Just Doing My Job
Disclaimer: I don't own Jack Bauer or Chloe O'Brian. I had this story in my head for a while but I finally decided to write it after I read a review by Vaniah who pointed out that most of my stories don't have Jack in them. Since that review inspired me to get off my ass and actually type this I dedicate this story to her.
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3 Months After Day 4
Fort Smith, Arkansas
The new Toyota pulled up next to the gas pump. The blond woman pouted as she opened purse and pulled out a large roll of twenties bound by a rubber band. She removed two of the twenties then replaced the roll. She had to pre pay for the gas which meant walking into the station, leaving the money with the cashier, walking back to her car, pumping the gas, walking back to the cashier, getting her change, then walking back to her car. Chloe sighed. She wished she could just use a credit or debit card and just pay at the pump but not this trip. She left all her plastic at home. It would be too easy to track her movements. Just pay for everything in cash., food, gas, and lodging. She had a feeling that someone at CTU was trying to track her. She had already scanned the car for tracking devices so the only way they could find her now was to file an APB with the police and these people would never do anything so overt. Besides, her police band radio would let her know if that happened.
After going through the long annoying process of buying gas Chloe walked back to her car pulling her coat tighter against the bitterly cold north wind. It was a brand new car and Chloe liked having a new car. She liked the new car smell, the lack of pits and cracks on the windshield, the fact that there weren't any old French fries under the seat, and she liked driving on new tires with little rubber hairs sticking out of them. The rubber hairs had worn off long before she reached Arkansas which was a bit of a shame. But the tires were still new.
Chloe started the car and headed into town. She reached the rendezvous point near the river but didn't see any sign of Jack. He was running a bit late. No surprise there. Chloe drove to a nearby motel and got a room then returned to the river side. She got out and wandered around a bit. Stood there for a while watching the Arkansas River flow by. After nearly an hour a scruffy looking homeless man approached her.
"Are you sure you weren't followed?" He asked.
"I'm not stupid!" She snapped. "Of course I'm sure." She handed him a manila envelope. "Here Jack, documents for Frank Flynn. There's a Missouri drivers license, social security card, honorable discharge and DD214 from the Marines, even a passport if you need it. I forged them all at home. Not CTU."
"Thanks Chloe, I owe you big time for this."
"You don't owe me a thing Jack. Just doing my job." Chloe looked Jack over. "Why don't you come with me Jack, I've got a motel room."
Jack looked wary. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"I'm not some dumb newbie. Give me a little credit. I got the room under an assumed name and paid cash. You're not the only one with a phony driver's license. Besides, don't tell me you wouldn't like a nice hot bath and a warm bed with clean sheets."
It was very tempting and Jack trusted Chloe utterly. He nodded and followed Chloe to her car.
The Toyota's heater was very efficient. Jack leaned back and sighed with pleasure. It had been quite a while since he felt really warm. Chloe was somewhat less happy. The new car smell was quickly being replaced by Jack smell. Her nose wrinkled. He really needed a bath.
As Chloe slipped Jack into her room it made her feel like she was sneaking a man into her room for a one night stand. Not that Chloe had ever done anything like that. That was the kind of things that sluts did. But it did make a nice fantasy.
"Chloe, how's Audrey doing?" Jack's voice softened. There was a touch of yearning.
Chloe suddenly felt a dull ache in her chest. Must be that lunch she ate at the truck stop in Henrietta, she'll grab some antacid at the drugstore later.
"Audrey's doing as well as can be expected. After your funeral she decided to move to LA for some reason. I guess she trying to reconcile with that dumb ass brother of hers. Her daddy got her a job at CTU, Defense Department Liaison. Now every time we get a call from a general or an admiral she gets to answer the phone. She's still pretty sad but she's managing.
"And Kim?"
"Ever since the funeral she doesn't want anything to do with us CTU spooks. I guess she's just tired of the whole death and destruction lifestyle. At the moment she's living with Chase but they seem to argue a lot. I'll keep an eye on her and give you regular updates."
"Thank you Chloe, I don't know what I'd do without you."
Chloe felt uncomfortable. "Here, you need to sign these things. Do the drivers license first and I'll laminate it with the iron."
