The Man In The Hat

by sentient1212

Jack faces new danger as he is forced to again protect his family, and his mew love. Please review!

The Man In The Hat -

Chapter 1

It was two months since the doctors had declared Jack recovered from the injuries he'd suffered at the hands of Andrei Drazen's sons, who had come too close, again, to killing him. He'd gone back to CTU temporarily, to foil another nuclear attack aimed at New York and London, but he'd made it clear that he would never again return there. Hammond had been all sweetness and light when he'd needed Jack, but his real feelings had never changed. He loathed Jack, and was glad he was gone from CTU. He would always be an out-of-control rogue agent, Hammond believed, and CTU was better off without him. Jack knew Hammond's true feelings, of course, for Hammond had made no attempt to disguise them once the crisis was over. It only reinforced Jack's intention to walk away from CTU for good.

Jack still felt bitter after his time in prison, and for some time he'd stayed home, content to be a grandfather and, for once, to just take care of himself. He'd never been idle before, and it was a new but not altogether unpleasant sensation for him. But even though he loved his grandson Robby more than he'd ever imagined, after a few months of babysitting he felt himself at loose ends.

He had settled into a wonderful life with Barbara. They were planning their wedding, although Jack was still a little nervous, not about marriage, because he knew that he and Barbara were meant to be together, but because of the possibility that an enemy of his might still come after her. He was afraid that being his wife would put her in danger from whoever was out to get him. He couldn't risk that, but he acknowledged to himself that just being with him made her a target for anyone who wanted to get him. He couldn't be alone any longer; he wasn't going to let his work ruin his relationship. He'd had enough of that. Barbara understood and accepted that she might be at risk, but she had chosen to make her life with him anyway. She felt incomplete without Jack.

He loved being with her. She earned substantial fees, so she'd been able to buy a more-than-comfortable house high in the hills overlooking the Valley, with a view of the Pacific in the distance. It was contemporary, as were the furnishings, in pale gray with shades of red and deeper gray and black as accents. The house was full of light although a description of the furnishings made them seem dark. Jack knew that Barbara's favorite color was red. That was the color of her car, and well as the color of the roses he got her every week. He knew that red set off her black hair and obsidian eyes, which he found irresistible.

A deck ran the length of the back of the house, along the four bedrooms and the kitchen. Barbara had decorated the master bedroom with shades of rich grays and splashes of bright red, and it had tremendous walk-in closets, along with a whirlpool and steam shower in the large master bath.

The kitchen had white cabinets and black granite countertops, a long work island with a cooktop and an extra sink, and a breakfast bar with four bar chairs upholstered in black. They tried to use the breakfast bar as little as possible. On the deck just outside the kitchen were a wrought iron table and chairs, with red and white cushions that matched the ones on chaise lounges at the other end. They used the deck as often as weather permitted. They both thought eating outside was the perfect way to begin the day, and to end it. When they both made it home in time they had dinner outside. Sometimes Barbara cooked, other times they had take-out, but even burgers by candlelight was romantic to them, and they took the opportunity to talk about everything, not just how their days had gone. They were still discovering things about each other, and they were coming to realize that such delightful discoveries only deepened their relationship.

A microwave stood on the end of the kitchen counter next to the coffeepot, which was usually in use. As he recovered from his prison injuries Jack had reluctantly agreed to switch to decaf, because caffeine had begun to interfere with his need for sleep. Barbara knew that Jack's caffeine intake had dropped sharply when he was imprisoned, but his withdrawal from that was nothing compared to the 'cold turkey' he'd survived as his body let go of the terrible hold that heroin had on him. He'd toughed it out as he did every challenge he confronted, and he'd won the hardest battle of his life. It hadn't destroyed him as it had many others. There was nothing Jack couldn't do, and while overcoming his addiction when he did had not then been his priority, when confronted with it Jack had refused the non-addicting drugs that were available to assist him through the worst of the symptoms. If he was going to detox, it would be on his terms. He realized that the only way he could be sure he had beaten it was to attack it head-on, and come away victorious. As with everything in his life, failure was simply not an option.

He'd stayed with Kim and Chase when he was first released from prison, but he had soon found his own place. Part of his decision to leave had been their desire to make the extra bedroom into a nursery, but the other part had been his need to test himself, to make sure he could stay clean even when he was alone, when he didn't have to worry about Kim or Chase spotting the signs that he was using again. At his own place Jack had proven to himself, always his toughest critic, that he could resist the temptation, even when he wasn't motivated to stay clean by the fear that someone else would discover the weakness that a relapse would show. He knew that he would never be an ex-addict; he would always be 'recovering,' for part of his body would continue to crave the drug, and he would never be able to fully overcome that. What saved him was the sheer force of his will, a stubbornness that had always stood him in good stead when he was faced with seemingly insurmountable problems, and Barbara's unwavering faith in him. The same determination that had enabled him to survive capture, beatings, torture, physical and psychological injuries beyond description stood him in good stead in this battle. It had let his sheer will to live, which had never been destroyed but had been subjugated, return to his consciousness, and had let him forgive himself for what had seemed unforgivable.

His comfort at living in her house had at first surprised him, but it had happened slowly, starting with their physical need for each other. Spending more and more nights together had led first to leaving his toothbrush in the master bathroom, and then little by little his clothes had seemed to migrate there until he was making good use of one of the walk-in closets. He had more belongings at Barbara's than at his apartment, so when he formally moved in he had only some books to take. He knew that Barbara was happy when he finally gave up his own place, for it was a major step in making his commitment to her.

They spent all of their free time together, and Jack felt totally relaxed in what they both knew had started as her house but had become their home. The thought that wherever he was with Barbara would always be home brought him a contentment he thought he'd never know again.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 2

Jack saw his grandson, Robby, as often as possible. He and Barbara frequently babysat when Kim and Chase went to the movies or out to dinner, comfortable that their son was in the best of care. Before he had gone back to work Jack had even learned to change diapers, something he'd rarely done with Kim. Times had changed, along with diapers, and Jack wasn't familiar with the disposable kind. Chase shared the duties with Kim whenever he was home, and Jack realized that he could be a full-service grandfather.

He was determined not to miss a single stage of Robby's development, for he felt flashes of regret as he realized how much of Kim's growth he had missed out on. His growing pragmatism made him understand that at the time he couldn't have given up his work. He'd acted true to his character, and while he had changed with age, he couldn't have done things differently when Kim was growing up. Teri had never accepted it, and Jack didn't blame her. She hadn't signed on for the life he chose - and he understood that it had been his decision, made unilaterally, to join CTU. Teri had married an English Literature student, who'd gone on to get his masters in criminology. Nothing had indicated that he would elect a life of unremitting danger, which meant frequent unexplained absences, and a seemingly constant string of near-fatal injuries. He now realized the loneliness and fear he had caused her, and he would forever regret it. When he reflected upon it he was surprised that she hadn't asked him to leave much sooner in their relationship, and he was even more surprised that she had asked him to come back. Forgiving him for his affair with Nina - before either of them knew that she was a double agent, and a traitor - was beyond his comprehension. He hadn't deserved such love, but she had given it freely. George Mason's talk with him before he took the controls of the plane to safely detonate the bomb, which had spared Jack's life, had played a large part in his acknowledgment of Teri's death, and his ultimate acceptance of his part in it. He had decided that he could forgive himself, for he knew that had she been able to, Teri would have. That had been a major milestone for him, and it was the main reason he had finally been able to move on. That same willpower that had at last let him make peace with Teri's death had restore his ability to love and to feel love in return. It was what enabled him to form his relationship with Barbara. It was what made him feel more than comfortable in her arms. It was what made him need to be there, and to love her.

