Chapter 17
Michelle and Kim sat in Tony's office. Kim did not want to sit in the clinic room anymore and they both knew there was work to be done, and now were ready to do it. Kim was all smiles now, not knowing her father was going to endanger himself again. Michelle was happy for Kim and happy that Jack was not dead. She had liked Jack from the moment she saw him walk into CTU. She had heard the stories about him and thought he was a stubborn agent that always put others in danger, but after she met him, she knew it was not true. Jack had a habit which when he started doing something, he had to finish it. There was no halfway on this. Either you do it or you don't. It was black and white for Jack. The gray barely present, but on those few rare occasions when it is needed. She knew Jack could get the job done, and the thought of not seeing him again hurt her.
"Michelle, does Tony have his cell phone on him? I really would like to speak to my father again, and Chase." Kim asked sitting on the couch in Tony's office looking through some old paperwork.
"I think so. Here, try the number." Michelle said tossing Kim the cordless phone.
After a couple of rings Tony picked up the phone, "Almeida."
"Hey Tony, it's Kim. Is my father with you?"
"Yeah. Hold on."\
Kim could hear the sound of the car and deduced that Tony was driving Jack home or to CTU.
"Kim." Jack said into the phone trying not to let the pain show through his voice. The drugs were wearing off and he knew he needed to take more, but he did not want to cloud his mind.
"Dad. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little tired, that's all." Jack said lying.
"Where are you guys going?" Kim asked.
"Tony is taking me home." Jack answered.
"Really?" Kim said thinking her father was lying about it. Jack was never one not to finish what he started or to go home in the middle of all of the trouble that was going on. "I'll meet you there, then."
Jack wanted to protest it would not be safe for her to be there, but he figured he could always have her leave after she saw him. She would be worried at first, but when he said he would be resting maybe she would leave. "You shouldn't be leaving the hospital?"
"You probably should be in a hospital, but you aren't so I'm just taking after you. Chase should be in a hospital. He's not, so I'm just copying him too." Kim said determined to know he was really going home.
"Fine." Jack said not wanting to argue with his daughter. "We'll be there in a few minutes. Who is going to drive you?" Jack asked knowing his daughter was injured and should not drive.
Putting her hand over the phone, Kim asked Michelle, "Would you drive me over to my father's apartment? Tony is taking him home now."
"Sure. Chappelle is here so he can take over CTU. Let me go tell him that we are taking off. We've both been here quite a while and deserve the time off." Michelle said getting up and leaving the office, eager to see Tony again.
"Michelle is. We'll meet you guys there. Keep Tony and Chase there till we arrive." Kim ordered her father.
"See you then." Jack said hanging up the phone as Tony pulled in front of Jack's crappy apartment building. Jack slid out of the car having trouble doing so because of the use of only one arm.
"You okay, Jack?" Chase asked noticing the pain in Jack's face.
"Yeah these damn broken ribs are a bitch."
Richard piped in, "I know how that is. Broke six ribs last year taking down this damn crackhead. Motherfucker would not stop fighting even when we had him in cuffs."
Jokingly Tony said, "Come on, Gimpy and Limpy. You too, Richard."
Jack smiled at the joke and said, "Hey I'm Gimpy, he's Limpy."
Chase thought of something to say, but chose not to because Jack would probably kill him for it.
Tony and Richard followed behind Jack and Chase as they walked up the steps to Jack's apartment. Each movement made more pain shoot through Jack, but he knew he better get used to it because it will be with him for awhile, and he figured he's been in the worst shape and done a lot more in that condition.
"Do you have your keys. Jack?" Tony asked figuring he did not.
"Uh, no. Shit, I don't any of my things." Jack said thinking about his wallet, cell phone, and keys all missing.
"I'll go grab the manager then. She'll let us in." Tony said walking down the hallway towards the manager's apartment.
Jack and Chase leaned against the wall waiting for Tony to come back. Neither spoke to each other. There was not much to say about anything; talking about the weather, news, or anything else would be absurd considering they both know what's on. The nightly news is hardly the true news and two men in their position having small talk about the weather is just a crazy idea.
Tony finally came and saved them from having to even attempt small talk. The manager unlocked the apartment and took note of how horrible the two of the four men looked. Waiting outside the apartment door for Jack and Tony to go in and the manager to leave, Richard finally said, "I think I'm going to hang outside and make sure all is clear there. If anyone comes, I'll warn you by calling your cell phone. I believe I have the number."
"That's a good idea, Richard. Word has probably gotten back to the people that Jack is not dead and they will want to clean up that mistake." Chase said looking inside the apartment. "I'll join you in a few minutes."
Jack walked into the apartment and asked, "You want a beer?"
"No, some coffee would be nice if you have coffee." Tony said.
"Yeah. I'll make a pot of coffee." Jack said limping to the kitchen. He found the Folder's coffee and put three scoops of it into the filter and added the water. After he finished making the coffee he said, "I'm going to change and shave. Make yourselves at home."
Jack walked back to his room and looked through the closet for comfortable clothes to put on. He hated to wear sweat pants in public so he choose a comfortable pair of blue jeans that were a little big for him. He found a clean shirt, and a wife beater to put on under it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------
Sherry sat on the couch that less than an hour ago Tony, Chase, and Richard had occupied. She was not sure what was going on, "Why did you decided to let him go David?"
