Author's note: Thanks everybody so much! The support I'm getting means the world to me. I know… I'm truly evil for leaving your with a cliffhanger. But I hope you like the twists. And please, forgive me for taking so long to update. Now, things won't get as 'bloody' and dark as in the show. But I hope you like it anyway.
SERIES: Everything went downhill from there
PART TWO: IN A NEW YORK MINUTE
Previously:Liz and Leo know somebody within the Russian government was behind the assassination of Hassan, they don't know who. On the other hand, Charles Logan may have Intel he's hiding for his own convenience.
Renee thinks she saw a man from her past with Vladimir posing as an ETM at the crime scene. But she's not sure and lets it go. The guy is Pavel Tokarev, a Russian operative who wrongly believes Renee recognized him and gets prepared to take them out. Leo tries to stop him but fails and is taken hostage.
After Hassan gets murdered, a grief stricken Jack abandons CTU for good (again). He and Renee get back together after making clear that's what they both truly want… twice. Then Renee takes a call from Chloe meant for Jack and He sees in her cell a warning about a sniper across his apartment.
Pavel fires two shots as Jack jumps and pulls Renee down. Right after, Liz gives Pavel an electric shot.
Next:We learn who got hit at the shooting, and we learn how all the character are connected to each other in a way that led them to their current situations.
Disclaimer: The show is not mine. Neither are the characters. They belong to Howard Gordon and FOX… Damn it!
CHAPTER 14:
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
"I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation between us and everyone else on this planet. The President of the United States, a gondolier in Venice, just fill in the names. I find it extremely comforting that we're so close. I also find it like Chinese water torture that we're so close because you have to find the right six people to make the right connection... I am bound, you are bound, to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people."
– Line from the movie 'Six Degrees of Separation', said by Stockard Channing's character
March 2012 - Chicago, Illinois
After leaving her two year old son Cooper at the daycare center, Elizabeth walked struggling with the cold wind until she got into Starbucks and ordered a latte with a blueberry muffin. She still had a few minutes for herself before work and she was only a two blocks away from the FBI offices. But that morning something was bugging her. There was an older man staring at her, about her dad's age. She was finding the way he looked at her creepy. She thought she was just being paranoid. So she just sat by a table and tried to ignore it.
He couldn't help just staring at the young woman. She looked so much like her mother. Her facial features were identical. They both had the same nose, plus dark blue eyes of the exact same shape. Suddenly, he realized he was coming off as a pervert stalking her. He had to tell her what he actually wanted. The man approached her gently, "Agent Stockard? I'm a friend of you mother. May I talk to you, please?"
Liz shook her head firmly, knowing better than to fall for that. "I know all my mom's friends."
"I apologize I wasn't clearer. I meant your birth mother, Martha Logan."
Every muscle in her body tensioned instantly and her features turned somber. "If you are a reporter, you'll get nothing from me but a kick in the nuts. I'm a good fighter. As you already know, I'm a federal agent"
"So am I" The man said showing her his badge. He tried to restrain an amused smile, that girl seemed to have her mother's attitude. "I'm also a close friend of hers. I came because she's heartbroken that you won't take her calls"
Elizabeth examined carefully the man's badge. Then she looked at the man again, "Agent Pierce? Look, I have parents. I don't need anything from that woman. I tried to contact her. But she didn't want me around. I was told to stay away from her, and for years I got monthly payments in cash just to do that." Her tone showed how hurt she still was about being treated her like some dirt they needed under the carpet. "I sent the money back. But if Mrs. Logan doesn't want it she knows where she can put it"
Aaron looked at her sadly. "Mr. Logan sent you the money. His wife didn't even know you wanted to see her, or that you knew about her." He handed her a handwritten letter and a plane ticket to California. "In the letter Martha explains everything. Her parents made her give you up when she had you as a teen. Later her husband sabotaged her intends to search for you, and made you believe she didn't want to meet you"
"To protect his political career?" She asked almost rhetorically. Neither Liz nor Aaron missed the irony. Considering everything Charles Logan had done, a secret step-child should have been the least of his worries.
"That was Charles's intention. Everybody knew Martha had… health issues. He didn't want people to know about the child she had at sixteen with another man…" The veteran agent explained as gently as he could.
"I get it. I just didn't fit with the image of the perfect First Family Charles wanted to create." Liz had accepted that a long while ago. She stood up, considering the conversation over. And then she handed the plane ticket and the letter back to Aaron. "It doesn't matter, Agent Pierce. I'm just no longer interested in meeting her. Tom and Julia Stockard are my family. I'm their daughter"
"I'm not arguing that, ma'am. I just came to ask you, please, that you meet Martha at least once to talk to her"
Then Liz noticed how sad and desperate the man before her seemed to be. And he had made such a long trip just to talk to her. She looked at him with curiosity. "Why is this so important to you?"