Barbara was well-known, not only because of her work to free Jack from prison, but from the many other cases she'd won that had also garnered press coverage. She was always beautifully dressed and she looked impressive on TV; the people watching had no idea that she was barely five feet tall. With her aura of confidence no one ever thought that she might be a petite powerhouse.

Jack's face was known now, too, from all the press coverage that had surrounded his trial as well as from his exploits at CTU. He was uncomfortable about it, but he was resigned to it. Barbara had never sought publicity either, except when she was trying to get people to realize that Jack had broken Ramon Salazar out of jail only to get him to buy the Cordilla virus, which had threatened the entire nation. She'd hoped that public pressure would lead to a new trial for him, and her plan had worked. Because of it Jack was freed.

She considered that the crowning achievement of her career, as well as the cause of her greatest satisfaction, and it had put her in even greater demand. She was traveling a lot, but Jack wouldn't ask her to cut back. He knew she loved her work, as he had loved his, and he also knew that he couldn't have given it up, as much as Teri had wanted him to. He had been very selfish in the past, he now believed, and he was determined not to repeat that mistake. Although he very much wanted Barbara to stay home more, he never said anything to her.

When Barbara was out of town Jack realized how much he missed her. It wasn't the same going to sleep without her in his arms, or waking up without her next to him. He slept restlessly when she was away, often awakening still feeling tired. She had a lot of trials in various cities across the country and that kept her away from Jack more than either of them liked. All of her cases were complicated ones, and the trials all seemed to last at least two weeks, some a lot longer. The trial time, plus the time she had to spend in preparation, kept her away more than half the time it seemed to Jack, but he would never ask her to give it up. The immediate problem it posed was that with all of her commitments they hadn't been able to set a date for their wedding and honeymoon..

When she was home they played tennis or went to the beach as often as possible. Barbara watched Jack struggle with a surf board for the first time in more than twenty years, and was proud - and somewhat amazed - when he mastered it after just a few wipe-outs. She realized that her surprise was misplaced, for there really was nothing Jack couldn't do. His sheer will shaped his personality, and made him the man she loved.

He wore a wetsuit even when the water was warm, to hide the scars that were all over his body. When he wasn't surfing he wore a t-shirt over his trunks for the same reason. He was self-conscious if he noticed people staring at him, but he was more than happy to be distracted by the sight of Barbara in her two-piece suit. She laughingly said she was too old to wear a skimpy bikini, but Jack thought that was ridiculous. He didn't think any woman had a better body, no matter what her age, and besides, Barbara was only thirty-one.

Jack began to get restless after a while, despite his love for Robby and the sheer joy of being with him. He began to seriously consider his options when the realization hit him that he couldn't just be a doting grandfather for the rest of his life. He'd made inquiries at UCLA, his alma mater, about getting a PhD in English Lit. While the idea was attractive, he couldn't see himself putting in the four years it would take to get the degree. He didn't have the patience for that, and he knew it.

He'd decided, finally, that his talents lay in working against terrorism, but the idea of returning permanently to CTU wasn't something he would even consider. Even though his feelings of bitterness were receding with the love of his family, he knew he'd never trust the government again. The people in it had tried hard to destroy him, and had come damn close to succeeding. It wasn't that long since Jack had exposed President David Palmer's corruption and his resulting part in bringing about the failure of Operation Nightfall, which had led to the failure of Jack's mission, and the deaths of all of the men Jack had selected to carry it out. Palmer had resigned in disgrace, and Jack's days of worrying about the person behind the Nightfall debacle were over.

The only other possibility he could see was to go into private security. His analytic skills were still top-notch, he knew, even though his ability to function as a field agent was gone. He had no illusions about it, and he had no intention of getting into operations again. He couldn't put his family through that, and when he admitted the truth to himself, he accepted that he just didn't have what it takes any longer. The injuries he'd sustained over the years had taken their toll. Although his heart had stopped when he was tortured, it was still strong, but he acknowledged that at age forty-three he couldn't count on recovering from further injuries. He'd been lucky to get over what had happened to him in prison and to survive the injuries the younger generation of Drazens had inflicted, and he wasn't about to risk his life again, for despite everything he'd lived through he now desperately wanted to have a life.

As he pondered his future Jack decided that the best possibility for him was to see about working with international companies to provide security for their overseas operations and personnel. It was a field that was growing, and because of the situation in the world his skills would always be in demand. He thought he could safely do this from an office, without exposing his loved ones to any danger. He didn't consider his own well-being on the same level as guarding his family. They were his first and foremost concern, and nothing would ever change that.

Several multinationals had made overtures to Jack to head their security departments, but Jack hadn't seriously considered any of them before. Now he decided that he had never lost his attraction to working in counterterrorism, but he couldn't see himself working for someone again. He had to maintain his independence. Starting his own company seemed the most attractive proposition. Soon he decided that was his best option.

He called some of the people who had offered him jobs, and they told him that even if he didn't want to be an employee they would retain him to advise them on security. Sure that he would have some work, he told Barbara, Kim and Chase what he was considering. They were all enthusiastic about the idea, especially when he told them that he had no intention of participating in anything that would involve overseas travel, especially field ops. He might have to go to the home offices of some of his clients from time to time, he said, but these were all in the US, and he was sure he was well enough to take this on. They all knew that Jack had to do something with his life, and they endorsed his plan. The three of them had all come to the same conclusion as Jack, that going back to school wasn't a viable option for him. They recognized that Jack couldn't just passively attend lectures and write a thesis. That just wasn't him.

With Barbara's help he located office space, and as she reviewed his three year lease she was glad that he'd committed to more than just a single year. She hoped this meant that he was comfortable with his decision, and optimistic about his future.

Again with her help Jack bought furniture for his office, arranged for telephone service, and ordered the necessary office equipment. With his computer and fax machine set up, he was ready for business.

The people he'd spoken with made good on their promises, and Jack soon had a lot of work, even though he was still out of the loop with CTU insofar as a source for intel. He was convinced that he could do his job without help from anyone at CTU. He had other contacts within the government that he'd built up over the years, and he was confident that he could provide his clients with the services they'd retained him for. His only concern was that he not inadvertently step on the toes of anyone who'd been involved with Nightfall. He couldn't afford to risk someone acting against him out of fear that they'd be exposed as more plotters behind the mission's failure. He wasn't confident that Palmer had been the only one behind the plot to sabotage Nightfall, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Jack couldn't keep his promise not to travel overseas, although he'd made it with the best of intentions. Sometimes he had to go on-site to review his clients' security set-ups, but he kept his trips to the bare minimum necessary. He was determined not to put himself in harm's way.