"I couldn't keep him here any longer. I feel guilty for what I did and what I had done before. If we have a chance at figuring out what those people are up to, Jack is our only lead and he is not going to give the information to me willingly. Therefore, Tony Almeida and the others will be better able to get it out of him because he is pissed at me and would not be willing to help me out in any way. You know what? I don't blame him. I did what I had to do and because of my choice he lost good men out in the field. I lied to him about what happened when his family was in danger, and then I asked him less than a few years later to come back and put himself in harm's way to save the country again after he paid more than he ever should have." David answered being angry at himself. He could see Sherry's personality in him at the moment. He did the same thing to Jack that she had done to him, and look how he treated her for doing it.
Ann sat in the background not saying anything. She was shocked and disgusted at the fact that David had done the things he had done today. She left him last year because she could not live in his world. A few weeks later, he called asking her to come back. She did because she loved him, and he was the most honest man and politician she had ever known, but today changed all of that. Not only did he endanger the life of Jack, but Jack's daughter. All of this and more of what he did and she was not sure if he was the man she thought he was. Maybe he was the typical politician, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
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Sitting in a parked car, Mandy and Amber watched as the people entered the building. A few minutes later, one of them left the building and sat in the car. Mandy wondered why the man did not drive off yet. He most likely had been watching for people to be coming. A few later, another man walked out with two cups of coffee in his hand. He handed one to the man in he car and got in and sat next to the man in the driver's seat. They talked about something Mandy was not able to identify because she did not read lips.
"Do you think more are coming?" Amber asked sitting in the passenger's seat.
"Yeah. My source told me his daughter and the other man's wife would be joining us soon. We'll go in with them. Try to grab them on the steps so we can control the two inside easily." Mandy answered as if she were saying something basic.
"Why are we going after him again? Clearly, he is in no shape to come after us, nor does he have any information dealing with our plan. So why risk it?" Amber asked wondering why they were chancing it again. In truth she was worried to because she was sure that Jack had not set her father and the others up in Kosovo, and she no longer had the hatred for him. She had learned a lot about him in the few short hours after his supposed death. The man Mandy worked with kept speaking of Jack's past, almost as if he looked up to the man. Amber learned that not only had Jack not set the men up, but he almost did not make it out. When he did get back, he was completely different to the point that his wife wanted to leave him. After they finally got back together, his wife was killed by the woman he had seen during the separation, who was also a mole. After that, Jack left CTU for awhile and came back to save L.A. from a nuclear bomb a few years ago. Jack did not seem like the type of man that would sell out an entire team.
"Because the people who are paying us want him. For what, I'm not sure, but they want him, and we said we would deliver. In this business, you have to keep your word, and not make mistakes like I did earlier by not killing him because they do not forgive easily." Mandy stated trying to show Amber what she was really into.
After stating those words, the two women got ready to go as Kim and Michelle had just parked outside of the apartment building.
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Michelle parked the car a few cars behind Tony's car that Chase and some other man had been sitting in. She walked up to the passenger window with Kim in tow. "Hey Chase." She said smiling.
Kim smiled at Chase and was happy to see him again.
"Hey. They are upstairs." Chase said referring to Tony and Jack.
"Why don't you and your friend go and grab some food for us. If I'm not mistaken, no one has really eaten anything all day." Michelle asked.
"Hi. I'm Richard. I used to work with Chase when he was in SWAT. It's no problem. Where would you like us to go?"
Michelle knew that the police in L.A. always knew of good places to eat so she said, "Why don't you pick a place? I'm not too acquainted with what's around here. Just no Chinese food, I know I have had too much of it, and I'm sure Tony, Chase, and Kim have also."
"No problem. Hamburgers okay?" Richard asked.
"Sounds great. Could you pick up some salads too." Michelle asked.
"Know just the place for those two things. We'll be back in about a half-hour for it. They cook the burgers fresh."
"Thanks guys. See you then." Michelle said backing away from the passenger window.
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Jack struggled to shave. Having to use only one arm was a pain in the ass. He cut himself a few times cursing quietly each time. He finished shaving the stubble that had accumulated over the past day and dried his face off with a towel. He walked into the bedroom and undressed. First, he undid the sling his arm was in and let it fall to the bed. He struggled to get the shirt off, trying to unbutton it with one hand. When he got to the pants, he was already frustrated with using only his right hand. He finally got them unbuttoned and unzipped. He let them fall to the floor and stepped out of them, happy to have the baggy and big clothes off.
In only boxer shorts, he looked at himself in the mirror noticing the bruises and knots on his body. He slowly pulled the tape back on the gauze on his left shoulder and looked at the damage done to it. The sight of it made him grimace in pain. He thought to himself, Bauer you've done it again. With that thought, he heard the door open and close again. He suspected it was Kim and Michelle coming in to the apartment. Though a second later, he thought about it because he did not hear Tony say hi or any other sort of greeting. Opening the drawer in the nightstand next to the bed, he searched for his gun. He cursed to himself when he remembered that had been the gun he had taken earlier and now was in the hands of who ever took it from Darla. He limped over to the dresser hoping he still had the gun in there. He was not sure if he had it there or in what use to be his study, but was rarely used now. Finding a small .38 caliber revolver his father had given to him when he turned 21, Jack took it in his hand. It was not loaded, nor did Jack have bullets for it, but they wouldn't know that.