"Because she is. And I'm worried about her. Not just because of her… issues. Ever since David Palmer died and she saw who Charles really is, she's been…" He didn't know how to explain in words how depressed Martha was. He hoped seeing Liz would somehow help. He decided to summarize his whole point by saying "I just thought you should know Martha is truly a nice woman who has suffered a lot" He handed the plane ticket back to Liz. "Please"
JUNE 2013 - NEW YORK CITY
Leo was pacing nervously around the apartment Renee had rented in Brooklyn to pose as Renee Zadan. He believed she had gone insane. "Renee, you don't have to see him ever again. I can pull you out of the mission"
"That would leave us nowhere. I have to stay under." She stated firmly as she applied some make up on her face trying not to even think about how she felt. She had a job to do. After a week of hiding, crying in her bed, getting up only for endless showers that were never enough to clean her, she had decided to stop being a victim. She had to make that Vladimir pay, whatever the cost. "If I leave now, it means I failed. I cannot let that happen. Do you think I want to see him again? I don't. But we haven't gotten enough evidence against him"
"I can't let you be around a guy who… who did that to you…" He couldn't even say it out loud. How could such a horrible thing happen? He never thought it would get so far. But it had to end right there and then. "I have to call it in and pull you out. I'm the special agent in charge of the operation. And I say it's over. End of discussion"
"End of discussion? Are you pulling rank on me?" She wasn't even trying to mask her deep outrage.
"Yes! He's a bastard. You are done dealing with him" He yelled, frustrated that she wouldn't listen to him.
"What? You won't let me get back at him? Are we letting that guy win?" she asked absolutely appalled by the mere idea. Then she shook her head full of determination. "I don't think so, Leo… I won't leave until I take him down. You are the agent in charge… but I'm the woman he…" She flinched disgusted. She couldn't say the word. She couldn't even think about that night. She didn't want to remember, it made her entire body ache. But what had happened was the reason why she needed to personally destroy that Russian bastard. "He's my enemy… I'll be done with him when I decide I'm done with him… That's the end of this discussion"
"But Renee…" He was about to pull rank again. But he knew that would infuriate her even more. Instead, he decided to beg. "Please, don't do this. You don't have to. Please, I'm asking as your friend, I don't want him anywhere near you, I don't want him to hurt you again"
But she was not moved. "I appreciate your concern. But I have to do it. It's the only way to get what we need. And as my friend… don't you want him to pay for what he's done? Don't you want justice?"
"Of course I do." That was obvious. But it wasn't the point.
"Then let me do this. Trust me. It'll be all right." She said as she looked at herself in the mirror to apply more black eyeliner. Then she brushed her long dark auburn hair while she explained Leo why her 'date' with Vladimir was important. "He's meeting a guy from the Red Square at that restaurant tonight. Maybe we'll finally be able to prove that gang exists" She then noticed her cheeks were red because of the sunburns she had gotten two weeks before. She hated that she could never get a decent tan, her skin was too delicate "Do you think I look fine?"
"You look gorgeous" Leo assured her, with only a half-smile. At that point, that was exactly his biggest concern.
An hour later, Renee walked into the restaurant using all her acting skills to hide her nervousness. She had to appear confident and in control. At least she was wearing a forest-green summer dress she truly liked, which helped her feel better about herself. Then she saw him. Vladimir was already sitting by a table, drinking Vodka.
He was wearing a black suit with a white skirt and a black tie. His skin was red like a tomato. Obviously he had spent the last couple of days on his beach house. She approached him attentively. What would he say to her the first time they saw each other since…?. She tried to greet him naturally. "Hello, Vlad"
"Renee…" He smirked at her. "You are late. So I had to start drinking without you"
"Of course you had to" Renee stated unfazed as she took her seat. "I think I'll have…"
"Single malt scotch, right? I ordered one for you when I saw you coming" He had done it to brag about recalling her favorite drink. Then he caressed her knee. "You look like an African forest… colorful and wild"
She still found Vladimir's idea of a compliment odd. And his hand on her knee was sending her chills. She decided never to wear green again. As soon as her scotch came, she drank the content of the glass in about five seconds.
"You are nervous" He noticed, pleased to have that effect on her. "Because of what happened last time…"
"Let's not talk about that, please" she rushed to say, not hiding her desperation.
"Look, I hate what I had to do. But you kept pretending you don't want me, and that made me furious. Just… don't ever make me do something like that again"
The scariest part was that he seemed to believe his own words. Renee stared at him somewhat perplexed. Not that she had ever expected an apology from him. But acting as if he were the victim instead of her? She wanted to kill him. It was obvious she wasn't nearly drunk enough to put up with him. To calm herself down, she ordered another glass of Scotch, which came right away. She drank and felt more capable of pretending she was all right. "It's all in the past, Vlad." Then she lifted her glass a little. "Here's to being here tonight"
Vladimir smiled delighted. "Oh, I want to remember this night" He said as he took his cell phone and prepared it to take a picture of the two of them. He took a couple, but just as he made a final shot, something distracted him. He noticed a person he had been expecting walking into the restaurant.
