"Stand up,"
Jack looked up and frowned at the man whose punch had sent him to the floor. Nevertheless, he did as he was asked. He got up slowly, partly because his muscles still ached from the punches and partly because he thought it safer not to make any sudden movements. These were thugs – no more and no less. If he scared them, they would attack –and that wouldn't help anyone. They needed to feel as if they were in charge.
"You're supposed to be buying information- not beating it out of me" Jack observed, rubbing his stomach like a man unused to such brutish behaviour.
"Yeah well, we'll see about that," his attacker replied, sounding less than convincing. He nodded at one of the men behind Jack, who responded by raising his gun and pressing it sharply into Jack's temple.
It was clear to Jack that these guys knew very little – probably less than Jack – about what was happening – or why. They were just following orders. The orders appeared to be just to capture him alive – which suited Jack. Jack's plan was equally simple. He wanted to distract the men from searching him, to get as far as he could – as close as possible to the men behind the operation - still wired.
The guard who punched Jack had pulled a radio from his waistband and started to talk
"We have him Ril", he said
The radio crackled in response and then Jack could make out another voice, with a foreign accent. He hoped it was audible at CTU too. He could imagine Michelle desperately searching and cross referencing computer files: voice records, names, photos...
"We'll be there in five. Don't let him go. He's dangerous. Search him, And Travis..."
"Sir?"
"Make him uncomfortable"
Travis smirked. Jack stared straight ahead, his eyes cold. He had to distract them from the search but they looked a bit trigger happy so an attempted escape would be dangerous. And nothing from CTU yet so they needed more time to check the records.
Watching the screen carefully, Chappelle called Chase again,
"Hold your position Chase. We're expecting more people to arrive. We need pictures transmitted as soon as you see them. Got that?"
Chase confirmed the order and asked,
"What about Jack?"
"Jack's fine" Chappelle replied, looking at Tony as if daring him to contradict.
In the warehouse, Jack had decided on his best course of action.
"Can't make your own decisions then?" Jack questioned Travis. "You must be bottom of the pile. I could take you so easily – probably just one punch."
Tony allowed himself a half smile. Yes Jack, you probably could – he thought
"Yeah – well – me too" Travis responded, immediately riled by Jack's taunts. He slammed his fist into Jack's stomach one more time. But this time Jack was ready for it – he had asked for it and he saw it coming. He read it well, bent his knees slightly to help him balance and took a step back as the punch connected. He was still winded and he grunted involuntarily as he bent at the waist - but he was still upright.
"See" Jack said, through gritted teeth as he straightened up.
"I've got a match," Michelle shouted triumphantly.
Tony and Chapelle moved across to Michelle's monitor to read the names.
"Alert Jack" Chapelle said. "Let him know we're getting there. And organise back up for Chase. We're gonna take a look at this guy Ril when he arrives – if we get the chance – and then we're gonna get Jack out.
Jack looked up and frowned at the man whose punch had sent him to the floor. Nevertheless, he did as he was asked. He got up slowly, partly because his muscles still ached from the punches and partly because he thought it safer not to make any sudden movements. These were thugs – no more and no less. If he scared them, they would attack –and that wouldn't help anyone. They needed to feel as if they were in charge.
"You're supposed to be buying information- not beating it out of me" Jack observed, rubbing his stomach like a man unused to such brutish behaviour.
"Yeah well, we'll see about that," his attacker replied, sounding less than convincing. He nodded at one of the men behind Jack, who responded by raising his gun and pressing it sharply into Jack's temple.
It was clear to Jack that these guys knew very little – probably less than Jack – about what was happening – or why. They were just following orders. The orders appeared to be just to capture him alive – which suited Jack. Jack's plan was equally simple. He wanted to distract the men from searching him, to get as far as he could – as close as possible to the men behind the operation - still wired.
The guard who punched Jack had pulled a radio from his waistband and started to talk
"We have him Ril", he said
The radio crackled in response and then Jack could make out another voice, with a foreign accent. He hoped it was audible at CTU too. He could imagine Michelle desperately searching and cross referencing computer files: voice records, names, photos...
"We'll be there in five. Don't let him go. He's dangerous. Search him, And Travis..."
"Sir?"
"Make him uncomfortable"
Travis smirked. Jack stared straight ahead, his eyes cold. He had to distract them from the search but they looked a bit trigger happy so an attempted escape would be dangerous. And nothing from CTU yet so they needed more time to check the records.
Watching the screen carefully, Chappelle called Chase again,
"Hold your position Chase. We're expecting more people to arrive. We need pictures transmitted as soon as you see them. Got that?"
Chase confirmed the order and asked,
"What about Jack?"
"Jack's fine" Chappelle replied, looking at Tony as if daring him to contradict.
In the warehouse, Jack had decided on his best course of action.
"Can't make your own decisions then?" Jack questioned Travis. "You must be bottom of the pile. I could take you so easily – probably just one punch."
Tony allowed himself a half smile. Yes Jack, you probably could – he thought
"Yeah – well – me too" Travis responded, immediately riled by Jack's taunts. He slammed his fist into Jack's stomach one more time. But this time Jack was ready for it – he had asked for it and he saw it coming. He read it well, bent his knees slightly to help him balance and took a step back as the punch connected. He was still winded and he grunted involuntarily as he bent at the waist - but he was still upright.
"See" Jack said, through gritted teeth as he straightened up.
"I've got a match," Michelle shouted triumphantly.
Tony and Chapelle moved across to Michelle's monitor to read the names.
"Alert Jack" Chapelle said. "Let him know we're getting there. And organise back up for Chase. We're gonna take a look at this guy Ril when he arrives – if we get the chance – and then we're gonna get Jack out.