Slowly Jack walked down the hallway towards the kitchen/living room area. He still did not hear anyone say anything. For a moment, he thought maybe he was just paranoid when he saw Mandy turn the corner holding Michelle at gunpoint. "Hello, Jack." She said when she saw him standing in the hallway gun pointed her way. "You look really good for a dead guy. Why don't you put the gun down? You don't want to have to clean her brains off your wall for the next few months nor deal with your friend on the couch who would be very upset."
Jack kept the gun pointed at her. If he put the gun down, he figured they were all dead anyway so he took a chance.
"Fine. Have it your way. Amber, why don't you show him who else we have with us. Maybe he will want to listen then." Mandy said moving back so that Jack could see that Amber had Kim at gun point.
Jack's eyes ran back and forth from Kim to Amber trying to judge whether or not she would shoot Kim. Not wanting to take a chance, nor see his daughter die, Jack lowered the gun to his side.
"On the floor, Jack." Mandy ordered.
Jack let the gun fall out of his hand to the floor. "Where is Tony?" Jack asked not seeing Tony anywhere.
"He's on the floor not moving like a good boy. He doesn't want to see his wife get hurt." Mandy paused for a moment contemplating what to do next. She could take just Jack back and make the boss happy or she could get Darla also. It would not be to hard to get Darla. She could use Michelle or Tony off each other and get one to go get Darla while she and Amber kept Jack and whoever else was left over company. "Walk over to the couch." Mandy ordered Jack.
He followed her order. He stood by the couch and felt relief when he saw Tony on the floor with his hands on his head.
Mandy ordered Tony, "Get up and keep your hands where I can see them." When Tony was off the floor she asked Jack, "Do you have anything I can tie them up with?"
"No." Jack answered, not wanting to make her job easier.
"I know you have something. Where is the good old duct tape that every person seems to have in their house? I bet Kim knows." Mandy said turning the gun on Jack. "Kim, where does your father keep the duct tape? Tell me or I'll have one less person to worry about tying up."
Kim was staring at her father. He looked horrible at the moment. She had not known he was wounded badly. The gauze covered his entire shoulder, and the rest of his torso was covered in bruises. She thought to herself that he looked worse than when the people had tortured him during the nuclear bomb incident. She could not bear to see any more pain brought his way so she answered, "Inside the top left drawer in the kitchen."
"Good girl. Let's go Jack, slowly." She said pushing Michelle towards the step up to the kitchen.
Jack slowly opened the kitchen drawer with his good arm and rummaged through it to find the duct tape. Pulling it out of the drawer he held it up for her to take from him.
"Now go tape Tony's hands behind his back." She ordered.
Jack asked back, "How do you expect me to do that with one hand?"
Mandy thought to herself, he had a point, not letting her anger show that she did not catch that she ordered, "Put the tape on the couch and then walk over to the wall and face it. If you turn around or move, I will have Amber shoot Kim. You too, Michelle." Mandy said pushing Michelle towards Jack.
Michelle had almost fallen into Jack from the push. The two stood facing the wall, neither turning around to see what was going on.
Almost inaudible Jack said to Michelle, "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."
"Hey, no talking." Mandy said as she rolled the tape again around Tony's arms. When she finished she walked up to Michelle and began to tape her hands behind her back. When she finished duct taping Tony, Michelle, and Kim's hands, she walked over to Jack who was still facing the wall not moving. "Amber, watch them. I'm sure Jack would love to get dressed now, and I really don't want to look at him in his boxer shorts."
Jack led Mandy back to his bedroom where he had his clothes laid out on the bed already.
"If you try anything, your daughter will pay for it. So let's make this easy on all of us." Mandy said pointing her gun at Jack.
Jack put the wife beater on first, and than slid his injured arm into the sleeve of the black button up shirt he had chosen earlier. After getting his left arm in. he struggled to get his right arm in. He was not used to only having one arm.
Noticing the struggle, Mandy reluctantly went and helped him put the arm into the sleeve. She was expecting it to be a trick or something like that, but he never tried anything.
He then grabbed the pants that laid on the bed and put them on. Only struggling slightly to button and zip them. When he finished, he said, "I didn't grab any socks out of the drawer." He was not going to walk over to the dresser and pull some out in case Mandy got a little antsy and thought he was going for something else, "I need to grab a pair out of the top drawer. If that's okay?"
"I'll grab them." Mandy said not taking the gun of Jack as she opened the drawer and pulled a pair of socks out.
Jack sat on the bed and cringed in pain as he bent over to put the sock on using one arm, which turned out to be quite a task. Finishing putting his socks on Jack looked at her and stated, "The sling for my arm is on the bed. I need to clip it back again before I put it on."
"Fine." Mandy said waiting for him. She knew why he kept telling her what he was doing, he was afraid she would react thinking he was doing something else. He was afraid for his daughter, and was making sure that nothing he did would affect her.
Jack could not get the clip to work with just one arm so Mandy ordered, "Grab it and walk out to the living room. Amber will help you button your shirt and get the sling on."