"May I see them?" Renee asked innocently. Perhaps she could use it as an excuse to find some damming evidence in the cell phone. Vladimir gave it to her with an absent mind. She then looked at what he was looking. A man with black hair and a tall Russian woman with neatly combed light-brown hair were coming towards them.
The man stopped by Vladimir's table acting like he had just encountered an old acquaintance by accident. "Vladimir, how are you?"
Vladimir stood up and shook the man's hand. "Good. About to have dinner with my girl"
Now the man's eyes explored Vladimir's girl carefully. "Well, I hope you two have a pleasant evening"
"Thank you" Renee replied, feigning successfully a smile as she looked directly into that man's eyes.
"Thank you, Pavel. You too" Vladimir replied politely with a nod. When Pavel and the Russian girl left, Vladimir read a piece of paper the other man had given him during the handshake. Once he had memorized the instructions to deliver the weapons the other man had ordered, he sank the piece of paper on his drink making it unreadable.
NOVEMBER 2017 - Brooklyn – New York City
He was having dinner when suddenly Leo noticed the lights of his house going on and off intermittently. It was his intruder sensor letting him know somebody was approaching his house. He checked his security cameras. It was a woman around his age, blonde with curls. Before she could knock the door, he got his automatic gun ready. In one quick motion, he opened the door, dragged the woman inside, and closed the door. The woman fell on her butt. He aimed his gun right at her head. "Don't say a word. Very slowly, stand up, turn around and put your hands against the wall" She did as she was told. He found her gun and an FBI badge: Agent Elizabeth Stockard. Still distrustful, Leo touched every inch of her body looking for hidden mics or cams.
"I better don't catch you smiling, Agent Craig" She muttered upset.
Angered, he made her turn around to face. "Does this look like something I do for fun, smartass? Now, tell me… How do you know who I am?" The FBI people who knew his location were very few, and none of them were allowed in his house, except Renee in case of emergency. "What are you doing here, Agent Stockard?"
Unfazed by Leo's idea of a welcome, she replied "Agent William Prady sent me. I've got Intel that'll interest you"
He looked at her suspiciously and then practically dragged her to some sort of hidden basement. She protested annoyed. "Hey, stop! Where are you taking me?"
"To the only place where we can talk freely" He explained not caring how uncomfortable she was. Once in the bunker, he relaxed just a little and began making coffee. "Agent Stockard, I don't have all night… so talk"
"If you don't trust me, why should I trust you?"
"Because I'm not the one who showed up at a guy's doorsteps jeopardizing his cover" Leo groaned rudely.
"I'm sorry about that" Liz sighed frustrated. William had said 'Leo's nice… once you get his trust'. She wondered now who had ever gotten it. Regardless, she needed him to help her. So she told him what she knew. "Look, somebody within the Russian government is going to assist IRK rebels to take out President Hassan and smuggle nukes into the country. They want to sabotage the President Taylor's peace agreement."
"The Russians are co-signing this thing. If they are so strongly against the treaty, why not just walk out of the negotiation table?" As soon as he said those words, it hit him why, and he felt like a moron. "Of course, they won't admit being against the boldest peace accord in decades. But if you have Intel about an assassination plot… go to your superiors and report it. What do you want from me?"
Getting a bit awkward, she admitted "the thing is, when I said I have 'Intel'… it was a gross overstatement."
"What do you have then?" Leo said while handing a cup of coffee to Liz and next drinking some himself.
She took her cup of coffee feeling somewhat surprised that Agent Craig now acted as if they were discussing a movie or their hobbies rather than an assassination plot. She tried to match his cool demeanor. "A woman I know told me about this because I'm the only one who would believe her. She… she's in a mental institution for stabbing her ex husband." She realized how that had sounded, so she rushed to clarify "But she's telling me the truth"
"How do you know that?" He asked in the same tone he would ask 'how stupid are you?'
"At first I just promised to look into it to humor her. But then I found this…" She showed him some files she had on her PDA. "This money was taken from the Russian Foreign Ministry budget and sent to an account in Switzerland. The account's under some alias. The thing is… two days after I found it somebody tried to take me out" She looked at the man somberly. "I do mostly intelligence work, with computers. I have no enemies. Would they have tried to kill me if I hadn't hit too close to home?" Then getting tearful, she added "I have a seven year old son. I sent him with my parents to Florida indefinitely. I'm taking a huge risk because I believe this is serious"
Leo was making a huge effort to remain distant. He couldn't afford to care about Liz's personal history. He had vowed never to mix work and emotions again. Apparently cold, he kept drinking his coffee. "I think you did hit too close to home, sadly. I've heard whispers that a Russian organization called Red Square is about to smuggle nuclear materials into the country. Now, that doesn't make much sense, because they wouldn't deal with those things. However, I've recently learned that a man called Pavel Tokarev is in the Red Square and also does dirty work for the SVR. He might be some sort of liaison between the mob and the Russian government."