Barbara and Kim accepted that he sometimes had to go abroad, and they knew Jack hadn't meant his break his promise. The nature of his business required that he travel, but they knew he wouldn't let himself be sucked back into field ops.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 3

As time went by Jack grew more and more comfortable with the work he was doing. He was pleased to see that he was up to the job of assisting his clients, more than up to it in fact; although it had never seriously concerned him, he'd had lingering doubts. It was also rewarding that he was putting his skills to good use. His mind was as sharp as it had ever been, and he didn't regret that he spent most of his time at a desk. He'd been somewhat concerned that he'd miss field ops, but that hadn't happened.

Jack's office reflected his personality. It faced west, and was on a high enough floor that he could glimpse the Pacific between some of the other office towers. Sometimes he saw the sunset from there, although he tried to leave for home, for Barbara's house before then. While his office was utilitarian, it was done tastefully. In addition to his light oak desk, he had a comfortable, high-backed leather chair, with two contemporary leather chairs for his clients. In a corner of the large square room was a conference table, also of light oak, that seated eight people, with upholstered chairs that coordinated with the thick carpeting.

Jack was surprised that he used the table so much, but he soon found that his clients usually sent more than a few people to confer with him. Jack learned that the bigger the company, the more areas the company had that dealt with security, and this, of course, meant that those areas had people in charge of them. Jack had been used to only one, or at most two people heading departments at CTU. It seemed that with large corporations, which comprised nearly all of his clientele, there were numerous personnel at each level of the food chain. He had been unaware of this until he had his business up and running, and although he sometimes thought it was overdone, he realized that having so many people made some sense. These companies were much bigger than CTU had ever been, with far more employees. With so many of their personnel assigned overseas, one of Jack's prime responsibilities was to provide safe housing, as well as secure offices and factories for the foreign locations. He had his hands full.

Because of his experience at CTU, Jack was used to working within the confines of a bureaucracy, so that didn't require much of a mind-shift for him. He was used to a chain of command, and he respected the need for it. For that reason he understood why he usually only dealt with the vice-presidents of his clients, although he frequently spoke with their presidents and chairmen of the boards, for security had become a, perhaps the, top priority for them. If their operations weren't secure, they couldn't do business. And that, of course, meant that they couldn't earn money, which Jack knew was the name of the game.

Security was a preeminent priority for his clients, so they were prepared to spend as much money as was necessary to enable them to function without the constant threat of terrorism, and Jack found that he was earning more money than he ever would have at CTU. Although money had never been a top priority for Jack, he had earned a comfortable living, enough to support his family, and Teri's earnings from her design business had been saved for Kim's education. He realized that he had been grossly undercompensated at CTU, considering the risks he had taken so willingly, but he knew that in a government job that was usually the case.

Jack was careful to explain to each new client that it was impossible to completely remove the possibility of an attack, and with Barbara's urging he included this disclaimer in the retention letters she had prepared for him to submit to his prospective clients. The people who ran these companies acknowledged this, but they relied on Jack with the knowledge that he would use all of his formidable skills and talent to do everything he could to prevent one, and Jack took this trust with all seriousness. He could never do less than his best, for any cause, and for that reason he was able to sleep well.

He tried to optimize the time he spent with his family, and he largely succeeded. He refused to go into the office on weekends unless there was a genuine crisis, which happened too frequently for his liking, but that was beyond his control, and Barbara and Kim recognized and accepted this.

As they were undressing one night to go to bed, Jack saw that Barbara was wearing a red bra and panties. He hadn't noticed that in the morning as she got ready for work, and he wondered why. I can't be that preoccupied with work, can I? Jack didn't like the thought that he could be so distracted that he wouldn't notice how sexy she was. He acknowledged ruefully that if he'd realized how she was dressed neither of them would have gotten to work on time, but he felt that would have been a worthwhile tradeoff.

Barbara wanted Jack as much as he wanted her. Their life together was complete in every way, and his family and friends were delighted with the change in Jack. As corny as it sounded, a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders with his release from prison and finally forgiving himself for Teri's death, and Jack was ready to face the world again. They had despaired that he would never be able to.

Kim had long since come to grips with her mother's death, and she forgave her father for anything he had done that might have contributed to it. She knew that Barbara gave Jack the happiness that she genuinely wanted for her dad.

Jack was pleased to find that he wanted to go to work each day. He felt good about putting on a suit and tie on the mornings when he would meet with clients, something he'd never done before, for casual clothes had been the general rule at CTU. On the days when he didn't have meetings he still dressed informally, and that felt right too. He'd never been preoccupied with his clothing, but with Barbara's assistance his wardrobe was current, though never flashy. He never wore jeans to work, but khakis and golf shirts were his usual dress for the office when he'd be working alone. He kept a suit, shirt, tie and dress shoes in the office for emergency meetings, which happened with some frequency. The threat of terrorism was constant, and so was the need for Jack to safeguard his clients. That sometimes meant conferring with his clients, to hear their concerns and make his recommendations. Face-to-face was preferable to telephone consultations. Meetings reflected the urgency of situations like talking on the phone never could.

He had not doubt that he'd made the right choice in starting his own company, and he was content to just analyze data; he felt no need to act on it, other than making recommendations to his clients, with occasional trips to evaluate how they had been implemented. He felt good about the opportunity to use his mind, although he missed his time with Robby. Jack still saw him as often as possible, which often meant dinner with Barbara and Kim and Chase, either at their house, or at his and Barbara's. He liked the sound of that.

One night Barbara and Jack were to attend a Bar Association dinner at the ballroom of a hotel downtown. She wore a strapless fitted black taffeta gown that showed off her beautiful figure and her slender neck, which Jack adored kissing. Jack bought a tuxedo for the occasion. He looks so handsome, Barbara thought. He thought she looked stunning.

As they finished dressing, Jack handed Barbara a box. Inside was a simple diamond necklace. She was thrilled. As he fastened it for her, he kissed the back of her neck. They realized they'd be late for the gala, but they didn't care. In moments, wearing only the necklace, Barbara tumbled into bed with Jack.

They missed the cocktail hour, but they made it just in time for dinner. Barbara was one of the speakers, but that had been the last thing on her mind when she and Jack made love. Jack had made sure not to leave marks on her neck, although he'd been sorely tempted. As they'd hurriedly dressed again, which meant that Barbara had to re-do her make-up and hair, he marveled that she was the only woman he'd ever known who could actually get ready quickly. She really is perfect in every way, he thought.

The crowd, which was all lawyers and judges and their spouses, had been surprised to see Barbara with Jack. No one had known of their personal relationship, although they knew that Barbara had been Jack's lawyer, and everyone knew the details of Jack's ordeal. Seeing them together at the gala was unexpected.

Jack felt proud as he watched Barbara walk to the dais. He knew that she was widely respected in her field, and he was glad to see that she received the public recognition she deserved. Jack was delighted to hear the appreciatively loud applause when she was introduced, and he was gratified to see that her speech was well-received as he watched the people in the ballroom listen raptly to her. He knew firsthand that she was brilliant in the courtroom, but he'd never seen her address a group of her peers. Their admiration for her was genuine.

After the speeches, Jack led Barbara onto the dance floor. He'd never been confident of his abilities there but he relished the opportunity to hold her close. He was relieved to see that he wasn't embarrassing himself as they danced. She followed his lead easily, and for the first time he found that he enjoyed the experience. The thought came to him that he was totally happy. Realization came that he was finally in the place he needed to be. He had found the happiness he'd thought he'd never feel again, and felt for the first time that he deserved it.