Doing as he was told he led her back out to the living room. Mandy told Amber, "Help him finish getting dressed."
Amber set her gun down on the TV away from Tony and the others. She then walked over and stood in front of Jack taking his shirt in her hands and began buttoning the buttons for him. She reached the last one and said, "Hand me the sling."
Jack handed it to her, and stood there feeling stupid because he could not even dress himself. She redid the sling strap for Jack and put it over his neck for him. He then took his bad arm grimacing in pain again and put it in the sling.
Amber walked behind him and adjusted the strap for him on the sling. She also fixed his collar that was sticking up in the air. When she finished, she walked over and grabbed her gun off the TV again.
Mandy looked at Michelle and asked, "When are the others going to be back?"
"I don't know. They ran to go get something to eat."
"Amber, take him down to the van we have to get ready to leave. Pull the Van around back we'll meet you there." Mandy ordered her, and then went on to remind Jack, "Don't forget that I have your daughter so don't try anything."
Amber put her gun under her shirt and grabbed Jack's good arm and led him out of the apartment towards the van.
On the way down, Jack began to ask her, "Why are you doing this? I knew your father and he would not want you to be doing this." Jack was not sure if mentioning her father would cause her to get angry or think about what she was doing, but it was the only card he had to play it. If they wanted him dead he would already be dead.
She took the barrel of her gun jabbing him in his injured shoulder causing him to grimace in pain, she ordered, "Shut up and walk."
Jack continued to walk down the steps. Before they reached the door leading to the outside world, she put her gun in her belt and told him, "Don't forget Mandy still has your daughter."
"What is she going to do with them?"
"I'm not sure. They'll be down in a minute. Keep moving." Amber said putting her arm around him leading him towards a black van that was parked across the street down.
When they reached the van, she pulled the back doors open and waited for Jack to get into the back and sit on a bench inside. She closed the door as she slid in behind him. She pulled her gun out again and continued to point it at him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
Mandy pulled Tony aside from the women. Walking him back to Jack's room, she had him sit on Jack's bed. "You are going to do something for me." Mandy said looking at Tony.
"Yeah. What's that?" Tony asked trying to act tough.
"You are going to get Darla for me. I know CTU has her and I need her."
"Why would I do that?" Tony asked knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear it so he knew for sure.
"Because I have your wife and Kim. You wouldn't want them to get hurt." Mandy answered coolly.
"What about Jack?" Tony asked.
"He's going to stay with me. I think you are getting a fair deal, you, your wife, and Kim get to walk away from this situation alive for the price of one person."
"How am I sure you won't change your mind?"
"I can give you my word that no harm will come to you, your wife, or Kim is you do as I ask, and you will be released after I have Darla in my possession. That's all. Take the deal or I'll kill all three of you right now."
"Fine. Where do you want me to take Darla to?"
"I'll call you with the details later. I'm going to cut your hands free. If you try anything, everyone dies." Mandy said pulling out a knife from her pocket. She opened the knife and cut Tony's hands free. "Wait here ten minutes and then take off. Where are the pills the doctor gave to Jack?"
"Jack has them, I believe." Tony answered sitting on Jack's bed thinking about a possible way out of his current situation. Nothing coming to mind, Tony went with the flow. He figured that is what Jack would do. Wait for the opportunity and go for it. The moment wasn't coming so he would go with it until it did.
Mandy walked out of the room and helped Michelle and Kim off the couch, leading them to the same van Jack was in. When she opened the back door, Mandy said to Amber, "You drive. I'll sit in back with them."
Amber got out of the van and went to the driver seat. She started the van and took off towards an unknown location.
Jack looked around trying to find someway of knowing where they were taking them. Mandy scooted over to sit next to him. Having Michelle and Kim across from him, she asked him, "Where are the pills the doctor gave you?"
"In my pocket." Jack answered.
"Get them out." Mandy ordered.
Jack reached with his good hand and pulled the pills out of his pocket. He handed the bottle to Mandy. After studying the bottle for a second she handed it back to him and ordered him, "Take two of them now."
Jack fiddled with the lid unable to pop it open with just his one hand. He hated the child safety measures put on the pill bottles it only stopped everyone from being able to open them.
Frustrated with Jack Mandy wrenched the bottle away from him and opened it, taking two of the white pills out. She put them in Jack's hand and said, "Take them."
"I need water or something." Jack answered back.
Amber reached over to the cup holder and pulled out the bottle of water she had with her and handed it back to Jack saying, "Here."
Jack last hope went away with that. He knew what two pills would do to him. It was not enough to overdose, but enough to put him out for awhile. He tried to stall that by asking for water. He knew he could take them without water, but they didn't know that. He put the two pills in his mouth and took a gulp of water.
"Open your mouth." Mandy ordered. Jack did as he was asked and showed her that the pills were not hiding under his tongue or anywhere else for that matter.
"Good boy." Mandy commended him taking out her cell phone to call Tony. When he answered the phone she asked, "Have you left yet?"
"I'm leaving now." Tony answered nervously.
"I'll call back in twenty minutes you better have her by then and on your way out of CTU." Mandy warned.
