Yeah, not just Melanie, but Bailey himself a traitor? This is insanity, Jack. Anyway, what's your plan once we get this thing open?"

"Plain and simple. Don't have too many options where we're sitting. We'll make a run for it, charge in with guns blazing. I'll go straight for the director's office while you can sweep the main floor as we join up with Kevin."

Jack radios the other surviving CTU agent. "Kevin, check."

"I'm in the ventilation system, Jack. No signs of any movement here."

"Head straight to the main floor on my call," Jack tells him. In a split screen we see that Kevin has reached the ventilation opening into the men's restroom.

There is a soft beep and green lights appear on the device. "This is Bauer, we're in," he radios the White House.

"Okay, we're standing by for any updates," General Baker says from his seat in the Situation Room as President Heller, Rob Weiss, and Mike Novick look on with concern. "I have a team of experts from the Air Force right here to assist you remotely. Once we establish a connection we'll be able to see what you're seeing."

"How much time do we have?" Jack asks.

General Baker gives him the lowdown after taking another glance on the large map on the giant plasma screen. "Less than five minutes. The drones are already over the outer suburbs. They have antiaircraft capabilities that are more advanced than any aerial resources we have in the area."

"Jack, this is on you, son. I'm counting on you," Heller says.

"I understand, Mr. President," Jack tells him, "I won't let you down."

CTU MAIN FLOOR

Jack and Tanner run down a modern corridor, heading straight to the entrance to the CTU main floor located in the central part of the building. The two men take up positions on opposite sides of the door.

Tanner takes out his employee keycard and nods at Jack who radios Kevin.

"Kevin, you in position?"

"Yes, sir," Kevin whispers from the inside of a bathroom stall. "I'm in the bathroom and ready to engage."

"On my count," Jack tells him, "One….two…..three!"

Tanner swipes his card on the keypad and the sliding doors unlock. Both he and Jack quickly charge in. As planned earlier Tanner scans the area while Jack sees Bailey's figure inside the director's office and charges into the room opening fire.

Jack screams wildly in a rage as he continues to fire with his automatic weapon, shattering the glass in the director's office. He ducks on the stairs before he reaches the top of them in case Bailey decides to return fire. There is no return fire and Jack loads another magazine into his M4 Carbine and goes up firing again. He hears a body thump to the floor and he charges through the broken glass on the door to the Director's office.

"We're clear down here, Jack!" Tanner screams. "Where's Kevin?"

Jack enters the office and goes to the body of a black man on the ground by Bailey's desk. He then gasps as he sees that it is actually an already deceased CTU staffer who had been killed during Bailey's rampage. "Shit," Jack curses. "Tanner, Kevin, it's a decoy in the office. The drones are on autopilot on a pre-programmed course for the Panthers' stadium. Bailey's on the loose in the building!"

The screen splits to Tanner as he ducks down and scans the areas below the many computer workstations in the main floor, seeing no sign of Bailey. Then the screen splits again and we see a trail of blood. We see that Bailey is in the corridor by the bathroom and had stabbed Kevin in the back. Bailey smiles as he removes the dagger and stabs Kevin again, this time through the heart. He releases Kevin's body, which falls limp to the ground, smearing a large amount of blood on the wall.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

The drones are now flying above a densely populated suburban landscape with residential neighborhoods, office complexes, and strip malls spreading out below. For a while the drones follow the path of northbound Interstate 77. We see the skyscrapers of Charlotte's central business district in the distance towering above the rest of the city and then in a split screen we see Bank of America Stadium packed with fans. The screen splits again to show the NFL cheerleaders dancing in front of a boisterous crowd and a Carolina Panthers player being tackled by some Saints as he runs toward the end zone.

CTU MAIN FLOOR / SPLIT SCREENS

Jack looks down at Tanner in shock as Tanner gives Jack the clear sign for the northwest quadrant of the main floor. Jack whispers for him to remain silent. Suddenly more glass shatters from the director's office as Bailey charges in the corridor, opening fire up at his former office. Jack takes aim with his M4 and fires two long furious blasts while Tanner joins in the gunfire.