When they sat down, people came to their table to say hello. Barbara proudly introduced everyone to Jack. Even the judge who'd presided over Jack's trial stopped by. Barbara had tried several cases other cases before him, and he admired her greatly. It seemed that all in attendance did

Although he realized that everyone already knew who he was, Jack didn't feel self-conscious. He thought of himself as the man who was lucky enough to be the escort of this beautiful woman.

As Jack was helping Barbara into the car when they left the hotel, she noticed a man standing nearby. His appearance puzzled her. He was wearing a fedora in the summertime in LA. She couldn't imagine why anyone would wear a winter hat in the ninety degree weather they were having.

She mentioned this to Jack, and he felt his stomach turn over. He knew of a man who wore a hat like that, no matter what the season. That man had almost killed him, before Jack had put him in prison for smuggling explosives and multiple murders. Supposedly there'd been no possibility of parole.

Jack tried not to show his alarm as he looked around for the man, without success. He circled the block looking for him, to no avail. For the first time since his release from prison, Jack felt afraid.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 4

On the drive home Jack didn't want Barbara to see how concerned he was. It had been a long evening, and although she knew that Jack had wanted to see the man in the hat for himself, she didn't know why it was important to him. She'd learned to read Jack pretty well, but sometimes he was still good at hiding his true feelings from her. He kept so many things to himself. That was a lingering problem in their relationship. Jack recognized this, and worked on it, but he was enough of a realist to know that he would never be able to be totally, completely open with Barbara or anyone, no matter how hard he tried. She knew that he wanted to change, but she was also pragmatic, so she knew that Jack would always hold something back, but not because he wanted to; God knows he didn't want to hurt her, but he still could not talk easily about his fears, and the man in the fedora was cause for such fear.

After a few minutes Barbara asked, "What's wrong, Jack? You're very quiet."

"Just tired, Sweetheart. It's been a long day."

"Don't tell me I wore you out," she started to tease. She saw the lines around his mouth tighten. Whatever it was, something was bothering him.

"Jack, don't shut me out. Please." She said this quietly. It was the one thing about him that truly troubled her. He could retreat into himself and stay that way for days. She didn't know what private demons he wrestled with, and she wanted to take his pain away, but she couldn't. He wouldn't let her. A part of her was resigned to this, but the other part wanted him to fully open up. She couldn't stand to see him in pain, and she knew that the secrets he kept bottled up were the things that he was unable to cope with. It was those things that he continued to fight.

Jack knew she was concerned, but he could do nothing about it. He felt helpless as he realized that he and Teri had never been able to solve the same problem. The thought of causing Barbara the pain that he'd brought to Teri was beyond imagination. He couldn't let this happen again. He had to find a way to open himself up to the woman he loved.

But all he said was, "It's nothing, Baby." He couldn't stop thinking about the man in the fedora. And he couldn't admit it to Barbara.

When they got into the house Jack was preoccupied as he unzipped her gown and unfastened the necklace he had so happily given her just a few hours before. As they undressed Jack said he wasn't ready to sleep, so she got into bed alone. But sleep came to neither of them. Barbara knew something was troubling Jack, and she was sure that the problem was the man in the hat, but she didn't know why. Eventually Jack fell asleep in a recliner in the den. Barbara went looking for him, and covered him with a blanket before going back to bed. He's doing it again, she thought, unaware of the tears in her eyes.

He was still anxious when he awoke the next morning. Vaguely disoriented at first, Jack soon got his wits about him as he realized where he was, and he headed for the bedroom. He saw Barbara sleeping there, and recalled the night before. He felt true regret for what had happened. He knew she was hurt, and that was the last thing he wanted. I love her, he thought. I have to tell her what's going on. Not only for her own safety, he knew, but because shutting her out would lead to what had driven Teri and him apart.

He made coffee and retrieved the newspaper from the front door. He was scanning the headlines and sipping from his mug when Barbara entered the kitchen, tying her white robe. "G'morning," she said, still evidently tired. He wondered what time she'd fallen asleep. He knew that she hadn't gotten any more sleep than he had. Even less, he thought, she put a blanket on me.

He stood. "C'mere, Baby," he said, reaching for her. Barbara let him envelop her in his arms, and he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry about last night. I really am."

"It has to do with that man in the hat, doesn't it, Jack?" She was still hurt from the night before and she needed to know why he had shut her out.

"I thought I'd never see him again. When you told me about him I was surprised. He's supposed to be away for life, without parole."

"What did he do, Jack?"

"He ran explosives for the PLO and Hamas," he explained, referring to two Palestinian terror groups. "He smuggled them into Israel. All of the other Arab men wear kaffiyahs, the cloth head covering, like the one Arafat wears. But Azar always wears a hat. A fedora. He's a very, very bad guy. And he's supposed to be in Leavenworth for good. His bombs killed a lot of people, a lot of children. His specialty was blowing up Israeli school buses."

"Is he after you, Jack? Is that why he was there last night?" The alarm in her voice was unmistakable

"I don't know, Baby, but I'm going to check him out first thing. In the meantime, I want you to be very careful. Look around you, see if anyone's following you or seems too interested in you. Don't take the same route to work. Vary your routines. Things like that."

"All right," she said. "But what about you?"

"I'll be fine, Sweetheart," he tried to reassure her. "I can take care of myself."

His words did not have the desired effect. She was very worried about him, and he could see it in her expression. But he didn't know what else he could say.

They dressed in silence, with Jack again helping Barbara with her zipper. That's one of the best things about living with someone, she thought sarcastically. It's easier to get dressed. She tried to cheer herself up. And undressed, too. That had frequently led to memorable nights, and she relished the thought. There'll be more, she tried to reassure herself. A lot more.

After coffee together they left for work. "Call me as soon as you get in, Baby," Jack said when they had kissed good-bye and got into their cars.

"Okay," she said, and gave him a wave.

About an hour later, as Jack was still sitting in freeway traffic, his cell rang. He pressed 'talk', but before he could say anything he heard, "I'm here, safe and sound. No problems. Now will you please stop worrying about me?"

He gave a little laugh. He knew he'd never fully stop worrying about her. Or about Kim and Robby. As he hung up he glanced at his watch. It was 8:30. He could make the necessary call. He dialed the number without thinking about it. Some things you never forget.

"CTU, Edmunds," Jack heard.

"Chase, it's me, Jack," came the reply

"Oh, hi, Jack. What's up?"

"Chase, last night Barbara spotted a guy who's supposed to be in Leavenworth for life. He took off before I could see him, but there's only one guy like that. He always wears a fedora."

"A fedora?" Chase asked. "Plenty of men wear hats."

"But not a fedora, and not in the middle of a heat wave."

"What's the guy's name, Jack? I'll check him out,"

"His name's Ibrahim Azar, and you'll find that Interpol has plenty of intel on him. Check with Langley, but don't overlook our own data banks, Chase. CTU put him away, not the Bureau or CIA, He's a real bad-as. He goes after innocent kids on their way to school. If he's out, we've got to find him, and make sure he stays in prison this time."