"Because they'd want the Red Square to take the fall if something goes wrong."She guessed, and then wondered out loud "But what does the mob win with this?" Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head realizing her own question had been stupid. "Of course the answer is money… what else? So, can you help me?"
Leo twisted his mouth doubtfully. "I've been trying to get under with the Red Square for years, to no avail. Pavel just gives me some task every now and then. I didn't even meet him in person until last year."
"How close have you gotten to the Russians exactly?" She inquired with curiosity. Then out of the blue, Leo began taking off his sweater, so she freaked out. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
He clucked, somewhat amused. "I'll just show you my cover, okay?" He exposed the tattoos on his chest, back and arms. "Now, for the Russians I'm Aleksandr Petrovsky. What can you tell me about Aleck?"
She realized he was testing her knowledge, which she didn't mind. Pointing at the tiger on the left upper side of his chest she said "you have brutally assaulted a police officer or some authority figure" After that she checked out the bat on this upper right side. "You steal at night". She was a bit surprised by the skull on his abdomen "You are known for murdering". Next she took notice of the single cat with a hat on his back. "This means you are lucky and that nobody should mess with you…" Then she examined more carefully the tattoo of a spider climbing a net on his chest "this is tricky… it can mean you are struggling with a drug addiction, or that you are an active criminal".
Leo nodded satisfied, with a hint of a smile. Then he put his t-shirt and sweater back on. Once fully dressed, he made his point "But, as you saw, I'm not a member of any organization… I haven't gotten inside the Red Square. I couldn't even prove they exist"
"But you can keep working with Tokarev. If he is connected to the SVR…"
"They'll use him for this assassination plot at some point" He said what they were both thinking. But then he looked at her skeptically. "Now, you have to be honest with me. Who is your source?"
"Martha Logan" She confessed sheepishly, while avoided his gaze and stirred her coffee.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Leo exclaimed in a loud 'you better be kidding' tone.
She looked up and stared directly into Leo's eyes. "She assures me Charles Logan has evidence of the Russian conspiracy to kill Hassan. He's hiding it for his own convenience. If only we could get that evidence…"
Leo kept a finger on his mouth pondering about the situation he found himself in. It seemed like a crazy theory. But what if it was the truth? He couldn't do anything without evidence. But he could at least try to find out what was really going on. At that moment, he got a text message from William 'I'm in if you are, kiddo'. He half-smiled. "Okay. William believes you. That means a lot to me. So I'll help you investigate this thing. But, Stockard… you know how dangerous this can be. We have to work in the most absolute secret for now. Who knows about this?"
"I've only talked to William because I've known him since he trained me in Quantico. I knew I could trust him"
"Good, we could use his help" He said nodding. Then he became grave. "You should know this kind of makes you my first partner in about six years. Don't make me regret that, Stockard"
"I won't, Craig" she promised solemnly as she shook his hand.
MAY 21st 2018
08:54 AM - Chelsea, Manhattan – Jack's apartment
With her body wrapped in Jack's white sheet, Renee attempted to step outside the bedroom to tell him what Chloe had just told her over the phone. Just as she was by the doorway, completely out of the blue, Jack panicked, jumped quickly towards her and pulled her down to the ground yelling "Renee, no!".
As Renee's head hit the wooden floor, she wondered what the hell was going on. Then she saw it. One perfectly rounded hole in the glass of Jack's window. "Jack?" To her horror, Jack rolled onto his back and began panting for air with a lot of difficulty and coughing bright red blood. There was also blood from a wound on his chest damping his white shirt. "Oh, no… Jack… no" she moaned in desperate denial. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be happening.
For him it was so extremely hard just to breathe. The chest pain he felt was extremely intense. For the second time in less than six hours, he was sure he would die soon. Except his time he had indeed gotten hit by a bullet. He gasped for air feeling pained and scared. This would really be it. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to leave her. He had so much to tell her and so little time left. But no words could actually come out his mouth. While struggling to say some last words, all he could actually do was whisper softly "Renee…"
She helped him sit leaning his back against the side of the bed. Renee tried to stay at least calm enough to handle the crisis and touched his cheek lovingly. "Don't talk. We are going to a hospital". Then she immediately picked up Jack's cell phone. Chloe was still on the other side of the line, desperately asking what was happening. "Chloe? It's me. Jack's been hit by a sniper through the window of his apartment. We need to get to a hospital now"
"Oh, God" Chloe muttered, as she tried not to cry and focus on helping. "Okay, I'm directing a team of paramedics. They'll take you to Saint Andrew's hospital, the nearest one. Can you wait there?"
