Chapter 4
Jack drove up to the perimeter established by the local police and flashed his badge. The officer looked at it and replied, "We've been expecting you Mr. Bauer. If you could park over there." He pointed to a spot near the edge of the perimeter that disappeared into the greenery beyond it. "The plant is surrounded on two sides by grass and trees, we're keeping the front clear for emergency vehicles."
Jack took his badge back and parked the car where instructed. He stepped around to the back and put on his flak jacket and loaded his pockets with extra clips and other gear. He checked both of his side arms and released the safeties. Just in case.
Jack closed the doors and headed to the front of the building lit up with dancing red and blue lights. Once he reached it, he showed his badge again to the closest officer, "Who's in charge right now?"
"Special Agent Goodrich, sir, over there." He pointed to a group of men in SWAT gear huddled together in conference.
Jack reached the group, "Agent Goodrich?"
He looked up and came over to meet Jack, hand out, "Good to see you again, Jack." They shook hands. "We could use your help."
"What's the situation?"
"Well, we have snipers placed on the rooftops of those two buildings," he pointed to their locations. "Then some more in the trees behind the plant. The tree line begins far behind the plant near the water, so they may not be as effective—"
Another officer ran up to them carrying a cell phone, "Sir, they are demanding to speak to Mr. Bauer again."
Jack held his hand out for the phone. "This is Bauer."
"Have you thought about it?" The deep voice said.
Jack didn't want to rise to his bait, so he said calmly, "What do you want?"
"We'll get to that soon enough."
Jack tried to get the man to talk hoping he would accidentally reveal something he could use. "Ok, why LA? Why California?"
This seemed to anger the voice, "You people with your fucking Hollywood, your Beverly Hills, your movies. Your celebrities make more in one week than my people see in one year. One movie budget here could fund our way of life for a year. "
Jack tried to soothe him and keep him talking, "Ok, then tell me what you want."
The voice was still angry, "Not yet! Let's see how your celebrities survive without power, how your city will survive without power. Our oil cannot help you if you have no plants to use it."
The line went dead.
Hassan slammed the phone down. Ariz looked at him nervously, "Why are you taunting them? Just tell them what we want. This is not helping our cause."
"Enough!" He slammed his fist down on the table. "This is my plan and we will do this my way."
Jack hung up the phone when his cell rang. He dug it out of his pocket and answered, "Bauer."
"Dad, it's me." Kim's voice wavered, "I've got Kate on the phone, it's about Ryan."
Jack walked away from the commotion to a quiet spot. "Kate?"
Kate was crying now, "Jack, Ryan's missing. I've called everyone and he's not here and his bike is in the front yard."
Jack's blood turned to ice in his veins and he started shaking. He didn't want to scare Kate anymore, but he was very worried. "Kate, slow down. Did you call Tommy and Jake?"
"Yes, of course! I called everyone."
"Honey, listen to me, we'll find him." Jack couldn't believe what was happening. Again. "Kate, I sent an agent over there earlier, has he arrived yet?"
"Yes, Agent Marks, he's here."
"Let me speak to him."
Kate handed the phone to the agent, "Marks."
Jack was trying to keep calm, "Listen to me very carefully. I think Ryan's disappearance has something to do with the terrorists here at the power plant. Do not let my wife know until I get confirmation. I don't want to scare her. Call in backup and keep her and the kids well guarded."
"Copy that, sir."
"Ok, could you put Kate back on?"
"Jack?" Kate was still crying. "What are we going to do?"
"We'll find him Kate, I promise. Agent Marks is going to stay with you and the kids. I trust him. He is bringing in backup to help look for Ryan and the police should arrive soon. I'll send Amy over to stay with you."
Kate sniffled, "Oh Jack, this is all my fault."
"No, Kate. He's fine, we'll find him. I'll call you as soon as I hear anything. I love you honey."
She whispered, "I love you too. Please find our son." She hung up.
"Kim, are you still there?"
"Yeah, Dad, what do you need me to do?"
Jack put his hands over his eyes, overcome with emotion. "Dispatch the police and FBI to the house to start a search. Also, could you call Amy for me, Kate really needs someone right now."
"Sure Dad, I'll call you with any news." They hung up.
Jack walked back over to Agent Goodrich and his men with anger in his eyes.
Agent Goodrich noticed the change in Jack. "Jack, what is it?"
"I'm going in. Those bastards have my son."
Ryan lifted his head up and looked around. He was alone.