Bailey sees Tanner and opens fire on him, striking several computers and printers right next to him sending sparks and papers flying through the air, forcing Tanner to take cover again. "You did manage to stay alive, Tanner?" Bailey taunts. "I'm gonna get you too! As you might know by now, I never liked you much either, brother."

Bailey hides behind a wall to escape Jack's gunfire while the screen splits in half and we see the targeting system for the drones engaging with an ETA of two minutes. The drones slow down as they approach their target and we see the crowded urban landscape below as the drone fly by several high-rise apartment buildings as well as the NASCAR Hall of Fame then a major highway junction.

Jack is hit in the arm and falls down screaming, dropping his gun. "Dammit!" he curses in pain and frustration. Bailey rushes down the stairs from the director's office, firing mercilessly in Jack's direction. Tanner comes out shooting as well, coming toward Jack. Tanner flips over a desk as the bullets trail him, Bailey's rounds tearing apart the entire area as office equipment is demolished in the hail of automatic gunfire. Jack tries to get up but slips on some blood from the earlier massacre and falls back down.

"You think you're good, Jack Bauer, well you ain't good enough!" Bailey hollers at Jack as he continues to fire. He is about to fire a round right into Jack when Tanner pops up again, firing wildly even before he could take aim just to distract Bailey from killing Jack, with a single second to spare.

"Bastard!" Bailey yells in a rage as he turn his AR33 over toward Tanner who fires another automatic burst which misses Bailey, hitting the ceiling above his head. Bailey fires two rounds into Tanner's chest and Tanner flies back onto a table and then down the other side where he falls against an office chair and then goes to the ground gasping as blood seeps through his clothes.

Jack desperately takes a throwing knife and flings it at top speed just as Bailey turns back toward him. The knife lodges deep into the front of Bailey's throat as he gasps in shock, firing more automatic rounds before dropping the AR33 and falling to his knees. He looks at Jack with rage and rips the knife out, only expanding the wound as blood pours out of it. He begins choking on his own blood.

"You got off far too easy," Jack says in exhaustion and disgust, then crawls over to the dying Chris Tanner just as his symptoms start to kick in again Jack sees his leg starting to twitch but forces himself to maintain control of his body for as long as possible.

"Stop…..the….drones…" Tanner gasps.

CTU / WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM/ DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE

"Bailey has been neutralized," Jack says into his phone, applying pressure to his arm wound to reduce the bleeding. In a split screen we see Tanner struggling to breathe, Bailey's eyes closing as he dies on the ground from the knife wound, and the drones now in downtown Charlotte flying in between the skyscrapers. The drones pass over the top of the Duke Energy Center revealing a bird's eye view into the heart of Bank of America Stadium with its stands teeming with spectators.

"Jack, you need to cancel the launch sequence first, then plot a new heading for the drones," General Baker says.

"Jack you holding up okay?" Heller says.

"Yes, sir. I can do this, Mr. President," Jack says weakly.

"I'm sending the cancellation command to your phone now, Bauer," Baker says, "In the main screen under abort, type in alpha, bravo, romeo, 8-7-5."

"Doing it now!" Jack says while we see a shot of the drones activating their weapons systems with the targets scattered all over the stadium. Jack breathes a sigh of relief as the screen shows the drones switching from "armed" to "disarmed" and the red images turn back to green in the map showing the drones' path. The text "attack aborted" also appears on the computer in front of Jack.

"The Pentagon should be able to take it from here," Baker says, "But place the drones back on autopilot into a holding pattern to the east of the city." Jack complies and we see the positions for the drones change on the large map as they turn away from downtown Charlotte. In a split screen we see a view from the 50 yard line in the stadium as the drones disappear from view, none of the spectators or players having noticed them at all.

CTU MAIN FLOOR

Jack goes over to Tanner who is bleeding out. "Chris, why?" he asks with a deep sadness in his voice. "You could have gotten him too, you could also have stopped the drones. Why did you do this for me, of all people?"

"I…..I needed to buy you some time, Jack," Tanner replies weakly.

"Time?" Jack asks Tanner, holding his hand. "You know my prognosis. You know I probably won't make it past the end of the hour. I've…I've accepted it."