"We can. It's clear now" She assured her, the shooter had now stopped. What was going on? It was all very confusing, but at the moment, the only certainty was that Jack needed to get to a hospital urgently. "Please, just send help now" She hung the phone and held Jack's hand. "Hold on, Jack. Stay with me"
While coughing desperate for air, Jack tried to lift his arm and point to Renee's cell phone. Somebody knew what was going on and Renee needed to call that person soon.
Then Renee saw her cell phone on the floor. She guessed Jack had it during the shooting for some reason. Now it seemed he wanted her to pick it up. "It'll be okay" She tried to sound reassuring, but failed to hide her panic. She picked up her phone and saw the text message: 'Sniper positioned across Jack's apartment. Duck for cover.' Right away, she called the number that had come from. When her call was taken, she barked angrily "Who's this?"
"Renee? It's me. Were you hit?" Leo asked anxiously.
"Leo? How…? What the…?" She muttered truly perplexed. Then she demanded furiously an explanation. "What the hell is going on?" As she talked, she grabbed her jeans and t-shirt, and put them on hastily while juggling between looking at Jack and holding her cell.
"I'll explain everything. But look, I got the sniper." Indeed, his partner had gotten the sniper, but there would be time for due credit later. And by her tone he guessed Renee was shaken up, but not hurt. "How's Jack?"
"He was hit" She replied trying to keep her voice from breaking. Then she ordered Leo with a firm tone "Meet me at Saint Andrew's hospital". She hung up the phone without bothering to wait for an answer. Then she sighed staring desperately in direction to the front door, as if that could bring the paramedics any faster. After that she looked at Jack. He looked so pale and there was too much blood coming from his wound. She quickly ripped apart a piece of the sheet and used it to pressure his injure and stop the bleeding. Then she held him and kissed his forehead. His face had tiny drops of sweat all over it. It terrified her to her very core. Trying to appear strong and confident, she told him "You'll be all right. Just stay with me". Then she pleaded whispering "stay with me"
But Jack felt weaker every passing second. So much weaker. Even though he was sitting with his back against the side of his bed and Renee was holding him, he felt like in free fall, with no ground beneath him. Everything around him turned suddenly blurred. He couldn't see Renee well anymore. But he wanted to look at her. He wanted to take a good look at her beautiful face and gorgeous eyes one last time.
Finally, the sirens of the ambulance could be heard not very far away. "Jack, they are almost here…" she whined desperately. She needed him to hold on just a little bit longer. But Renee realized she was losing him. His eyes looked unfocused, which was a very bad sign. Practically piercing his eyes with hers, she tried to take him out from his disoriented state. "Hold on, Jack. You can make it"
He could hear her voice but shook his head. He felt he was dying. He wouldn't be able to make it.
"We are gonna make it", Renee whispered trying to convince him not to give up, saying 'we' because if he didn't make it, she certainly wouldn't. Then she repeated more firmly "we are gonna make it". Then she kissed his forehead again, right before rushing to open the door for the paramedics.
Two male paramedics hurried to get to Jack and carefully put him on a gurney. They checked his wound, his vitals and put an oxygen mask on him. Then they carried him on the gurney to the street, where the ambulance was waiting for them. As soon as she could, Renee sat next to him inside the ambulance, holding his hand tightly. As she restrained her tears she kept holding his hand between hers as if that could keep him with her.
Suddenly, Jack seemed truly agitated and tried to get his mask off and get up as a paramedic restrained him. "It's okay, Mr. Bauer… you were shot but we'll take care of you".
Then Jack babbled while he still struggled for air something which sounded like "They have my family, senator".
Noticing Jack's confusion, a paramedic checked the patient's pupils, which were dilated and then read the pulse oximeter. It said the oxygen saturation in blood was 'eighty five' and dropping, when the normal would be ninety. The heart rate was 120 BPM. "He's in shock" the paramedic stated while applying in the IV a combined solution of colloids and crystalloids, so the patient could hold on until the blood transfusion.
08:58 AM – Saint Andrew's hospital
A trauma team was prepared and waiting for the ambulance near the hospital's entrance. CTU acting Director O'Brian had just sent the patient's medical chart and instructed to give him priority care. The team wheeled the patient towards the surgical area of the hospital, while the paramedic followed them expositing the situation. "Single gunshot wound, left fifth intercostal space. No exit wound. Pulse 120. BP 80 over 50. Pulse OX is 84 in 15 liters. Decreasing breath sounds. Disoriented"
"O.R. five is prepped" A nurse announced. So they headed to that OR.
"Call the blood bank. We need four units of O negative. And I'll need a chest tube tray, 32 French." The trauma surgeon ordered one of his interns. Then he addressed his patient nicely "We're gonna take care of you".
Renee instinctively followed the gurney, not wanting to stay far away from Jack. Everything she had heard the paramedics and the doctor say had only increased her concern. But as they reached the door of the OR, a blonde nurse turned around and told her "ma'am, you need to stay here".