To Be Continued...
Jack drove up to the perimeter established by the local police and flashed his badge. The officer looked at it and replied, "We've been expecting you Mr. Bauer. If you could park over there." He pointed to a spot near the edge of the perimeter that disappeared into the greenery beyond it. "The plant is surrounded on two sides by grass and trees, we're keeping the front clear for emergency vehicles."
Jack took his badge back and parked the car where instructed. He stepped around to the back and put on his flak jacket and loaded his pockets with extra clips and other gear. He checked both of his side arms and released the safeties. Just in case.
Jack closed the doors and headed to the front of the building lit up with dancing red and blue lights. Once he reached it, he showed his badge again to the closest officer, "Who's in charge right now?"
"Special Agent Goodrich, sir, over there." He pointed to a group of men in SWAT gear huddled together in conference.
Jack reached the group, "Agent Goodrich?"
He looked up and came over to meet Jack, hand out, "Good to see you again, Jack." They shook hands. "We could use your help."
"What's the situation?"
"Well, we have snipers placed on the rooftops of those two buildings," he pointed to their locations. "Then some more in the trees behind the plant. The tree line begins far behind the plant near the water, so they may not be as effective—"
Another officer ran up to them carrying a cell phone, "Sir, they are demanding to speak to Mr. Bauer again."
Jack held his hand out for the phone. "This is Bauer."
"Have you thought about it?" The deep voice said.
Jack didn't want to rise to his bait, so he said calmly, "What do you want?"
"We'll get to that soon enough."
Jack tried to get the man to talk hoping he would accidentally reveal something he could use. "Ok, why LA? Why California?"
This seemed to anger the voice, "You people with your fucking Hollywood, your Beverly Hills, your movies. Your celebrities make more in one week than my people see in one year. One movie budget here could fund our way of life for a year. "
Jack tried to soothe him and keep him talking, "Ok, then tell me what you want."
The voice was still angry, "Not yet! Let's see how your celebrities survive without power, how your city will survive without power. Our oil cannot help you if you have no plants to use it."
The line went dead.
Hassan slammed the phone down. Ariz looked at him nervously, "Why are you taunting them? Just tell them what we want. This is not helping our cause."
"Enough!" He slammed his fist down on the table. "This is my plan and we will do this my way."
Jack hung up the phone when his cell rang. He dug it out of his pocket and answered, "Bauer."
"Dad, it's me." Kim's voice wavered, "I've got Kate on the phone, it's about Ryan."
Jack walked away from the commotion to a quiet spot. "Kate?"
Kate was crying now, "Jack, Ryan's missing. I've called everyone and he's not here and his bike is in the front yard."
Jack's blood turned to ice in his veins and he started shaking. He didn't want to scare Kate anymore, but he was very worried. "Kate, slow down. Did you call Tommy and Jake?"
"Yes, of course! I called everyone."
"Honey, listen to me, we'll find him." Jack couldn't believe what was happening. Again. "Kate, I sent an agent over there earlier, has he arrived yet?"
"Yes, Agent Marks, he's here."
"Let me speak to him."
Kate handed the phone to the agent, "Marks."
Jack was trying to keep calm, "Listen to me very carefully. I think Ryan's disappearance has something to do with the terrorists here at the power plant. Do not let my wife know until I get confirmation. I don't want to scare her. Call in backup and keep her and the kids well guarded."
"Copy that, sir."
"Ok, could you put Kate back on?"
"Jack?" Kate was still crying. "What are we going to do?"
"We'll find him Kate, I promise. Agent Marks is going to stay with you and the kids. I trust him. He is bringing in backup to help look for Ryan and the police should arrive soon. I'll send Amy over to stay with you."
Kate sniffled, "Oh Jack, this is all my fault."
"No, Kate. He's fine, we'll find him. I'll call you as soon as I hear anything. I love you honey."
She whispered, "I love you too. Please find our son." She hung up.
"Kim, are you still there?"
"Yeah, Dad, what do you need me to do?"
Jack put his hands over his eyes, overcome with emotion. "Dispatch the police and FBI to the house to start a search. Also, could you call Amy for me, Kate really needs someone right now."
"Sure Dad, I'll call you with any news." They hung up.
Jack walked back over to Agent Goodrich and his men with anger in his eyes.
Agent Goodrich noticed the change in Jack. "Jack, what is it?"
"I'm going in. Those bastards have my son."
Ryan lifted his head up and looked around. He was alone.
To Be Continued...