As he said the word prison, Jack's expression hardened. It was a reaction he would have for the rest of his life.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 5

Jack was glad it was Friday. The week would be over soon. The gala the night before had lasted longer than he'd expected, and he hadn't slept well. He was tired and his body still hurt, and the hours he spent in his car now didn't help. All of the treatments and time hadn't completely cured his injuries and he knew they never would, but he never mentioned his pain to anyone. He took a couple of aspirin and washed them down with more coffee. He knew he wasn't supposed to take the pills on an empty stomach, and coffee didn't count. He buzzed Sandy, his secretary, to ask her to order bacon and eggs on a roll from the local deli, which was fairly prompt in delivering. When the sandwich came he ate it quickly, with a container of orange juice. He'd had enough coffee, at least for the time being. As always, there'd be more in the afternoon, and he never drank decaf in the office.

Jack was impatient for Chase to call him back. He knew that CTU's computers held a lot of intel on Azar, and Jack needed that information. He tried to concentrate on other matters, but it didn't work. When Chase finally called it was almost 10 o'clock.

"Jack, it's taking so long because most of the files on Azar are still classified. Hammond wants to know why I want access, and so far he's not letting me in. All I could find was that Azar was released from Leavenworth two weeks ago and was supposed to be deported, but he disappeared. There was a snafu and Immigration got to the prison too late. Azar was already gone. And of course, no one knows where he went."

Jack was furious. Azar was one of many men who had threatened to kill him, but he was one of the ones Jack knew could, and would, try to make good on his promise. And if he was at risk, his family was in danger, too.

"Chase, you and I have to make sure that Kim, Robby and Barbara are safe. By showing himself last night Azar was sending me a message. He's ruthless enough to try to get to me through my family. Is there any way Hammond will order agents to protect them?"

"Not a chance," Chase replied. "You're still persona non grata here, Jack. In some ways, people are even angrier at you now that the charges against you were dropped. They think you tarnished CTU's reputation. Your success in getting Andrei Drazen's sons didn't help. The official word is that you embarrassed the agency, and they're still out to punish you for that. It's a lot of bull, of course, but it's become the group-think here."

"That's just great," Jack muttered. "Did you explain to Hammond how dangerous Azar is? Hammond wasn't part of the operation to bring Azar down, so maybe he doesn't realize what a bad-as this guy is. Are you sure Hammond's seen all of the intel?"

"There's no way I can check that without access to the files, and Hammond won't allow it. So, no, I'm not at all sure that Hammond's seen all of the intel. In fact, I'd be surprised if he has. He dismissed your call to me so out of hand that I'm sure he hasn't reviewed it. He thinks that anything pertaining to you is a complete waste of time."

"That's a lot of crp, Chase, and you know it. Azar was responsible for the deaths of more than a hundred children in Israel. We got him because one of the PLO's financial backers here reneged on his payments, so Azar came to the US to personally get the money. Azar killed him, too, and his family, but not before he took three million dollars out of the guy's bank accounts. The guy had only promised the PLO six hundred thousand."

"Sounds like a really nice guy, Jack," Chase said with sarcasm. "Good to know our country's keeping close tabs on him.".

"That's why we have to find him, Chase, now. He'll disappear into the back alleys of the Middle East, and he'll go back to bombing school buses. And he may try to go after Barbara, Kim or Robby first. Kidnapping a baby is something he wouldn't hesitate to do. With his M.O., it's obvious that he doesn't care about children."

"How do you think he might do it?" Chase asked, sobered and frightened by the thought. "Where are they most vulnerable?"

"This guy's smart, Chase, and totally ruthless. He'll do anything. Even Sayed Ali had a soft spot, his kids. Azar's wife and children were killed by an even more radical faction of Hamas, but that didn't stop Azar. He didn't even go to their funerals, and it wasn't because he was hiding out. He stayed in his apartment in Gaza, building more bombs. The Mossad, Israeli security, tracked him there. When they took him he railed against America and demanded a Palestinian state, but he never once mentioned his family. This guy's ruthless, Chase," Jack repeated. "One of the worst."

Jack was on a roll. "He's determined to kill as many Americans as he can. Although he started out only targeting Israelis, he's moved on to go after all Americans, all Westerners. He's got the contacts," Jack added. "And the money to do it."

"I'll try to push Hammond harder, Jack, but you know the man. Immovable object meets irresistible force," Chase said, recalling his physics class in college. "Stubborn, determined, alert to any potential threat to his authority. Not a man who'll be willing to go out on a limb for anyone or anything. He's not about to release any info on Azar."

"Did you tell Kim what precautions to take? To vary her routine, be alert, watch for strangers, all that stuff?"

"Yeah, Jack," Chase answered. "But there's not much Kim can do. She spends the time taking the baby to the supermarket, or to their Mommy and Me class, and seeing her friends and their kids. So there's no routine to change. As for being aware of things around her, well, you know Kim. That type of thing doesn't come naturally to her. She's such an open, trusting, person that it's hard to tell that her father was a field ops agent for CTU."

Jack didn't know if this was a dig at him or not. He and Chase had chosen divergent paths, and Jack wasn't prepared to say that Chase had decided wrongly. But they were different men, and while Jack regretted that he had largely been an absent dad, he knew that he still had a terrific daughter, and that Kim was proud of him. That meant a lot.

After they hung up Jack stared out the window. He didn't see the traffic going past his office tower. He saw the mangled bodies of children whose bus had just been blown up. He was damned if he was going to let Hammond get away with not trying to find Azar.

A thought hit him hard. Son of btch! Why didn't I see this before? Jack called Chase back. "Chase, listen. We have to keep Barbara and Kim away from their cars. Azar could easily place bombs in them, triggered by closing the door, turning the key, almost anything. Can you send the bomb squad to them? I can't believe I let Barbara use her car this morning. I can't believe how stupid I was. Even though her car wasn't rigged this morning, he may still try it. Call Kim immediately, and tell her not to use her car. I'm calling Barbara. But you've got to get the bomb squad to check, Chase."

Jack immediately dialed Barbara's number, but her secretary, Linda, said she was in with clients. Jack told her to interrupt Barbara's meeting, and she came on the line.

"Jack, what is it?" Jack had told Linda it was an emergency. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Babe, but you can't go near your car. Azar is perfectly capable of planting a bomb in it. I'm sending the bomb squad to the garage where you park. After they do a search, I'm going to have them tow athe care to their impound, which is guarded. In the meantime, don't use your car, and don't leave your office. It's life or death, Barb. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Jack, I understand," she said, realizing the urgency of what he was saying. "I won't use it. But what about you, Jack? Are you going to drive your car?"

"No, Sweetheart, I won't use my car. I'll have it towed, and Kim's, too. Chase uses cars from the CTU motor pool, and his personal car is parked in the secured garage there. He should be okay."

Although she was disturbed by Jack's call, Barbara resumed her meeting. She understood Jack's concern, but she was busy, and she couldn't dwell on his warning. She didn't have to go to court that day, so she wouldn't need a car until she was ready to go home. She'd call a cab when she was ready to leave.

Jack called CTU again, but this time he asked for Hammond. When he picked up the phone, Hammond was all business, and he sounded resentful as hell. "What is it, Bauer? What do you want? I know you had Edmunds get you some intel from our database. You've got one hell of a nerve, you know that, Jack?"