"Time for you…..for you to…..to get right with God, Jack," Tanner tells him, "Jack I know where I'm going. I…I'll be going home, to heaven, to be with my Savior. Jack, you're a good man. No matter what you might think, what you might blame yourself for, you don't deserve to go to hell. But it's not up to me. It's up to God. Jack, please get right with Him in the time you have left." Tanner's breathing stops and his body goes limp.

"Chris, stay with me! Dammit!" Jack says weakly. Jack looks down at Tanner's lifeless face, looking surprisingly peaceful in death.

WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM

"The drones should be safe and our experts are going to land it remotely from the Pentagon before they run out of fuel, but they are over Uwharrie National Forest as a precaution. The threat has been fully neutralized. All of Mandy's other cells have been taken down."

"That was too close," VP Mike Novick says, "Too close."

General Baker turns to President Heller who stares straight ahead, looking totally beat after the affairs of the past 24 hours. "Mr. President, sir, it's over." Heller slowly nods and gets up from his chair. "Thank you gentlemen. Let me know when the drones land safely back at Charleston. I also want CTU shut down indefinitely pending a direct investigation from the White House and the new Congress that no doubt will be elected soon."

Rob looks like he is about to make some additional recommendations but decides not to. "Yes, sir. I'll begin drafting your statement immediately."

"Thank you, Rob, that will be all for now. Please excuse me."

Heller slowly walks down the beautifully decorated White House corridor into the sun-splashed Oval Office and he stares and looks out at the fountain on the South Lawn. Heller finally sits down in his chair and calls Audrey.

"How are you holding up, Audie?" Heller asks while a split screen shows Audrey running toward the CTU building at Joint Base Charleston. "What's Jack's condition?"

"We won't know if the medication's going to kick in. The doctors are still saying a 10 to 15% survival rate. Dad, I'm so scared, I love Jack so much. I can't lose him."

"This is my fault, Audrey," Heller says, "The way I treated Jack when he first came back from China, the things I said to him, I regret that so much, sweetheart. If I had just let him be with you, none of this would be happening. I'm so sorry, Audrey."

"Dad, what's done is done. I just need you to pray for Jack, dad, and for all of us."

"I certainly will, Audrey. I love you."

The phone on Heller's desk rings again and he sees that it is Joseph O'Malley, the chairman of the Democrat National Committee.

"What the hell do you want, Joseph?"

"Oh, to be clear about things, Mr. President," O'Malley says, his usual arrogance toned down. "I want to say that along with the rest of the nation, I and others here at the DNC share your relief in the neutralization of this threat. I was as shocked as you were about Natalie Manchetti's involvement in all this."

"I assure you there will be thorough investigation," Heller says simply.

"Despite what I just said, I also remind you, Mr. President, that while unlike Congresswoman Manchetti I always stay within the legal, appropriate means, we are still enemies, you and I, and we will always be enemies. And while you think this day might be a political victory because of Manchetti, I want you to know that we will never stop coming after you. The rest of your time in office, and the next election, we will come after you with everything we've got. I wanted to give you fair warning of that." His usual tone is back.

"We both do what we think is best for this country," Heller says, "But I swear to God, when you and your people come after us, we'll be ready for war."

ROPER- ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL, CHARLESTON

"Yeah Jack, they're moving Andy to his room right now. It was a close call, but he'll make it just fine," Kate Morgan says from her seat in the hospital waiting area outside the unit where Andy Kim is being taken to. "What about you?" Rebekah is seated next to her, holding her hand to comfort her.

"I don't know, Kate. I'm…..I'm not doing too good right now," Jack finally admits.

"Jack, don't give up on us!" Kate exclaims. "You need to hold on there, the doctors still gave you a survival chance!"

"I think I've used up all my luck by now. I'm pretty sure of that, Kate," Jack says. There is a long pause as Kate looks sad. "Kate, I called because I promised Audrey that I'm going to leave this life behind, even if its now. Even…..even taking the contract with Clay, even that didn't allow me to get away from all this. I need to be sure of it."

"This work is everything we know," Kate says with some level of regret like she is also questioning her own choices in life as she massages her own pregnant belly.