After doing the paperwork, Jack went into the small motel bathroom and peeled off his clothes. They were pretty gamey and long overdue for a washing. He filled the tub and sank in. The hot water felt unbelievably luxurious. While soaking in the tub he heard Chloe leave the room then the sound of her car starting up. If it were anyone else he would suspect a setup but not Chloe. For the first time in months he felt safe.
He was still soaking half an hour later when Chloe returned. "Jack! I just went to Walmart and got some fresh clothes for you. I'll put them inside the door but I'll keep my eyes shut!" The bathroom door opened and Chloe deposited the clothes inside. She apparently picked them more for comfort, durability and warmth rather than style. Jack dried himself off and tried them on. He'd forgotten just how much he missed clean, dry, underwear. Everything seemed to fit.
"Chloe, how'd you get my sizes?"
"By looking at you, it's all just numbers and spatial geometry. Nothing to it."
"I'll pay you back as soon as I can."
"Don't bother! I'm not keeping a tally!"
Chloe noticed Jack was favoring his left leg a little. "What happened to you're leg?"
"It's nothing. I hurt myself trying to hop a freight train in Oklahoma City. I not as young as I used to be."
"I never met anyone who was. You need a car."
"I'll get a job somewhere. I'll get something."
Chloe paused, she really, really, really didn't want to say this next sentence. "Take my car Jack. I'll give it to you." Her voice quivered a bit.
"No Chloe, I can't do that. I know how much you make and you can't afford to give new cars away."
"Jack, you need it more than I."
"I told you I'd find a job somewhere and buy a car."
"You need mobility in case they find you. And you don't need some beat up old jalopy, you need a new reliable car. It could save your life."
"No Chloe! I'm not going to take your car and that's final! I'll get by. I always do."
Chloe scowled at him "Someday your stubbornness will get you killed."
"Chloe, I don't think you know just how good you really are. Right now I need some sleep. I haven't been in a real bed in ages."
Jack slipped into one of the twin beds and shut his eyes. After a few minutes his breathing became steady.
Chloe watched him. She felt an overpowering urge to slip into the bed next to him. Not necessarily for the sex although it would be wonderful. It would be heavenly to just fall asleep in his arms. But Chloe resisted the urge. It would just make Jack angry. Jack deserved someone sweet and beautiful and Chloe was neither. She was a rude, obnoxious bitch and knew it. The ugly duckling who grew up to become the ugly duck. She didn't deserve somebody like Jack. She just wasn't good enough. Besides she had work to do.
Chloe took the title to the Toyota and signed it over to Frank Flynn forging his signature off of the passport. She used the notary seal from her suitcase to notarize the document. Then went on the internet to change the registration and ownership so no one could track it back to her. Then she checked the bus schedules. Not much time. She took her house keys off her key ring and dropped it into Jack's coat pocket. Then she took the roll of twenties out of her purse. She peeled off enough for bus fare back to Los Angeles then dropped the still sizable roll into the coat pocket with the keys.
She collected her purse and suitcase and looked at Jack sleeping. She was tempted to kiss his forehead but decided against it. Jack's such a light sleeper. She slipped quietly out the door and shut it gently.
It was dark outside. In the night the wind was even colder. It was a mile and a half to the bus station and she'd better start walking if she was to catch the bus in time. She would spend the next two days sitting in a cramped bus seat which wasn't something she was looking forward to. She would also have to buy another car. For the next four years she would have to make two car payments a month and she didn't know how she could afford it on her salary. She'd manage somehow. Cut back on some things. Do some consulting work in her spare time. Eat a lot of rice and beans. She'd manage somehow. The freezing wind seemed to suck the warmth right out of her coat. As she trudged on her suitcase seemed to get heavier. It made her arms ache and it was such a long walk. Was it worth it? If the car saved Jack's life it would be worth it. America needed Jack to survive. Chloe needed Jack to survive.
"You don't owe me a thing, Jack. Just doing my job."
Authors note: I came up with this story after watching that little short on the season 4 DVD where Jack meets Chloe in Chicago. He had a brand new Toyota and most hobos I've met don't drive new cars. Of course the cynical among you might say "He got it because they were filming a freakin' Toyota commercial." I decided to try to come up with a more logical reason he may have got it.