Part 30 (2/2)
Robert Ellis slipped out of the press room, moved toward the exit. Security guards and paramedics rushed past him, heading in the opposite direction.
Too late, boys, Ellis mused. Ellis mused.
The poison was a clone of something the Soviets had concocted back in the Cold War era. There was no cure for the toxin, which killed its victims after about five minutes of excruciating pain.
As Robert Ellis left the auditorium, an out-of-breath businessman called to him. ”Am I too late to hear Soren Ungar's address?”
”Mr. Ungar's speech has just been canceled,” Robert Ellis said, and kept walking.
6:59:06 A.M. EDT.
The Bartleby Jack Bauer stood with his team at the edge of the roof, watching the steaming volcano on the street far below.
A voice spoke in his headset. ”This is Bio-Monitor One. We're detecting water vapor, iron oxides, asbestos, rubber, granite, and particulate matter. No chemical or biological agents, however. The area around the blast is clean. Repeat, the area is clean.”
Jack exhaled, yanked away the headset, and dropped it on the tarred roof. Christopher Henderson slapped his back.
”Good job, Jack.”
Jack nodded, still numb.
Tony called out to Jack. ”Morris is on the line.”
Jack waved him off. ”Take a message.”
Tony listened for a moment, one hand on his ear. ”It's the latest casualty report, Jack. Eleven hundred and fifty-eight, so far. Those figures are expected to rise.”
Jack groaned, turned away.
Layla moved, too, far away from the others. In the center of the roof, she oriented herself, then faced Mecca. She threw up her hands, then folded them across her breast as she began to mutter a prayer.
Henderson tugged off his sungla.s.ses, stared. ”What's she saying?” he whispered.
”The Salat al-Janazah” Salat al-Janazah” Jack replied. ”The Muslim prayer for the dead.” Jack replied. ”The Muslim prayer for the dead.”
Henderson blinked. ”I didn't know Agent Abernathy was one of the Faithful, did you?”
Jack smiled. ”Yeah. I did.” He faced his boss. ”You'd be wise to appoint Judith Foy the new Director of CTU New York. And I'd recommend Layla for the number two spot. She's young, but...”
Henderson silenced Jack with a raised hand. ”There isn't going to be a CTU New York, Jack. Not after this mess.”
”You can't be serious?”
”The orders have been issued from on high,” Henderson informed him. ”Walsh and the President are in agreement on this.”
”But what happened here proves proves the need for a CTU presence.” the need for a CTU presence.”
”Security was compromised from the start,” Henderson replied. ”The division was infiltrated before it even opened. The political meltdown over this hasn't even begun yet.”
Henderson shook his head. ”CTU will continue to guard the rest of the country. But from now on, New York City is on its own.”
The man curled his long arm around Jack's shoulder. ”Don't worry, Jack, you have enough on your plate with Los Angeles.”
Jack stepped away, processing everything Henderson had said. With the mention of L.A., he suddenly remembered his wife and daughter, realizing in a rush how much he missed them. He pulled out his personal cell phone, noticed a text message from Teri. A reminder.
Coldplay poster. MTV store.Don't disappoint your daughter.
He smiled.
”How about breakfast?” Henderson called to him. ”On me. I'll bet you haven't eaten in a day.”
Jack glanced at his watch. ”Fine, Christopher, but after that I'm heading uptown.”
Henderson looked at him askance. ”Sightseeing?”
Bauer shook his head. ”Just keeping a promise.”
<script>