Feeling horribly powerless, she watched the doctors and nurses disappear with Jack behind that door. Her entire body was trembling like a sheet of paper. For a long moment she just stared at the closed door with sad desperation. Her heart was screaming loudly 'Jack, wait, don't leave me'. She felt like a huge knot on her throat, her eyes started filling up with tears. She wanted so badly to call after him, as if that could make him magically come back to her side. She couldn't lose him. He couldn't die on her now.
At the same time… inside the office across Jack's apartment
"Who ordered you to kill Renee Walker?" Leo kept asking to no avail while giving the Russian electric shots.
"Go to hell" Pavel replied.
Totally unaffected, Leo took a knife and cut a piece of Pavel's left lobule. As the Russian cried in pain, Leo just went for the other one as he yelled "I've got morphine… all the pain can go away if you tell me what I want to know"
But Pavel just spitted at him on the face. Leo cleaned the spit with disgust. Then he grabbed the electric pistol and put it right in Pavel's neck. "You truly suck at what you do. You are an idiot, Pavel. But I'm sure you know an electric shock right there would leave you paralyzed… so stop screwing with me! Give me the name of the Russian pig in your government who ordered you to kill Renee Walker"
Pavel wanted the other man to just kill him already. Given the current circumstances, the best for him would be to die quickly. "Nobody ordered me to kill that horny bitch!"
Elizabeth, who was guarding by the door, turned around startled as she heard those words and watched worriedly at her partner. Leo would flip out completely, and they still needed that Russian bastard alive.
Predictably, Leo got so infuriated that he began beating the crap out of the Russian scum, in spite of Liz's protests. But then he realized he had to control himself. He had to make him suffer a lot, then paralyze him, and then kill him. With Pavel on the ground, he picked up a knife and chopped the Russian's little finger with one quick motion. Over the Russian's screams, which he muffed with a towel, Leo yelled "You have nine more, Pavel. Plus ten toes. So I'd choose my words more carefully. Who do you work for?"
There was no response at all. Then Leo shook his head whispering to himself "this is pointless". Pavel had a tattoo on his arm, the white broken cross inside a black triangle, symbol of the Red Square. It was a symbol which meant 'You can break our arms, you can break every bone in our body. We'll never talk.' So he asked the Russian rhetorically "You won't give me any information, won't you?"
"Craig, we are running out of time, CTU agents must be on their way" Liz pointed out anxiously. They couldn't be found by CTU right there and then. They had to talk to Renee first of all. They didn't know who else they could trust to help them discover the full extent of the conspiracy and find the remaining proves of it.
"You are the luckiest bastard I've met, I'll have to be quick" He told Pavel as he forced him to stand up next to the window. Next Leo aimed the riffle at Pavel and used it as a big stick, hitting harshly and drily Pavel's stomach with it, sending the Russian flying right through the open window. 'That's gotta hurt' Leo thought pleased.
After overcoming her astonishment, Liz ran towards the window to look down horrified. "Oh, my God, Craig! Are you insane?" Pavel had fallen three floors and hit the ground where people gathered around him in sock.
Leo ignored her outrage and just began gathering his things plus Pavel's cell phone. "Let's go, Stockard. We have to get the hell out of here now"
Both agents left hastily with their big backpacks. On a lower floor, they broke into another office. A plaque in the door said it was an accountant's office and that it was open from nine thirty. They needed a place where Leo could change his bloody clothes and wash himself to avoid calling too much attention. Fortunately, nobody was there yet. So Leo changed into a suit. Then he put on a dark brown wig with a matching fake mustache and reading glasses. Meanwhile, Liz changed her short brown wig for one with long black hair.
At that same time…
Jason Pillar had to admire his boss. Former President Charles Logan had gotten his way. After Hassan got killed, President Taylor became so desperate to save the peace process that she had asked Logan's assistance. Jason pointed out casually "Seems scheduling that speech in Columbia was a stroke of good luck, sir"
With a smirk on his face, Charles replied "There's no luck. Only readiness to seize an opportunity"
Jason had read something of the sort in 'The Art of War', so he guessed "I know who said that. Sun Tzu?"
"Charles Logan", the former president corrected arrogantly and then laughed believing himself truly witty.
Jason clucked. Knowing how much his boss loved praise, he said "Anyway, your speech went certainly well"
"Yeah… yes… it really did." Charles said proudly. A lot of people had gone to hear his speech in Columbia the day before. He could hardly believe he had gotten so many compliments and applauses. "They loved me"
"That was just a preview, sir. Wait until you deliver the peace accord on a platter. You'll be a hero" Jason knew exactly what his boss wanted to hear, he could guess exactly what Logan was dreaming about.
"I like the sound of that." He smirked again. And then he added "I'm so excited to have a proper ceremony at my presidential library after this is all over". He emphasized the word proper. He wasn't over that the dedication ceremony of the Charles Logan presidential library had been a disgrace. But now things were looking up for him.