"I will." _____________________________________________________________________
Michelle and Kim sat in Tony's office. Kim did not want to sit in the clinic room anymore and they both knew there was work to be done, and now were ready to do it. Kim was all smiles now, not knowing her father was going to endanger himself again. Michelle was happy for Kim and happy that Jack was not dead. She had liked Jack from the moment she saw him walk into CTU. She had heard the stories about him and thought he was a stubborn agent that always put others in danger, but after she met him, she knew it was not true. Jack had a habit which when he started doing something, he had to finish it. There was no halfway on this. Either you do it or you don't. It was black and white for Jack. The gray barely present, but on those few rare occasions when it is needed. She knew Jack could get the job done, and the thought of not seeing him again hurt her.
"Michelle, does Tony have his cell phone on him? I really would like to speak to my father again, and Chase." Kim asked sitting on the couch in Tony's office looking through some old paperwork.
"I think so. Here, try the number." Michelle said tossing Kim the cordless phone.
After a couple of rings Tony picked up the phone, "Almeida."
"Hey Tony, it's Kim. Is my father with you?"
"Yeah. Hold on."\
Kim could hear the sound of the car and deduced that Tony was driving Jack home or to CTU.
"Kim." Jack said into the phone trying not to let the pain show through his voice. The drugs were wearing off and he knew he needed to take more, but he did not want to cloud his mind.
"Dad. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little tired, that's all." Jack said lying.
"Where are you guys going?" Kim asked.
"Tony is taking me home." Jack answered.
"Really?" Kim said thinking her father was lying about it. Jack was never one not to finish what he started or to go home in the middle of all of the trouble that was going on. "I'll meet you there, then."
Jack wanted to protest it would not be safe for her to be there, but he figured he could always have her leave after she saw him. She would be worried at first, but when he said he would be resting maybe she would leave. "You shouldn't be leaving the hospital?"
"You probably should be in a hospital, but you aren't so I'm just taking after you. Chase should be in a hospital. He's not, so I'm just copying him too." Kim said determined to know he was really going home.
"Fine." Jack said not wanting to argue with his daughter. "We'll be there in a few minutes. Who is going to drive you?" Jack asked knowing his daughter was injured and should not drive.
Putting her hand over the phone, Kim asked Michelle, "Would you drive me over to my father's apartment? Tony is taking him home now."
"Sure. Chappelle is here so he can take over CTU. Let me go tell him that we are taking off. We've both been here quite a while and deserve the time off." Michelle said getting up and leaving the office, eager to see Tony again.
"Michelle is. We'll meet you guys there. Keep Tony and Chase there till we arrive." Kim ordered her father.
"See you then." Jack said hanging up the phone as Tony pulled in front of Jack's crappy apartment building. Jack slid out of the car having trouble doing so because of the use of only one arm.
"You okay, Jack?" Chase asked noticing the pain in Jack's face.
"Yeah these damn broken ribs are a bitch."
Richard piped in, "I know how that is. Broke six ribs last year taking down this damn crackhead. Motherfucker would not stop fighting even when we had him in cuffs."
Jokingly Tony said, "Come on, Gimpy and Limpy. You too, Richard."
Jack smiled at the joke and said, "Hey I'm Gimpy, he's Limpy."
Chase thought of something to say, but chose not to because Jack would probably kill him for it.
Tony and Richard followed behind Jack and Chase as they walked up the steps to Jack's apartment. Each movement made more pain shoot through Jack, but he knew he better get used to it because it will be with him for awhile, and he figured he's been in the worst shape and done a lot more in that condition.
"Do you have your keys. Jack?" Tony asked figuring he did not.
"Uh, no. Shit, I don't any of my things." Jack said thinking about his wallet, cell phone, and keys all missing.
"I'll go grab the manager then. She'll let us in." Tony said walking down the hallway towards the manager's apartment.
Jack and Chase leaned against the wall waiting for Tony to come back. Neither spoke to each other. There was not much to say about anything; talking about the weather, news, or anything else would be absurd considering they both know what's on. The nightly news is hardly the true news and two men in their position having small talk about the weather is just a crazy idea.
Tony finally came and saved them from having to even attempt small talk. The manager unlocked the apartment and took note of how horrible the two of the four men looked. Waiting outside the apartment door for Jack and Tony to go in and the manager to leave, Richard finally said, "I think I'm going to hang outside and make sure all is clear there. If anyone comes, I'll warn you by calling your cell phone. I believe I have the number."
"That's a good idea, Richard. Word has probably gotten back to the people that Jack is not dead and they will want to clean up that mistake." Chase said looking inside the apartment. "I'll join you in a few minutes."
Jack walked into the apartment and asked, "You want a beer?"
"No, some coffee would be nice if you have coffee." Tony said.
"Yeah. I'll make a pot of coffee." Jack said limping to the kitchen. He found the Folder's coffee and put three scoops of it into the filter and added the water. After he finished making the coffee he said, "I'm going to change and shave. Make yourselves at home."
Jack walked back to his room and looked through the closet for comfortable clothes to put on. He hated to wear sweat pants in public so he choose a comfortable pair of blue jeans that were a little big for him. He found a clean shirt, and a wife beater to put on under it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------
Sherry sat on the couch that less than an hour ago Tony, Chase, and Richard had occupied. She was not sure what was going on, "Why did you decided to let him go David?"