"Brad," Jack said, determinedly. Hammond should know by now that he couldn't be bullied. "This guy Azar is as dangerous as they come. That he's loose puts all of us, our kids, at risk. What idiot decided to deport him, so we wouldn't be able to keep tabs on him, I'll never know. And on top of that Immigration blew the pick-up, so he's out there, unwatched, hating us, and he has contacts all over the country. You need to get CTU on top of this."

"Bauer, your days of saying what CTU should or shouldn't do are long over. And I don't want you contacting any of my agents, and that includes Edmunds. You're not to discuss anything work-related with him. If I find that he talks to you about any official business, I'll fire his as so fast he won't know what hit him. I'm hanging up now, Bauer. Don't call back."

As he heard the phone slam down, Jack looked out the window again. He had no authority to do anything, and he felt utterly helpless. He also felt terrified, for he knew that Azar had shown himself the previous night for only one reason.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 6

Jack was trying to decide who he could call to get a search going for Azar. Unfortunately, CTU was not the only federal agency at which Jack was no longer welcome. He'd shown up the CIA and the FBI too many times in his career to have won any friends there. NSA would have some data, he knew, but their only function was interception and analysis. They couldn't mount a field operation to locate the guy. That was the job of CTU, Jack reflected bitterly. So now what do I do?

Jack didn't have the contacts in Jim Prescott's White House that he'd had when David Palmer was president, so he knew he couldn't seek help there. After a moment he called another number, this one in Washington.

"Hello, this is Jack Bauer calling for Mike Stern," he told the man who answered.

"Will Mr. Stern know what this is about, Mr. Bauer?"

"No, but he knows me. Please tell him I'm calling."

As Jack was put on hold he realized that he had no idea how Stern would respond to his call. As the head of the Counter Terrorism Unit, Stern was aware of Jack's missions, and it was he who had gotten Jack to track down the nuclear plot against New York and London, and to set up the mission to take down Andrei Drazen's sons. But Stern knew all too well that not all of Jack's operations had gone as planned, so he was also aware of the messes that had sometimes resulted. Like all good spy organizations CTU tended to sweep its failures under the rug, and they'd managed to keep a lot from being noticed by Congress. But there were still skeletons in closets with doors that said "Bauer," and Jack knew that Stern was all too aware of them. Still, Mike Stern had always seemed to Jack to be a fair man. He hoped he was also a man who'd listen.

"Jack," he heard, "how are you?" Stern was big, and he had a voice to match. At 6'4" he'd learned not to crush other people with his handshake. He was very good at his job, Jack knew, which was why Jack respected him. That wasn't true of many people at CTU anymore.

"I'm fine, Mike," he replied. "How are you? And your kids?"

"We're all doing great. Jack, I don't want to sound rude, but I'm starting a meeting in a few minutes. What's on your mind?"

"There's a big problem, Mike, a threat to security, and Hammond won't even look into it. Did you ever hear of Ibrahim Azar, Mike? He was blew up a lot of school buses for Hamas."

"I know about him, Jack. We've got him in custody. He's doing life, no parole."

"That's the problem, Mike. He's out. And Hammond won't try to find him."

"What do you mean, he's out?" Stern asked. "How'd you hear this?"

"Some genius at State or Justice decided to deport him, so they told Immigration to pick him up at the prison. Immigration didn't get there in time, so the idiots at the prison just let him go."

"How'd you hear about this, Jack?" Stern repeated.

"My fiance spotted him last night, here in LA. He was watching us."

"How'd she know it was Azar? Had she seen him before?"

"No, Mike, but she described him to me. And the description fits."

"Jack, there are a lot..." Jack cut him off. "There aren't a lot of Arabs who walk around in fedoras, Mike, That's Azar's trademark. He wears it wherever he is. He had a fit when they took it away from him at Leavenworth."

"Jack, I'll look into it. Where can I reach you?"

After Jack told Stern the numbers for his cellphone and office, Stern ended the call. Jack knew that he was placing a lot of faith in the man, but he couldn't think of anyone else to call. All he could do was wait, and worry.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 7

Jack had always been active against all threats known to CTU. The fact that all he could do was sit around was impossible for him. Despite Hammond's warning, he called Chase again, but this time on his personal cell, which Hammond couldn't trace. But he still would be suspicious of any call Chase got.

"Chase, it's me. Is the bomb squad on the way?"

"No, Jack, I couldn't. Apparently Hammond called them first, and told them not to send anyone. I'm on my way home. Hammond's mad as hell about it, but I don't care. I can't get anyone to go to Barbara's office. Can you do it?"

"I'm leaving now, Chase. I just have to get a cab. I'm not sure my car is safe, and I don't want to take chances."

That was the last thing Chase ever expected to hear from Jack. Risks were something Jack had always accepted, even welcomed, until now. He knew that Jack was right to be cautious; nevertheless, it showed Chase that Jack had really changed. It made him uneasy at the same time he was glad to hear it. This was a totally new Jack.

Jack called for a cab, and in ten minutes one arrived. L.A. wasn't known for its taxi service. Cars were virtually the only way to get around, and Jack was used to always having one available. He'd never before been faced with not being able to drive himself.

As the taxi took him the four miles to Barbara's office Jack tried again to think of someone else he could call. He was impatient for Stern to call back, but he had no choice but to wait. He could only hope that Stern was the man Jack thought he was, able to see beyond Jack's past, and smart enough to realize that despite everything, Jack was the best agent CTU had ever had. He hoped that Stern was willing to take Jack seriously. No one else seemed to be.

I thought I had all these great contacts for intel, he mused. I was kidding myself. Now, when I need help from somebody inside, I don't have anyone to call. Great, Jack. Just great.

Jack's cell phone rang, and the caller I.D. showed that it was a call from Washington. "Bauer," Jack said.

"Jack." It was Stern. "I just got off the phone with Hammond. The Bureau of Prisons confirmed what you said. Azar is out there, and I told Hammond that finding him is the top priority. I also told him to put aside whatever personal differences he has with you. He'll send out the CTU bomb squad, once he knows where they have to go. He's waiting for your call, Jack. If Hammond doesn't give you full cooperation, call me. I'll make myself available for all of your calls. And Hammond's, too, for that matter."

"Thanks, Mike," was all Jack could say in reply. "I'll stay in touch."

The taxi was at Barbara's office, but before entering it Jack called Hammond. "I know you spoke with Mike Stern," Jack said, all too aware that Hammond would be furious that Jack had gone over his head, but Jack didn't care about it at all. Hammond is a real bastard, Jack thought. I don't give a damn that he's mad. He has to listen to Stern.

"Yeah, Bauer, I spoke to him. Where should I send the bomb squad?"

Jack gave him the addresses of Barbara's office and Kim's house, and Hammond said he would send them out right away. He instructed Jack not to get in their way, as though Jack would do that. He knew that the squad was expert at what they did, and he had a lot of respect for the men who disarmed the bombs. They were becoming increasingly intricate, and increasingly harder to defuse. The last thing Jack would do was interfere with their work.

"I'm at Barbara's office now, and Chase is on his way home." He knew that Hammond was furious about that, too, but Jack didn't care. The security of his family was foremost, and if Hammond didn't realize it he was stupider than Jack thought, if that was possible.