"Did Taylor agree to the conditions?" Jason inquired worriedly. Apparently, Allison Taylor had agreed to let Logan blackmail the Russians into signing the peace agreement without knowing what he had against them. And she had agreed to give Logan credit for saving the accord. But that really didn't sound like Taylor.
"Of course… She didn't really have any choice" Logan explained.
Jason knew Taylor was in a shitty position and absolutely desperate to make the peace process happen. So he guessed that had made her more 'open minded'. But now they were heading to the Russian embassy to deal with the Russian Foreign minister. That made him somewhat nervous. "I doubt that Novakovich will be as amenable"
"The guy is as much a cupcake politician as he was a… cupcake minister in the KGB. I think he isn't going to be any obstacle. Besides he knows I'm not afraid to go over his head to Suvarov." Logan had known Mikhail for years. The guy wasn't nearly as tough as he looked. That Russian was all about negotiating, keeping up the appearances and compromising before letting things get too ugly. The former president pondered out loud about the strategy to follow. "I think I'll let him sweat for a few minutes. Then he'll be in perfect position to agree with my proposal"
"You don't think he'll be prepared for that angle?" Jason feared his boss was getting over confident. Novakovich probably expected Logan's blackmail and was ready to neutralize it somehow.
"No, I think he's expecting… photos of his vacations with his mistress, those shots of his son's drug use in that club in Moscow. No… I don't think he's expecting us to have this Intel" Logan reassured his executive assistant.
"I think we should come up with a contingency plan. Just in case" Jason suggested prudently.
"No need, Jason." Logan said firmly, with a serious look that said 'stop being such a party pooper'. Things were going too well to worry about a contingency plan. "Everything is happening just the way it should." He pointed out. He had played his cards well, knowing exactly when to show them. He then reminded Jason "I've waited too long. I've waited patiently for the moment to employ this Intel in hopes of resurrecting my political career and, primary, redeeming myself in the eyes of my country". By saying that, he hoped to make clear to Jason than any other plan was unacceptable to him. Then he added firmly "I will not let this plan fail. I cannot"
09:05 AM – Saint Andrew's hospital
Feeling terribly useless, Renee was sitting in a hospital chair, waiting for somebody to inform her about Jack's state. She kept shooting nervous glances at the white door with the sign which said 'operating room 5'. It remained closed. She nervously rubbed the back of her left hand with her right one, and the back of her right hand with her left one. Over and over again. She looked down and noticed her hands were still tainted with Jack's blood. So was her t-shirt. One tear rolled from her eye down her cheek and her entire body began again trembling like jelly.
She was feeling like in that nightmare about her dad. She had dreamt several times that she was happy with her father on a plane until it was hit by a missile. In that dream the plane kept falling even though Captain Walker struggled hard to control it and all Renee knew for certain was that the end was coming.
Out of the blue, her cell phone went off, somewhat startling her. This wasn't a nightmare. Jack had truly been shot. She was truly powerless. When she saw it was Chloe she took the call with a shaky voice "yeah?"
"Renee? It's Chloe. How is he?" Chloe was also going out of her mind with concern.
"Not good" Renee whined softly. She could barely hide her fear and desperation. "The doctors are working on him. But nobody tells me anything." She hated feeling so helpless. She was going crazy. She had to do something. "Chloe, I think there's a connection to what you told me over the phone"
Chloe wished badly to be able to be with Jack and Renee at that moment. But her job made that impossible. She said sadly "We are still looking into it. Don't worry about that now. Just… be with him"
"I can't be with him… he's in surgery" She said brusquely, trying to in vain to conceal her desperation. She was falling apart. She couldn't stand feeling so useless. "Is there any clue about who did this?"
Chloe swallowed hard her angst and took a few deep breaths, a technique she had once mocked but ultimately realized it helped. After years of deep pain and heartbreaking loses she had learnt to handle a crisis with a cold head. "The shots were fired from an office across the street. PD reported finding a body at the scene, and a riffle." Then she made a short awkward pause and added something she found truly strange. "Also… a man got pushed from the office. He survived and is being taken to the hospital in a very bad shape"
"What? Do you have an ID?" Renee had a very bad feeling about the entire thing.
"No, but he has those tattoos you talked about earlier. He's from the Red Square" Chloe was desperate to understand what was going on. Was it about retaliation for Jack earlier busting Sergei Bazhaev?
Renee was having a hard time processing the information she kept getting. But next she spotted Leo approaching with a woman, and then one possibility came to her mind. "Chloe, that guy must be the shooter"
"If he's is the shooter, who tried to kill him?" It was one of the many questions that kept popping in Chloe's head.
"I'm gonna have to call you back" Renee babbled as she stared at Leo. Since she couldn't do anything for Jack, she needed to understand what had happened. Immediately after hanging up, she walked towards him.
