PGH: Handling Iran

The following takes place between 12:00 AM and 1:00 AM. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Jack's cell phone rang. The agent looked at the number, but didn't recognize it. Most numbers included an three-digit area code, then "555," then four more digits. But this one was 202-456-1414. Strange. Perhaps from overseas, Jack thought. He spoke into the phone. "Bauer." The voice on the other end said "Hold for the President, please." Jack waited, then a Texas drawl sounded. "Agent Bauer? This is the President." "President Logan?" Jack asked. A laugh sounded. "That's a good one. I knew I'd like you. No, this is George W. Bush. I need your help, Agent Bauer." Jack was confused. George W. Bush? What was going on here? Vice-president Logan was acting as president while President Keeler was in serious condition following the crash of Air Force One. Who was this George W. Bush? Perhaps the former president, the one before Bill Clinton, who was before David Palmer? But that was George Herbert Walker Bush. But didn't he have a son? In Florida? Or was it Texas? "Are you there, Agent Bauer?" asked the President. "Um, yes sir, I'm here," Jack said. He'd go along for now until he figured out what was going on. "Look, here's the deal. Iran has been making some serious noises about their nuclear program, and we need to do something to stop them. We need to nip this in the bud, so to speak," said the President. "Yes, sir. What can I do?" asked Jack. "Well, you're the CTU agent. I've seen your work. You do good, son. You always seem to be able to figure something out. So figure something out. You've got 24 hours," answered George W. Bush. "24 hours. Yes sir. I can live with that time-frame," said Jack. "Well, then. Good. Keep me posted." And the president rang off. Jack pressed some buttons. "Chloe? Jack. Let me know what you have on a George W. Bush. Yes, Bush. Thanks." Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

12:12 AM "Thanks, Mr. Novick," said Jack into his phone. "I understand. Whatever you say. I'll get right to it." Jack closed his phone. Things were changing so fast. So, this George W. Bush really is the President of the United States. Had he been so tied up in his cases that he lost track of all reality? Life is hell, thought Jack. He opened his phone again and dialed a number. "Edgar? Jack. Is Chloe there? I see. No. Edgar, listen to me. I need a helicopter right now. I'm heading to Iraq. No, they'll be expecting a plane. Get me a CTU helicopter. Fully fueled. We've got a long flight." Jack closed his phone. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 12:27 AM The pilot looked ahead, flying low over the Pacific Ocean, on his way westward towards the Middle East. It would be a long flight, Jack thought, studying the face of the nameless pilot. It's a shame this man won't be going home. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 12:44 AM The helicopter flight seemed to drag on and on, Jack thought. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 12:59 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 1:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 2:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 3:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 4:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 5:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 6:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 7:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 8:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 9:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 10:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 11:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 12:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 1:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 2:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 3:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 4:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 5:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 6:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 7:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 8:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 9:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 10:00 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 10:59 PM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The following takes place between 11:00 PM and 12:00 AM Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The helicopter flight seemed to take forever, Jack thought. But there was the unmistakable skyline of Tehran. The pilot continued the path, flying low over the desert, suddenly turning and then slowing the helicopter towards a landing just south of the city. Jack departed the helicopter, then heard a shout. He looked to the west and saw a bus approaching. He told the pilot to take off, then ran to the north, parallel to the roadway. Behind him, he heard the explosion as a shoulder-fired missile struck the helicopter. Jack glanced back, saw there was no help for the pilot, and continued his run toward the main city of Tehran. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a white Toyota truck traveling north. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 11:13 PM Jack leaped off the back of the Toyota and made his way to the building. He saw the armed guards at the door. This wouldn't be easy, but he'd had harder nuts to crack. He crept around behind the guard on the right and quickly dispatched him with his knife. The other guard was looking the other way, and Jack quickly entered the building. Voices down the hallway meant the cabinet was in session. Jack suddenly felt a chill. He turned around to see a bearded man pointing an AK-47 at him. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 11:31 PM Jack locked the body of the bearded man in a closet, and took the AK-47 with him. He made his way to large wooden doors. He listened carefully, his ear to the door. His Persian was a little rusty, but he remembered enough to realize they were talking about nuclear weapons. Jack checked his weapon and his magazines. Everything was ready. This was it. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 11:47 PM Jack Bauer took a deep breath and burst through the door. Armed guards, caught off-guard, looked at Jack, but had no time to otherwise react before the CTU agent dispatched them all. The men at the table rose, yelling. Some pulled weapons. Jack hit the floor, rolling to his left as he replaced the empty magazine with a 30-round clip. He jumped to his feet, yelling and holding the trigger as death shot out the end of the barrel. When the smoke cleared, Jack stood over the bodies and looked over his handiwork. He recognized the bodies of Ali Mohammad Khatami-Ardakani and the Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei. Jack opened his cell phone and dialed some numbers. "Can I speak to the President? This is Jack Bauer." He waited. "Mr. President? Yes, sir. It's done, sir. No one to give the order. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Jack hung up. He dialed another set of numbers. "Chloe? Jack. Send a chopper for me. What? Tehran. I'm on a mission. President Bush. Bush. George W. Bush. What do you mean?" Chloe explained, "Jack, I don't know what you're talking about. But President Logan wants to talk to you, ASAP. Yes, I'll connect you." Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 11:59 PM George W. Bush got up and walked over to the television. "You know, Dick, that was a great idea. And now Iran's no longer a problem. If only all the problems of the world were so easy to solve." The phone rang. The voice on the other end said, "Mr. President? Senators Boxer, Kennedy, Kerry, Reid, Byrd, and Clinton called and want to meet with you as soon as possible. What should I tell them, sir?" President Bush paused for a moment. "Tell them tomorrow evening at 11:15 would be just fine," the President said, and hung up. He punched a button. "Yes, do me a favor. Get Jack Bauer back on the line. I have another mission for him." Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 12:00 AM