"I couldn't keep him here any longer. I feel guilty for what I did and what I had done before. If we have a chance at figuring out what those people are up to, Jack is our only lead and he is not going to give the information to me willingly. Therefore, Tony Almeida and the others will be better able to get it out of him because he is pissed at me and would not be willing to help me out in any way. You know what? I don't blame him. I did what I had to do and because of my choice he lost good men out in the field. I lied to him about what happened when his family was in danger, and then I asked him less than a few years later to come back and put himself in harm's way to save the country again after he paid more than he ever should have." David answered being angry at himself. He could see Sherry's personality in him at the moment. He did the same thing to Jack that she had done to him, and look how he treated her for doing it.
Ann sat in the background not saying anything. She was shocked and disgusted at the fact that David had done the things he had done today. She left him last year because she could not live in his world. A few weeks later, he called asking her to come back. She did because she loved him, and he was the most honest man and politician she had ever known, but today changed all of that. Not only did he endanger the life of Jack, but Jack's daughter. All of this and more of what he did and she was not sure if he was the man she thought he was. Maybe he was the typical politician, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
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Sitting in a parked car, Mandy and Amber watched as the people entered the building. A few minutes later, one of them left the building and sat in the car. Mandy wondered why the man did not drive off yet. He most likely had been watching for people to be coming. A few later, another man walked out with two cups of coffee in his hand. He handed one to the man in he car and got in and sat next to the man in the driver's seat. They talked about something Mandy was not able to identify because she did not read lips.
"Do you think more are coming?" Amber asked sitting in the passenger's seat.
"Yeah. My source told me his daughter and the other man's wife would be joining us soon. We'll go in with them. Try to grab them on the steps so we can control the two inside easily." Mandy answered as if she were saying something basic.
"Why are we going after him again? Clearly, he is in no shape to come after us, nor does he have any information dealing with our plan. So why risk it?" Amber asked wondering why they were chancing it again. In truth she was worried to because she was sure that Jack had not set her father and the others up in Kosovo, and she no longer had the hatred for him. She had learned a lot about him in the few short hours after his supposed death. The man Mandy worked with kept speaking of Jack's past, almost as if he looked up to the man. Amber learned that not only had Jack not set the men up, but he almost did not make it out. When he did get back, he was completely different to the point that his wife wanted to leave him. After they finally got back together, his wife was killed by the woman he had seen during the separation, who was also a mole. After that, Jack left CTU for awhile and came back to save L.A. from a nuclear bomb a few years ago. Jack did not seem like the type of man that would sell out an entire team.
"Because the people who are paying us want him. For what, I'm not sure, but they want him, and we said we would deliver. In this business, you have to keep your word, and not make mistakes like I did earlier by not killing him because they do not forgive easily." Mandy stated trying to show Amber what she was really into.
After stating those words, the two women got ready to go as Kim and Michelle had just parked outside of the apartment building.
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Michelle parked the car a few cars behind Tony's car that Chase and some other man had been sitting in. She walked up to the passenger window with Kim in tow. "Hey Chase." She said smiling.
Kim smiled at Chase and was happy to see him again.
"Hey. They are upstairs." Chase said referring to Tony and Jack.
"Why don't you and your friend go and grab some food for us. If I'm not mistaken, no one has really eaten anything all day." Michelle asked.
"Hi. I'm Richard. I used to work with Chase when he was in SWAT. It's no problem. Where would you like us to go?"
Michelle knew that the police in L.A. always knew of good places to eat so she said, "Why don't you pick a place? I'm not too acquainted with what's around here. Just no Chinese food, I know I have had too much of it, and I'm sure Tony, Chase, and Kim have also."
"No problem. Hamburgers okay?" Richard asked.
"Sounds great. Could you pick up some salads too." Michelle asked.
"Know just the place for those two things. We'll be back in about a half-hour for it. They cook the burgers fresh."
"Thanks guys. See you then." Michelle said backing away from the passenger window.
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Jack struggled to shave. Having to use only one arm was a pain in the ass. He cut himself a few times cursing quietly each time. He finished shaving the stubble that had accumulated over the past day and dried his face off with a towel. He walked into the bedroom and undressed. First, he undid the sling his arm was in and let it fall to the bed. He struggled to get the shirt off, trying to unbutton it with one hand. When he got to the pants, he was already frustrated with using only his right hand. He finally got them unbuttoned and unzipped. He let them fall to the floor and stepped out of them, happy to have the baggy and big clothes off.
In only boxer shorts, he looked at himself in the mirror noticing the bruises and knots on his body. He slowly pulled the tape back on the gauze on his left shoulder and looked at the damage done to it. The sight of it made him grimace in pain. He thought to himself, Bauer you've done it again. With that thought, he heard the door open and close again. He suspected it was Kim and Michelle coming in to the apartment. Though a second later, he thought about it because he did not hear Tony say hi or any other sort of greeting. Opening the drawer in the nightstand next to the bed, he searched for his gun. He cursed to himself when he remembered that had been the gun he had taken earlier and now was in the hands of who ever took it from Darla. He limped over to the dresser hoping he still had the gun in there. He was not sure if he had it there or in what use to be his study, but was rarely used now. Finding a small .38 caliber revolver his father had given to him when he turned 21, Jack took it in his hand. It was not loaded, nor did Jack have bullets for it, but they wouldn't know that.
