Marc Cerasini - 24 Declassified: Vanishing Point

To Chuck Hoffman and Bob Langer , who were instrumental in the creation of this novel. And to my brother, Vance, who helped me out of a couple of technical dilemmas Id written myself into. But most of all to my wife, Alice Alfonsi, who helped immeasurably with the preparation of this complex and diffi cult manuscript.

After the 1993 World Trade Center attack, a division of the Central Intelligence Agency established a domestic unit tasked with protecting America from the threat of terrorism. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Counter Terrorist Unit established fi eld offices in several American cities. From its inception, CTU faced hostility and skepticism from other Federal law enforcement agencies. Despite bureaucratic resistance, within a few years CTU had become a major force in the war against terror. After the events of 9/11, a number of early CTU missions were declassifi ed. The following is one of them...

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN

THE HOURS OF 8 A.M. AND 9 A.M.

PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN

THE HOURS OF 9 A.M. AND 10 A.M.

PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN

THE HOURS OF 10 A.M. AND 11 A.M.

PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME

THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN

THE HOURS OF 11 A.M. AND 12 A.M.

PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME

CTU Headquarters, Los Angeles Four months ago

The door opened without a knock. Jack Bauer looked up from the daily threat assessment file to fi nd his former boss standing over his desk.

Busy, Jack?

Christopher Henderson hadnt been on this coast in over a year, not since hed become CTUs Director of Covert Operations. The promotion required a tem porary move east, to CIA headquarters in Virginia.

Jack rose and shook the mans hand. Christopher. How are things at Langley?

His old mentor had arrived sans jacket. The sleeves of his starched white shirt were rolled up to expose sinewy biceps. A platinum Rolex glittered on his knobby wrist.

Outwardly the man hadnt changed much since being cast into Washingtons bureaucratic vortex. Still tall and lanky with dead gray eyes, hed obviously staved off an administrators bulge by making use of the Companys gym. Then again, his early years in the Agency had earned him the nickname Preying Mantisalthough that had as much to do with his rangy physique as his ability to convert vulnerable hard targets into Agency assets.

I read about the biological threat you neutralized in New York, Henderson said. Exposing a renegade FBI agent didnt endear you with the boys in the Bureau.

Jack tensed, still chafing over the lack of follow up on his recommendations. Frank Hensley was more than a renegade. He was a mole with ties to

Im not here to talk about Operation Hell Gate or Hensleys Middle Eastern puppet masteralthough the official assessment is that your conclusions are shaky at best, your theories unsubstantiated.

Unsubstantiated? But the evidence we gathered

Henderson raised a hand. I came here on another matter. I have a critical situation down in Colombia, and I need a favor...

Jacks momentary defensiveness dissolved into curiosity. He studied Hendersons expression, even though there wasnt much to read beyond a relaxed confi dence, which was typical Henderson.

Go on, Jack said, settling back behind his desk.

Henderson pulled up a chair. Three days ago, one of my agents, Gordon Harrow y Guiterrez, went missing. For the past six months, hes been posing as a gadget guy for the Rojas brothers.

The Rojas familya father and three sonsran cocaine out of South America. They were a successful and ruthless gang, but not yet the top of the food chain among Colombias many drug cartels.

I dont understand, Jack said. Guiterrez didnt call in a code red? Request emergency extraction?

Henderson shook his head. He just vanished. Went black without warning, ditching the false identity Central Cover created for him. We only learned hed gone missing through intercepts. From what we gleaned eavesdropping on cartel chatter, Guiterrez had stolen something the Rojas family feared he would sell on the black market.

Jacks eyes narrowed. And is that what really happened?

I wasnt sure at first. Within twenty-four hours, all chatter ceased inside the cartel. Even the loquacious Seora Rojas stopped calling her mother in Bogot, so we knew something was up. After forty-eight hours, Guiterrez still hadnt made an appearance at the CTU safe house in Cartegena. So we assumed the worst.

Was Guiterrez executed?

Hes alive and for a very good reason. He knew something we didnt. The Cartegena safe house had been compromised. Yesterday it was attacked.

Jack frowned. I saw the alert on that. Six dead, one wounded.... but Intel said the attack was a reprisal for a raid on a cartel factory last month.

A cover story. The raid was staged by the Rojas family. They knew about our safe house, how many agents and staffers worked out of the facility, the daily schedule... the works.

I see. Jack exhaled, knowing the implications for a hit like that. I assume the attack compromised more of the Agencys operations in Colombia?

Henderson nodded. Youll see the reports soon

enough.

Reports of... ?

The hits, Jack. Hendersons easygoing mask

momentarily slipped. CIA and DEA operations in Cartegena, in Medellin, in Cali and in Barranquilla... Theyve all been quietly taken out in the past several hours, he said.

Jack took a few seconds to process this. He leaned forward, resting his forearms over the threat assessment file. Christopher, that cant be the work of the Rojas gang. Theyre too small time to hold sway in Cali, Bogot, or Barranquilla. They couldnt act on rival turf without cooperation. A deal of some kind must have been made...

Henderson nodded but hesitated before saying more.

What do you know? Jack pressed. I need all the facts before I can help. Are the Rojas consolidating power? Going national? International? Is this a political situation?

Henderson moved to the edge of his chair. The target of these raids was my agent. The Rojas family and its rivals are desperate to find him. Theyre trying to recover what Gordon stole from them.

But you dont know what he has, Jack assumed.

Thats not... precisely... true. Henderson stared at Jack, unblinking. The mask was back. Guiterrez contacted me again last night, through a... back channel connection.