Their Law

Brittany "Thespis" Frederick

Summary: Sequel to "Coventry." When loyalties get betrayed and the world is burning, how far would you go for the ones you love?

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Rating: PG for a little language

Dedication: To Tisha, as ever. I'm only one half of the team.

Author's Note: This is a mega-crossover, done entirely for the fun of myself and my best friend. It's going to involve most hugely 24 and Alias, but also a little of The Agency, Ultraviolet and God knows what else. All that stuff doesn't belong to us, but obviously the characters of us belong to us … the sense, however, will probably go out the window. And if any of the IRL people in this should read it, it's all in fun, I swear. ;)

Home Base San Marcos, California One Month After England

          You can't go back to a normal life. You really only have one chance, and I blew it.

          "What do you mean I don't check my messages?" I asked Leticia, walking through our shared apartment to grab my jacket. "I work three days a week now. Instead of calling, all they have to do is find me on the floor."

          "I'm not talking about CTU, I mean socially."

          "I don't have a social life, and I can't now. Working in counterterrorism and all."

          She rolled her eyes and turned to regard me. "Weiss has tried to call you like five times."

          "Oh. That." I froze.

          "Yeah." Handing me my breakfast, my best friend tried and failed to suppress a smirk. Eric Weiss was one of her handlers at the main Agency and we had all worked together in London. I'd even been conned into coming on a double date to some Agency function with him and Leticia and her handler-crush, Michael Vaughn. But for all the spy audacity, I hadn't the guts to tell Weiss something was missing: me. "You'd better talk to him," she continued, "he's going crazy. And driving me crazy."

          "I will when there's time."

          "He's a good guy."

          "I know," I said, hesitating for a second.

          My fellow agent caught the subtext. "What?"

          "Nothing."

          "Still thinking about Michael?" Colefield, that is.

          Now I choked on my beverage in reference to the fellow government agent I'd fallen for in England. "We talked about it, okay? Live in two countries, we can't exactly date. He's a dozen years older than me and I wish he'd call, but he's fighting against an invasion and I'm…"

          "Ranting?"

          "Yeah." Mercifully, I was stopped by the ringing of the phone, which I was all too happy to answer. "Go ahead."

          "Brittany, it's me." Jack Bauer was Agent In Charge of CTU Los Angeles and had recently promoted me from civilian computer information specialist to (but still civilian) his administrative assistant, third officer (behind the ASAC), and internal affairs/agent operations officer (actual title: Administrative Assistant Special Agent In Charge). He'd also taken care of the apartment, so in addition to my hero worship, I owed him a debt of gratitude. "I need you in a little early."

          "No problem," I said, motioning to Leticia, resident driver, to get her keys. "What's up?"

          "The Albatross has disappeared."

          "I'm on it."

Counter Terrorist Unit

Los Angeles

            I burst unceremoniously in the front doors of my workplace and went straight to Jack's office, where I knew everyone on the senior staff would be assembled. Given the situation I didn't know if there would be panic or champagne.

          Around the office, security specialist Michelle Dessler was known (covertly, of course) as The Albatross. Though qualified on paper, her lack of knowledge of Agency ways and means had become a liability, and her intrusive and abrasive personality, including stating the obvious to death, made us nuts. If we could ever find a replacement we would've fired her. Maybe that's why she ran.

          I reached the top of the stairs and entered Jack's office. Assistant Special Agent In Charge Tony Almeida, who had been my field leader on my team in London, was already there. My unofficial partner, longtime friend, London teammate and CTU technology officer, Agent Lex Richards, smirked my way and handed me a donut. After brief small talk with Lex and Tony, I turned to Jack.

          "Talk to me."

          "Michelle's been gone 48 hours with no known activity," my boss said, surprisingly ambivalent. "I sent Paulsen over to do a sitrep and she turned in the key to her apartment and bailed yesterday."

          "Any signs?" I asked, knowing I wouldn't have noticed if there were since I tried hard not to notice Michelle, period.

          Lex shook his head. "There weren't any."

          "There are always signs," Tony corrected.

          I shot them both a cross look and spoke to Jack. "Who's coming in on this?" I inquired. Per Agency protocol, anything involving a rogue or missing agent required a main branch representative on the mission team. "I don't know yet," he told me, "but pull your team and see what you can do." By virtue of my new job description, this mission would be mine. Never mind that I was seventeen and a full-time college student besides, or that my first and only other mission had been leading the violent apprehension of CTU traitor and dangerous terrorist Nina Myers in London.

          "I'm on it. Lex, set up your tracking, meet me in the conference room. I'll start assembling the team."

          "Keep me up to date," said Jack, our cue to go with luck.

          Together Lex and I left Jack's office for the main floor. As we were walking down the stairs, he glanced at me. "Why do you think she did it?"

          I shrugged. "I only ask why when I find out the truth."

          He nodded, and he went his way, and I went mine.

          Ten minutes later four of us sat in the conference room with Michelle's life in front of us. The additions were Agents Christopher Gautreau and Kevin Blaisdell. C.G., our specialist in mission management, had the good looks of Enrique Murciano, while Kevin, counter-hostilities agent, was like a mostly silent Erik von Detten. Both looked edgy when I told them what was happening.

          "We'll need more people," Chris was telling me.

          Just then, our main Agency backup arrived. Vaughn, Weiss and Leticia all looked ready for duty. Befitting agent's honor, I stood as they arrived.

          "Welcome back."