Slowly Jack walked down the hallway towards the kitchen/living room area. He still did not hear anyone say anything. For a moment, he thought maybe he was just paranoid when he saw Mandy turn the corner holding Michelle at gunpoint. "Hello, Jack." She said when she saw him standing in the hallway gun pointed her way. "You look really good for a dead guy. Why don't you put the gun down? You don't want to have to clean her brains off your wall for the next few months nor deal with your friend on the couch who would be very upset."
Jack kept the gun pointed at her. If he put the gun down, he figured they were all dead anyway so he took a chance.
"Fine. Have it your way. Amber, why don't you show him who else we have with us. Maybe he will want to listen then." Mandy said moving back so that Jack could see that Amber had Kim at gun point.
Jack's eyes ran back and forth from Kim to Amber trying to judge whether or not she would shoot Kim. Not wanting to take a chance, nor see his daughter die, Jack lowered the gun to his side.
"On the floor, Jack." Mandy ordered.
Jack let the gun fall out of his hand to the floor. "Where is Tony?" Jack asked not seeing Tony anywhere.
"He's on the floor not moving like a good boy. He doesn't want to see his wife get hurt." Mandy paused for a moment contemplating what to do next. She could take just Jack back and make the boss happy or she could get Darla also. It would not be to hard to get Darla. She could use Michelle or Tony off each other and get one to go get Darla while she and Amber kept Jack and whoever else was left over company. "Walk over to the couch." Mandy ordered Jack.
He followed her order. He stood by the couch and felt relief when he saw Tony on the floor with his hands on his head.
Mandy ordered Tony, "Get up and keep your hands where I can see them." When Tony was off the floor she asked Jack, "Do you have anything I can tie them up with?"
"No." Jack answered, not wanting to make her job easier.
"I know you have something. Where is the good old duct tape that every person seems to have in their house? I bet Kim knows." Mandy said turning the gun on Jack. "Kim, where does your father keep the duct tape? Tell me or I'll have one less person to worry about tying up."
Kim was staring at her father. He looked horrible at the moment. She had not known he was wounded badly. The gauze covered his entire shoulder, and the rest of his torso was covered in bruises. She thought to herself that he looked worse than when the people had tortured him during the nuclear bomb incident. She could not bear to see any more pain brought his way so she answered, "Inside the top left drawer in the kitchen."
"Good girl. Let's go Jack, slowly." She said pushing Michelle towards the step up to the kitchen.
Jack slowly opened the kitchen drawer with his good arm and rummaged through it to find the duct tape. Pulling it out of the drawer he held it up for her to take from him.
"Now go tape Tony's hands behind his back." She ordered.
Jack asked back, "How do you expect me to do that with one hand?"
Mandy thought to herself, he had a point, not letting her anger show that she did not catch that she ordered, "Put the tape on the couch and then walk over to the wall and face it. If you turn around or move, I will have Amber shoot Kim. You too, Michelle." Mandy said pushing Michelle towards Jack.
Michelle had almost fallen into Jack from the push. The two stood facing the wall, neither turning around to see what was going on.
Almost inaudible Jack said to Michelle, "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."
"Hey, no talking." Mandy said as she rolled the tape again around Tony's arms. When she finished she walked up to Michelle and began to tape her hands behind her back. When she finished duct taping Tony, Michelle, and Kim's hands, she walked over to Jack who was still facing the wall not moving. "Amber, watch them. I'm sure Jack would love to get dressed now, and I really don't want to look at him in his boxer shorts."
Jack led Mandy back to his bedroom where he had his clothes laid out on the bed already.
"If you try anything, your daughter will pay for it. So let's make this easy on all of us." Mandy said pointing her gun at Jack.
Jack put the wife beater on first, and than slid his injured arm into the sleeve of the black button up shirt he had chosen earlier. After getting his left arm in. he struggled to get his right arm in. He was not used to only having one arm.
Noticing the struggle, Mandy reluctantly went and helped him put the arm into the sleeve. She was expecting it to be a trick or something like that, but he never tried anything.
He then grabbed the pants that laid on the bed and put them on. Only struggling slightly to button and zip them. When he finished, he said, "I didn't grab any socks out of the drawer." He was not going to walk over to the dresser and pull some out in case Mandy got a little antsy and thought he was going for something else, "I need to grab a pair out of the top drawer. If that's okay?"
"I'll grab them." Mandy said not taking the gun of Jack as she opened the drawer and pulled a pair of socks out.
Jack sat on the bed and cringed in pain as he bent over to put the sock on using one arm, which turned out to be quite a task. Finishing putting his socks on Jack looked at her and stated, "The sling for my arm is on the bed. I need to clip it back again before I put it on."
"Fine." Mandy said waiting for him. She knew why he kept telling her what he was doing, he was afraid she would react thinking he was doing something else. He was afraid for his daughter, and was making sure that nothing he did would affect her.
Jack could not get the clip to work with just one arm so Mandy ordered, "Grab it and walk out to the living room. Amber will help you button your shirt and get the sling on."