"Hey, how is he? Is he going to be fine?" he was extremely worried since he knew how important Jack was for Renee.
"I don't know" She admitted with a shaky voice, struggling to stop the river of tears that threatened with coming up from her eyes. "They are still working on him, nobody is telling me anything"
Leo noticed that nervous blinking of hers and her lower lips trembling, an obvious sign that she wanted badly to cry but was trying to appear strong. He wished to offer some consolation. "I think… I think that's a good sign. They are still trying to help him. That means they can. I'm sure he gets through this"
Probably, in different circumstances, she would have allowed her friend to hold her as she cried. But at that moment, she needed to know the truth. "Just tell me who did that to him, Leo. What the hell is going on?"
Liz discretely backed away to give them privacy and keep a vigilant eye on whoever got anywhere near them. Leo led gently Renee to a chair and made her sit down as he showed her a picture he had on his PDA. "This man is Pavel Tokarev. He shot Jack... He's from the Red Square…"
But she wasn't paying attention to his words. She was looking at the picture, horrified. "It's him… I saw him posing as an EMT where Hassan got killed. Vladimir introduced him to me" As she recalled that dinner, she felt Vladimir's hand on her knee and saw his smirk. She flinched feeling sick. Then Leo's voice snapped her back to reality.
"He works for the mob and the SVR. He was sent there to kill Samir and cover that somebody in the Russian government assisted the IRK opposition"
That was a lot of information to process in such short time. The first thing that came to her head was that none of that was related to Jack. "But why did he want Jack dead? He didn't even…" She was about to say 'he didn't even know him', but was suddenly hit by a harsh realization. "I… I knew him. Jack wasn't the target, wasn't he?" Her friend just stared sadly in silence. So Renee just repeated almost robotically. "Jack wasn't the target"
Leo shook his head as his heart ached for what was happening to her. "Pavel thought you'd recognized him at the crime scene, so somebody we couldn't ID ordered him to kill you… you were his primary target." Right after that, he added truly mortified "When I tried to stop him he took me hostage, I'm so sorry"
The only thing Renee understood was that everything had been her fault. After everything she had already put him through now Jack had been shot because of her past. But she couldn't react in any way. She couldn't even move at all or cry. Before she could overcome her shock, the door of the OR opened. Renee saw one of the youngest doctors walking towards her, a Latina-looking short woman with brown hair and eyes.
Finally, Renee summoned somehow the strength she needed to stand up and face whatever the doctor had to say.
Dr. Patricia Torres was a first year resident who was sent to inform about Mr. Bauer's condition. She approached the woman who had come in the ambulance with him. She had that look on her face. She had seen it many times before. It was look that pleaded in silent desperation 'no, don't tell me…' To put her more at ease, Patricia rushed to give the good news first. "Mr. Bauer is stable at the moment" The woman sighed slightly relieved for a second but then stared at the doctor expectantly, knowing there was more, a 'but' was coming. Patricia proceeded with the explanation "The bullet lacerated his lung, causing a hemopneumothorax. It means blood and air in the chest cavity. We have to remove the bullet and repair the damage"
"Will he…? Will he be fine after that?" Renee felt her entire life depended on the answer to that question.
"There's no way to know this soon, unfortunately. But we need a relative's consent to start the procedure right away. Are you his wife?"
"No" Renee replied sadly, thinking Jack's wife had been a much better person who would have never done this to him. "He… he has a daughter… but she's in Los Angeles. I can call her" The doctor nodded encouraging her to do that. Renee searched Kim's number in Jack's cell memory. But then she froze, realizing how Kim would react. "No… I can't call her… Somebody should, just not me"
"Would you prefer it if I talked to her?" the doctor offered gently.
"Yeah, please" Renee nodded and after dialing Kim's cell number she handed the phone to the doctor as if it were burning. Then she walked towards Leo with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Then she stared at her friend with the most shocked face Leo had ever seen in her. "They are calling his daughter… Jack is in surgery with a bullet on his chest… a bullet with my name… it should be me in there" at that point she couldn't take it anymore and broke down in uncontrollable sobs as her friend held her.
Merely two minutes later, Liz approached them feeling truly bad for having to interrupt with some bad news right at that moment. But sadly, it was a very urgent matter. "I'm sorry, there's something you both should know" Leo and Renee looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to go on. "They've just brought a John Doe… who was pushed through a window… head and spinal trauma… a finger chopped off…" Looking directly at Leo, she announced gravely "Craig… it's him"
"What?" Leo was absolutely outraged. Pavel had survived the three-floor fall? "Damn it! Lucky bastard!"
Renee brushed the tears from her eyes with her sleeve and got a somber expression in her face. She was determined to make whoever had hurt Jack pay. But first, she realized she still needed to understand many things. "I'll take care of that… but first, Leo, I believe you have some explaining to do"
TO BE CONTINUED…
(Please, tell me what you think)