"But you're good at it, Kate, and maybe if you can find a balance in a way that I wish I could have, you should be alright. I'm transferring control of Vanguard Security over to you. You'll have all the assets and you'll inherit all the contracts. Obviously Clay is still interested in renewing the contract, probably indefinitely."

"I don't know what to say, Jack," Kate tells him honestly.

"We've all made our mistakes, but Clay, Rebekah, Andy, they're good people and they'll take good care of you if you go back to West Virginia with them. You should be able to raise your family in peace. You'll find your own way, Kate. I'll just have to see what happens to me."

HOSPITAL ROOM

"Ma'am, we have him stabilized," a doctor tells Rebekah as they walk down a sunny corridor of the modern hospital building, a contrast to the historic nature of most of Charleston. "He's going to make it. In fact he'll probably be discharged tomorrow. He was very fortunate that no major arteries were hit. It really looks worse than it is."

"Thank you, Lord," Rebekah says softly. She looks relieved at this news but it is still obvious from her facial expression that she is still worried about Jack's fate. However some of the burden has been taken off of her. "So I can see him now?" she asks.

"Yes, Ms. Guthrie," the doctor replies as they arrive at his room. He goes in first to check he's awake and leaves Rebekah alone to go in there. She goes inside to Andy's bed gets onto it, embracing him.

"I was so afraid I was going to lose you," she says, tears falling down her face.

"I know I'm lucky," he replies, kissing her. "Please tell me it's over."

Rebekah nods. "It is. Mandy's dead and we took down all of her teams. My dad's speech was broadcasted live on national television and this will destroy the Democrats in the next election. The policies that Mandy tried to force onto the country will never even be discussed again for a good long time, and the President has vowed to cut all federal funding to Controlled Motherhood and issue an immediate FDA injunction against Nylund Pharmaceuticals. But…."

"Tell me, Reb, it's okay."

"We lost Chloe O'Brian and many other good people at CTU. One of Mandy's cells was Aaron Bailey. He killed Chloe as well as most of the CTU staff so he can take hijack the drones for an attack on Charlotte but Jack killed him. We also lost Chris Tanner when he went back in with Jack. "

Andy looks emotionally pained at this news. "And Jack?"

"We're still waiting for the treatment to kick in. We won't know until the end of the hour if it's going to work. What matters most is that he's with Audrey and my father now. We're all going to do everything we possibly can for him," Rebekah says.

She glances outside at the mid-day view of Charleston. The sun is high up in a bright, beautiful sky with puffy white clouds. The entire city and world seems to be completely at peace and we see Rebekah's face and her gentle features basked in the sunshine along with some flowers by the windowsill. "Was it worth it, Andy? All of this?"

"We both know it is, Reb," Andy replies. "Even if it wasn't the original intent, we discovered Mandy's plot. Many lives have been saved. And many lives WILL be saved in the future as Controlled Motherhood loses government funding."

"I just hope God can forgive us for everything we've done, even if it was for the right reasons," Rebekah says.

"He will, Reb. We're going to get through this, deal with the aftermath. I don't it won't be easy for either of us, but as your grandma would say, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we just might end up okay."

THE SONG "BLESSINGS" BY LAURA STORY STARTS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE END OF THE EPISODE.

Andy massages Rebekah's shoulders and revealed the skin on it and we see that she has the Confederate flag tattooed on it with "Rebgirl 1861" and "WV" in girly cursive letters. "I still can't believe how we first met. I mean, how we really hit it off."

Rebekah grins slightly through the emotional pain of the day. "Like how you fell in love with my tattoo first? One of the few out of state folks on campus who actually understands what it means in West Virginia and why it's so important to us. I'm glad I just couldn't get rid of it even during that phase when I hated Dad. Thanks for everything, baby."

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON

"Jack, I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere," Audrey says as she and Jack are embracing. They are on the main part of the base near an office building while in a split screen we see the damage inside CTU, the ambulances and helicopters responding to the bloodbath and body bags being taken into the ruined CTU facility with the large wall screen and workstations all in ruins.

"I let you down Audrey," Jack struggles to say through the pain. "I failed you. I failed Chloe and everyone else here."

"No you didn't, Jack," Audrey says. "None of this is your fault. None of it."