Doing as he was told he led her back out to the living room. Mandy told Amber, "Help him finish getting dressed."
Amber set her gun down on the TV away from Tony and the others. She then walked over and stood in front of Jack taking his shirt in her hands and began buttoning the buttons for him. She reached the last one and said, "Hand me the sling."
Jack handed it to her, and stood there feeling stupid because he could not even dress himself. She redid the sling strap for Jack and put it over his neck for him. He then took his bad arm grimacing in pain again and put it in the sling.
Amber walked behind him and adjusted the strap for him on the sling. She also fixed his collar that was sticking up in the air. When she finished, she walked over and grabbed her gun off the TV again.
Mandy looked at Michelle and asked, "When are the others going to be back?"
"I don't know. They ran to go get something to eat."
"Amber, take him down to the van we have to get ready to leave. Pull the Van around back we'll meet you there." Mandy ordered her, and then went on to remind Jack, "Don't forget that I have your daughter so don't try anything."
Amber put her gun under her shirt and grabbed Jack's good arm and led him out of the apartment towards the van.
On the way down, Jack began to ask her, "Why are you doing this? I knew your father and he would not want you to be doing this." Jack was not sure if mentioning her father would cause her to get angry or think about what she was doing, but it was the only card he had to play it. If they wanted him dead he would already be dead.
She took the barrel of her gun jabbing him in his injured shoulder causing him to grimace in pain, she ordered, "Shut up and walk."
Jack continued to walk down the steps. Before they reached the door leading to the outside world, she put her gun in her belt and told him, "Don't forget Mandy still has your daughter."
"What is she going to do with them?"
"I'm not sure. They'll be down in a minute. Keep moving." Amber said putting her arm around him leading him towards a black van that was parked across the street down.
When they reached the van, she pulled the back doors open and waited for Jack to get into the back and sit on a bench inside. She closed the door as she slid in behind him. She pulled her gun out again and continued to point it at him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
Mandy pulled Tony aside from the women. Walking him back to Jack's room, she had him sit on Jack's bed. "You are going to do something for me." Mandy said looking at Tony.
"Yeah. What's that?" Tony asked trying to act tough.
"You are going to get Darla for me. I know CTU has her and I need her."
"Why would I do that?" Tony asked knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear it so he knew for sure.
"Because I have your wife and Kim. You wouldn't want them to get hurt." Mandy answered coolly.
"What about Jack?" Tony asked.
"He's going to stay with me. I think you are getting a fair deal, you, your wife, and Kim get to walk away from this situation alive for the price of one person."
"How am I sure you won't change your mind?"
"I can give you my word that no harm will come to you, your wife, or Kim is you do as I ask, and you will be released after I have Darla in my possession. That's all. Take the deal or I'll kill all three of you right now."
"Fine. Where do you want me to take Darla to?"
"I'll call you with the details later. I'm going to cut your hands free. If you try anything, everyone dies." Mandy said pulling out a knife from her pocket. She opened the knife and cut Tony's hands free. "Wait here ten minutes and then take off. Where are the pills the doctor gave to Jack?"
"Jack has them, I believe." Tony answered sitting on Jack's bed thinking about a possible way out of his current situation. Nothing coming to mind, Tony went with the flow. He figured that is what Jack would do. Wait for the opportunity and go for it. The moment wasn't coming so he would go with it until it did.
Mandy walked out of the room and helped Michelle and Kim off the couch, leading them to the same van Jack was in. When she opened the back door, Mandy said to Amber, "You drive. I'll sit in back with them."
Amber got out of the van and went to the driver seat. She started the van and took off towards an unknown location.
Jack looked around trying to find someway of knowing where they were taking them. Mandy scooted over to sit next to him. Having Michelle and Kim across from him, she asked him, "Where are the pills the doctor gave you?"
"In my pocket." Jack answered.
"Get them out." Mandy ordered.
Jack reached with his good hand and pulled the pills out of his pocket. He handed the bottle to Mandy. After studying the bottle for a second she handed it back to him and ordered him, "Take two of them now."
Jack fiddled with the lid unable to pop it open with just his one hand. He hated the child safety measures put on the pill bottles it only stopped everyone from being able to open them.
Frustrated with Jack Mandy wrenched the bottle away from him and opened it, taking two of the white pills out. She put them in Jack's hand and said, "Take them."
"I need water or something." Jack answered back.
Amber reached over to the cup holder and pulled out the bottle of water she had with her and handed it back to Jack saying, "Here."
Jack last hope went away with that. He knew what two pills would do to him. It was not enough to overdose, but enough to put him out for awhile. He tried to stall that by asking for water. He knew he could take them without water, but they didn't know that. He put the two pills in his mouth and took a gulp of water.
"Open your mouth." Mandy ordered. Jack did as he was asked and showed her that the pills were not hiding under his tongue or anywhere else for that matter.
"Good boy." Mandy commended him taking out her cell phone to call Tony. When he answered the phone she asked, "Have you left yet?"
"I'm leaving now." Tony answered nervously.
"I'll call back in twenty minutes you better have her by then and on your way out of CTU." Mandy warned.
"I will." _____________________________________________________________________