Unnecessary death is something that we obviously strive to avoid at CTU, for our agents and for the citizens that we protect. Extenuating circumstances may arise when an agent is faced with only one option for survival-to fake death. There is no official “order” to fake a death, and CTU cannot approve or sanction an agent’s decision to do so. However, there have been instances in CTU history where agents found themselves with no other viable or realistic alternative. The most notable example of this is Agent Bauer on Day 4 of CTU history, when faking his death seemed the only alternative to avoid incarceration and torture in a Chinese prison. Unfortunately, Bauer was only able to conceal his identity and death for 18 months, after which time he ended up in exactly the place he was trying to avoid-a Chinese prison. Again, please understand that the ramifications, legal or otherwise, that may result from a decision to fake your own death will be borne by you and you alone. Therefore, it is not advisable to take a decision of this sort lightly. Should it be absolutely necessary, there are several methods that have proven effective.
EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES
The destruction caused by explosions and fires is the perfect way to hide evidence, including evidence of human remains. With a sizable explosion, it’s possible that there will not be any search to identify victims. Also, by the time someone can rifle through the debris and retrieve dental records or other incontrovertible evidence, an agent would have plenty of time to move on from the scene. Victor Drazen accomplished this with great success during Operation Nightfall and was believed dead until he resurfaced on Day 1 to orchestrate an attempted assassination of then senator and presidential candidate David Palmer and Agent Jack Bauer. The explosion in Kosovo was so powerful that no one unfortunately- thought to look for his remains.
DROWNING
Faking a drowning requires excellent skills as a swimmer and, more often than not, a bit of luck. The ability to stay underwater and avoid being sighted is required, although it is hard to determine just how diligent the pursuing hostiles will be in seeking to verify your status. This works best in larger bodies of water-seas or oceans-since there is no way to drag the body of water for proof.
INJECTION OR INGESTION
A trickier proposition for faking death-but one that can be virtually foolproof-is to inject or ingest a class of beta-blockers that will slow down pulse to the point where you will appear dead. Metoprolol and atenolol, for example, commonly available beta blockers used to treat arrhythmias and other cardiac diseases, may slow the pulse enough to create the proper effect. On the riskier side is tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin derived from puffer fish that is rumored to be a favorite of voodoo practitioners; it can give the subject the appearance of being near death or in a “zombie”-like state for days. If any of these approaches is used, it should be noted that they may result not only in the appearance of death but in actual death. This very real danger must be taken into account. This method should also involve an accomplice, since bringing the individual’s vitals back to a healthy state will require the administration of epinephrine to the heart, followed by CPR. Again: This method should be considered a last resort.
TRUSTING OTHERS WITH YOUR SECRET
If you opt to stage your death, there is a good chance that you will need to enlist the help of trusted friends or colleagues. You should only involve those individuals who absolutely need to know. This is for their safety as much as yours. When Agent Bauer faked his death, only former president David Palmer and Agents Dessler, Almeida, and O’Brian knew of his plan. Considering that three of those individuals lost their lives as a result of the information they possessed, it is possible that four people in the know is three too many.
UNINTENTIONALLY FAKING YOUR DEATH
There are situations that arise in the line of duty where you will be presumed dead without having to try. While this may be alarming to colleagues and loved ones, it can also work to your advantage. Attention is shifted away from you and no one will see you coming. It is akin to going permanently “dark.” There are those who use a mistake of this sort to their advantage for years, such as Stephen Saunders, former British intelligence agent who took part in Operation Nightfall in Kosovo, which targeted the Drazen family. Saunders was believed killed during that mission. His newfound anonymity allowed him to operate under the radar for years, and he only resurfaced to unleash the deadly Cordilla virus in Los Angeles. On Day 5, when Omicron executive and former CTU director Christopher Henderson believed Agent Bauer was killed in an explosion he staged, the last place he expected Bauer to show up was at his home-but that’s exactly what happened.
IF DEATH IS (REALLY) THE ONLY OPTION
It is an unfortunate reality of a career as an agent of counterterrorism that capture is a very real possibility. And it follows that capture may very well result in torture. Information is our most valuable currency and keeping it safe is our top priority at CTU. Though self-induced death is not an action we like to encourage, suicide capsules are available for field agents in the event that they are captured.
Ingesting these will prevent torture and the release of valuable information. The tablets will make you feel as if you’re going to sleep. Under NO circumstances are these capsules to be made available to civilians. This protocol was disregarded on Day 3 when guests at the Chandler Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles were infected with the Cordilla virus and Agent Dessler was adamant about making this option available to them. When former regional director Ryan Chappelle was approached by Agent Almeida to obtain permission to distribute the capsules, Chappelle simply said, “It’s against every regulation in the book…Do it.” CTU does not condone this use of the suicide capsules and what essentially amounted to a government-sanctioned mass suicide. Had Chappelle not been killed in the line of duty later that day, he would have been subject to severe reprimands.