"Audrey, I know I keep on getting dragged back into this constantly. All those times, even when I was in Eastern Europe with Belchek, part of me thought I was going to be able to escape this."

"Jack, I….I don't know what's happen. I pray to God that you're the survivor you've always been. But I really think you need to listen to Pastor Guthrie here and what he has to say. This is important to me, Jack. Please consider it. For my sake. Jack, I beg you."

Jack nods weakly as Clay Guthrie comes over to him. "Tell me this isn't the end for me. I know so many times I've been ready to leave, but I'm not. I'm not ready to go."

"I've been praying for you all morning, Jack, but the truth is, there's a good chance you don't have much time left. Chris Tanner gave his life so we can have this conversation. I know there is a reason for this. Son, you need to be at peace with whatever is going to happen."

Clay pauses as if he is trying to come up with the right words to say. "Jack, if you had ever listened to me preach at church, or on our online feed, you'll know I always say this. There is a question everybody ought to ask themselves every day. If I died today, will I go to heaven or will I go to hell? Because there's no other alternative. One way or another, there is eternity for all of us. The Bible is very clear about this. Jack. You must be sure about your salvation. You can't afford to be otherwise."

"There's no way God's letting me into heaven," Jack replies in both emotional and physical pain. "All the things I've done in my life. I can't even forgive myself for everything I've done. Everything I've Audrey and my family through." There is also some fear in Jack.

"You can't be serious, Jack," Audrey exclaims. "I see all the good that you've done. All the lives you've saved today, and all those days before this."

"First of all Jack, if you ask me, if you ask any of us, you're a hero that this country will never be able to sufficiently repay," Clay says.

"But God will never think so," Jack tells him.

"That's where you're wrong, Jack," Clay insists. "First of all, it's not about however many good deeds or bad deeds you've done in this life. That won't get you to heaven. You deserve to go to heaven based on God's standards, not on our human standards. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But Jesus died on the cross for us so our sins can be forgiven. In John 14:6, Jesus says 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.' "

"I…I used to believe in something," Jack says in a resigned tone. "I don't know why God would want me. If there's a heaven, I certainly don't deserve to be there."

"Jack, remember when Jesus was on the cross at Calvary, there was a thief next to Him. "In Luke 23: 41-43, it says 'And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I saw unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Unlike you, this was a man who had done nothing good in his life, yet Jesus Christ delivered him from his sins. Jack, of course I don't know all the things that you've done, but whatever it is, God will forgive you if only can bring yourself to allow Him."

"You will never believe my sins, Clay….I…I do need God's forgiveness."

"Are you sure about this, Jack?" Clay asks.

"Yes, Pastor," Jack replies, addressing him by his title.

"Jack, would you like to accept Jesus Christ into your life and place your trust in Him?"

"Yes," Jack replies, looking at him and then at Audrey who is nodding at him. "Yes, I do."

Clay acknowledges with a slight nod of his own. Audrey and some of the medical staff help Jack up and they go toward the fountain.

SPLIT SCREENS

Jack is being carried toward the fountain. There is a close up of Audrey's face. We see a final shot of Heller in the Oval Office, and another final shot of Andy and Rebekah in the hospital room.

OUTDOORS FOUNTAIN, MILITARY BASE

"Jack, please play with me," Clay says, putting his hand on Jack's shoulder as he sits at the edge of the large fountain with a modern sculpture in the middle.

Clay prays and Jack repeats after him. "Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again for my salvation. The best I know how, I am now receiving Him into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior. I pray all this in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, Amen."

Audrey helps Clay into the fountain then Clay immerses Jack completely in the water to baptize him.

Jack smiles weakly with a peaceful expression on his face as he embraces Audrey and kisses her. In split screens we see Kate Morgan electronically signing the documents transferring control of Jack's company over to her, Andy and Rebekah in the hospital room, and President Heller alone in the Oval Office, sinking back into his chair and taking in the events of another long day.

Jack and Audrey share a long kiss as Audrey tries desperately to hold back her tears. Jack closes his eyes and his body goes limp.

THE CLOCK IS SILENT FOR THREE SECONDS, THEN WE HEAR A SINGLE BEEP…10:57…10:58…10:59…..11 AM