Jack headed to the garage under Barbara's office building and found her car, although he didn't approach it. He positioned himself near the stairs and elevators that led to the garage, and warned everyone that there was a potential risk. Some disregarded his advice and went to their cars anyway, but some, after demanding to know what was going on, left the garage and presumably arranged for alternate transportation. Jack had told these people as little as possible, because he didn't want them to panic. Panic was the hardest reaction to deal with, Jack knew, so he wanted to prevent it.

The bomb squad entered the garage shortly thereafter. After Jack identified Barbara's car, they went to work. To Jack's dismay, but not to his surprise, the squad located a bomb wired to the door of the car. If Barbara had tried to open it, it would have detonated. The C-4 explosive they found was more than enough to kill her; it would have taken out everyone within a 20 foot radius. Jack thanked God that she hadn't used her car after getting to work. He realized how lucky they were that the car hadn't already been wired when she had left home that morning. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been not to recognize the danger earlier. He could have lost her. The thought made him sick.

After removing the trigger the bomb squad rigged a tow to the car and took it to CTU. Without the trigger the explosive was useless, so they would leave it there until they could get it on the lift at their lab, where they would remove it and try to identify its source.

Jack was weak in the knees as the squad towed the car from the garage. He couldn't stop thinking that she'd almost been killed. He called Chase on his cell, and told him that there had been a bomb in Barbara's car. Chase said that the bomb squad had just arrived, and he would tell them what the men at Barbara's garage had found.

They found a bomb in Kim's car. That one was rigged to blow when Kim opened the trunk of her car, which Jack knew she did to get out Robby's stroller. She always opened the stroller before she took the baby out of his car seat. Kim and Robby would both have been killed.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 8

Jack managed to walk inside the building, and then he took the elevator to Barbara's floor. He had never been more frightened in his life, and he was berating himself for his earlier stupidity. Thank God, he kept thinking. Thank God.

Barbara left her meeting when she learned that Jack was there. He told her about the bombs, and she turned pale. "What about your car, Jack? Are they checking it?"

"Yes, Barb, they are." In actuality Jack had forgotten to send the bomb squad to his office. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that. He clearly wasn't functioning, and that scared him. He might be overlooking other dangers. He had to clear his mind.

"CTU is giving this top priority, Sweetheart. I spoke with Mike Stern, and he read the riot act to Hammond." Barbara knew from the Andrei Drazen operation that Stern was the head of CTU. "He told Hammond that he is to use every possible resource to catch Azar. Stern is a good man. He'll stay on top of this."

Jack paused. He didn't want to frighten Barbara, but she already realized the seriousness of the threat. She understood that she was in danger, as well as Jack, Kim, Chase and Robby.

"CTU will be sending people to guard you, Barb. Do everything they say. I want you to go home, and stay there. The house is far more defensible than this building. Please leave now. The agents are on their way here. As soon as they arrive, they'll take you home, and they'll stay with you."

"Are you coming home, Jack? What about you?"

"I'm going over to CTU," he said, knowing that, without this threat, it was the last place he would ever go. Barbara knew it too. She realized how awful it would be for Jack to walk in there, and she was afraid for him. She didn't put it past CTU, or any government agency for that matter, to go after Jack again. They'd all been furious when the charges against Jack were dropped and he was released from prison. They all thought of him as an ex-con, a traitor to the agency, who had literally gotten away with murder.

Although CTU, of all places, should have acknowledged that Jack had not done anything wrong, it didn't happen. Jack is still viewed as the enemy, and he always will be, she thought. They've got it all wrong, but there's nothing Jack, or I, can do about it. The people at CTU still feel that he betrayed them. They still think of him as the bad guy who embarrassed the agency, and they probably always will. The thoughts disturbed her, for she knew the pain CTU had caused him, and how unfair it all was. Barbara didn't say any of this to Jack, of course. She, like Jack, hated it when there was nothing she could do about a situation, and CTU's treatment of Jack was something they were both powerless to change. Helplessness was hard to deal with, for both of them.

Jack tensed as the door to Barbara's office opened, and three men entered. Jack recognized one of them, Ed Robbins, as a CTU agent. He didn't know the other two. He realized belatedly that he didn't have a gun. If Azar had been the one to enter they'd all be dead.

"Hello, Jack," Robbins said, extending his hand. As Jack shook it, Robbins said, "It's good to see you." He meant it. The older field agents at CTU still respected Jack. They knew all that he had accomplished, and they recognized that Jack had done the only thing possible when he broke Ramon Salazar out of jail. It was the new field agents, who didn't know any better, and the guys who never got their hands dirty while they ran the agency who hated Jack.

"This is Glenn Ferrante, and Doug Coughlin. We'll be guarding Ms. Gregory. Three other men are on their way to her house to check it out, and they'll stay there. Two more are canvassing this building, and another agent is questioning the guys who work in the garage. Hammond has assigned four more agents to stay with you, and five more men are on their way to your daughter's house. With Chase, that'll make six."

"If you'd rather they go to a safe house I can arrange it. It's your call," he continued. "You know how they're set up, but a few times their locations have been compromised."

Jack knew this all too well. Teri and Kim had been attacked at a safe house by Victor Drazen's men, and they had narrowly escaped death there. The agents who had been assigned to the house had been killed. Jack wasn't comfortable with the idea of a safe house. Barbara's house was set somewhat apart from her neighbors, and it was well-sited for agents to secure. All of the nearby brush had been cleared because of the risk of fires in the region, so it would be hard for anyone approaching the house to stay hidden. Kim's house was in a subdivision, and could as easily be watched. Jack decided it was best for Barbara and Kim to stay home.

"We'll take you and Ms. Gregory wherever you want to go, Jack. But I think we should leave now. This building can't be fully secured, even with the men in the lobby and garage. We need to get the two of you out of here."

Jack told Ed that he would go to CTU while they took Barbara to her house, and Barbara hurriedly stuffed some documents in her briefcase. She'd have to work from home, and she was sending her secretary home as well. Barbara didn't want to put Linda in danger, should Azar try to attack her at the office.

The agents formed a phalanx around the women and Jack as they left the office. Jack wasn't used to being guarded. He'd always been the one securing other people's safety, and he wasn't comfortable with being protected. However, he acknowledged the danger to himself, as well as to the people he loved. He wouldn't put them more at risk by insisting on doing things his way. He wouldn't allow his ego to take over. He willingly followed Robbins' instructions. It showed another tremendous change in Jack.

The bomb squad had checked Linda's car and found nothing, but they still all sighed their relief when she safely drove away. Another agent would tail her to her house. Robbins' agents hurried Barbara into an agency SUV and Jack into another. Before they left Jack had taken Barbara's hand and quietly tried to reassure her, at the same time he knew that she had to recognize how serious the situation was. Even when she'd bucked popular opinion in representing Jack and had received a few death threats from people who believed she was helping a traitor, she hadn't really been afraid. Such threats came with the territory, but this was different.

Jack spoke with Chase during the ride, and he confirmed that the agents were at his house. Chase said that he was comfortable with the security CTU had set up. Jack felt relief at that. He trusted Chase as a field agent, although he'd decided to switch to an inside job. Kim and Robby would be safe. Now he had to make sure that Barbara was protected.

