Operation Hell Gate - Marc Cerasini [23]
"I'll admit it sounds far-fetched," Ryan conceded. "But Special Agent Frank Hensley survived the airline crash; he's talking to his bosses and that's his story."
"Are there any other survivors?" Tony asked.
"Besides Jack and Dante Arete? Just the pilot, and he's not talking."
"The FBI keeping him under wraps?"
Ryan flashed his displeasure. "He's in a coma, Tony."
Almeida bristled at Chappelle's tone. "Hold on a minute, Ryan. You sound like you believe the FBI's version of what happened."
"I don't believe and I don't disbelieve anything. I'm waiting to be convinced..."
"But you heard what Jack said. He's innocent and you know it," Nina argued.
"I don't know anything," Chappelle replied. "Until another witness steps forward, what happened is open to interpretation. What happens next is up to you. You're going to have to convince me that what Jack Bauer said is true..."
"Convince you?"
"Yes, Tony. Convince me. Because I'll be the one who has to turn around and convince the Secretary of Defense that Jack Bauer hasn't gone off the deep end."
* * *
11:34:27P.M. EDT
Tatiana's Tavern
Georgi Timko cowered under a table; another toppled on its side served as scant protection against the 9mm bullets whizzing around the room. Still clutching the warm cup in his fist, he gulped reflexively, scalding his tongue.
From somewhere inside the shadowy tavern, lit neon blue from the sign outside the shattered window, old Yuri was still plugging away at the remaining assassins. The ancient AK-47 rattled, muzzle flash bright. Georgi could hear spent cartridges bouncing on the floor following each carefully timed burst.
Georgi smiled, remembering the surprise on one assassin's face when the old man who begged for pennies at the door suddenly pulled the assault rifle from its place behind a loose wall panel. Before anyone could react, Yuri stitched a bloody line of holes up the gangster's chest with an opening burst — hey, not so "toothless" after all. The dead man still lay where he fell, head askew, eyes staring blankly. The Uzi he had brought with him lay just out of Georgi's reach.
Another Uzi fired, the burst shattering what remained of the mirror, which came crashing down behind the bar. Georgi hugged the dirty floor, cursing his laxity in not wearing a firearm, or fetching one when the four assassins first stepped into his establishment. Instead he trusted his employees to handle things. Now Nicolo was dead and Yuri was cornered, though the old man was still fighting valiantly. Poor Alexi had not fired a shot in a long time, and Georgi feared the worst.
He shifted his position in an effort to reach the Uzi on the floor. His movement elicited a burst of fire that chewed up the floorboards and shattered a chair near his head. Yuri answered the shots with a burst of his own, drawing the assassins' fire away from his boss with the last of his ammunition.
Georgi Timko cursed. He wanted to protect such loyal men, but feared he'd already cost them their lives. Only luck or a guardian angel could save them all now.
* * *
11:41:09 P.M. EDT
Tatiana's Tavern
Jack Bauer had slipped to the back of the tavern and used a metal Dumpster to get a boost to the flat tar roof. He waited until he heard shots. Then he peered through the skylight, into the darkened tavern. By the blue light of the neon exterior, he counted three shooters — someone moving right under him was using the AK-47. Arete's men, the two left standing, fired 9mm Uzis from behind splintered pool tables. Jack saw three other shapes from his vantage point — two on the ground, the third sprawled across a table. A pair of those men were Arete's; Jack recognized them from their dusters. The third was unknown to Jack, and most likely dead.
Jack ducked away from the skylight, leaned against the satellite dish while he contemplated his next move. He had to capture at least one of Arete's men alive. The only way to get information fast was a rough interrogation of the suspects. He was certain he could quickly break any of Arete's punks — if they had any useful