Robbins had told Jack that six men would be stationed at Barbara's house. One was inside, one was in the front, and another was guarding the back. Robbins and the other two agents who'd picked Barbara up at her office doubled up with the men already there. The bomb squad had gone over the house, and hadn't found anything. There were no explosives rigged to the doors, or to anywhere else inside. It was safe for her to enter.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 9

On his way to CTU in an SUV with the four agents assigned to protect him, Jack called Hammond, to see if they had made any progress in finding Azar. Hammond was curt with him on the phone, as usual. Jack didn't give a damn, he didn't want Hammond as a friend. He just wanted him to get off his bureaucratic as and get the job done. Jack had never been impressed by Hammond. He believed Hammond spent too much time covering his as, and not enough time supporting his agents.

"We've got everyone looking for him, Jack. We're giving this top priority. I just spoke with Stern, and he's up to speed," Hammond said, somewhat defensively. He knew he'd made a mistake by blowing Jack off earlier, and he'd apparently been reamed by Stern for it. He wasn't going to give Jack another reason to go over his head to Washington.

"Have you made any progress, Brad?" Jack needed to know. He wasn't just going to accept Hammond's assurances.

"We've got agents all around the hotel you were at last night. So far they haven't turned up anyone else who saw him."

There was a pause. Hammond said, "Are you sure it's this guy Azar, Jack? You said you didn't see him yourself." Hammond didn't want to tick Jack off more than he already was, but he had to ask this. Maybe Bauer was just being paranoid.

"I'm sure, Brad. From the description Barbara gave, and the fedora, I'm sure it's him. And we know Azar is out there. It has to be him."

Hammond saw the logic of Jack's statement, and accepted it. He couldn't just let this one slip through. He was answering directly to Stern, and he believed in watching his back at all times. He wasn't going to let Bauer ruin his career.

"Thanks for setting up all the security, Brad," Jack said, although the last thing he wanted to do was express gratitude to him. But Jack knew that a cooperative Hammond was better than a Hammond who would do this only grudgingly. Jack had learned to do some stroking. He knew Hammond's ego, and how to play it, but he'd never mastered the art. He'd never learned to protect his own as.

"I'll keep you posted, Jack. As soon as we learn anything I'll call you."

"Okay, Brad, I'm on my way in. I want to know everything that's happening."

There was nothing Hammond could do to keep Jack away. If he tried to keep him out Jack would only go to Stern again, and Hammond couldn't afford that. Stern was already mad enough at him for not doing anything when Jack had first called.

When he'd met Jack at Barbara's office Robbins had given Jack a weapon, an automatic, with several ammo clips. Jack felt more comfortable. He kept two guns at Barbara's house, which had initially upset her, but she'd come to accept it. She understood Jack well enough to know that he would never feel completely safe, but a gun helped. It helped him deal with the fear that his loved ones were in danger.

When Kim lived at home, before Teri's death, Jack had kept a gun in the house. It was always in a lock box, separate from another lock box where he kept the ammo clips. He hid both boxes and kept the keys hidden in different parts of the house. He didn't think Kim had even been aware that there was a firearm in the house. He'd tried to keep his work separate from his family, but he had never been fully able to discount the possibility that someone could come after them. It had never happened to anyone at CTU at that point, but precautions were still necessary.

As they pulled into CTU Jack involuntarily drew in his breath. He'd only been back once since that day, the day he'd killed Chappelle, the day he'd chopped off Chase's hand, the day he'd done so many terrible things. He knew intellectually that he'd only done what was necessary to protect the country, but emotionally he still felt that there had to have been something, anything, he could have done differently. That was why he had accepted the guilty verdict, why he hadn't fought imprisonment, at least not at first, not until Barbara agreed to represent him, and had fought for him far harder than he'd fought for himself. He was learning to cope with his feelings, but they'd never fully gone away, and he accepted that they never would.

As he was buzzed in, Jack was escorted straight to Hammond's office. He didn't have a chance to glance around. The office was on the main floor behind the bullpen, where Chappelle had always sat when he was there. "Hello, Brad," Jack said as he entered. He held out his hand, although the last thing he wanted was contact with this man. Hammond stuck out his own hand, and the men studied each other for a brief moment.

"Have a seat, Jack," Hammond said, indicating the couch, which was farther away from the desk than the regular visitor chairs. Obviously Hammond didn't want Jack close. Jack didn't want to be in that office, either. He felt Chappelle's ghost there.

"I'll bring you up to speed, Jack. We're starting to make a little headway." He handed over some pictures, and a magnifying glass. "We think this is him. At least the hat is right."

"These are from a sat, Brad. What part of the city is this?" Even with the glass Jack couldn't be sure the man in the photos was Azar, but he thought it might be. At least CTU is doing something, Jack thought. They're working on it.

"Downtown, Jack." The location he mentioned was two blocks from Barbara's office. "I know where Ms. Gregory works, Jack, and I know how close this is. LAPD's got a description, and they're starting to blanket that area."

Hammond paused. "If this is Azar, he's probably near there for a reason. And he may not be working alone."

Hammond looked at Jack, who asked, "Are there any new satellite photos, Brad? When were these taken?" He indicated the pictures Hammond had already handed him, the ones that showed Azar near Barbara's office.

"We haven't had any hits since we got those," Hammond said, indicating the photos Jack was holding. "And these were taken 40 minutes ago."

"He could be anywhere by now," Jack said almost inaudibly.

"We don't think he's gotten very far yet. Traffic's bad all over the city. LAPD's concentrating on the area near her office. But there are a lot of places to hide in those office buildings, and they all have garages." Hammond had heard him.

There was another pause. Then Hammond said, "Why don't you go home, Jack? Stay with Ms. Gregory. I'll call you if we get anything."

Jack considered it, for about half a second. He knew he couldn't just sit in the house. Barbara would be safe with six agents around her. He'd go nuts there.

"Thanks, Brad, but I think I'll stick around. I won't get in the way," he added hurriedly. He didn't want to give Hammond a reason to force him to leave.

"Suit yourself," Hammond said. "You can wait in the conference room."

As Hammond walked around the side of his desk Jack remembered how many times he had seen Chappelle do just that. A sharp pain of guilt hit him. Not now, he told himself. Beat yourself up later. But not now.

Hammond walked Jack to the conference room, as though Jack couldn't find it himself. But Jack was just a visitor, as the tag clipped to his shirt said. He was here only because Hammond couldn't think of a way to throw him out.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 10

The waiting was getting to all of them. Jack spoke frequently with Barbara and Chase, and their agents said all was quiet. Kim was too upset to come to the phone. She had been badly shaken when she learned of the bomb in her car. The overwhelming relief she felt that Robby was safe had mixed with panic, so the doctor was called, and Kim had been sedated. Chase never left her side.

Jack grew increasingly impatient. At least when I worked here, I could see what was being done, and make sure that what needed to be done was done. He realized that his own thought processes were being affected. Dammit, Hammond! was his next thought. Don't keep me out of the loop!

Jack poked his head out of the conference room, ostensibly to ask someone for coffee, but he used the opportunity to look the place over. It had been reconfigured, again. Jack hadn't really noticed when he had been there on the mission to get Andrei Drazen's sons. After the bomb blast several years before, the Powers That Be had decided that CTU had to be redesigned. The fact that the old design worked apparently didn't matter. So they'd moved all of the tech equipment upstairs, which meant that the computer people on the floor weren't near the hardware they used. It had resulted in tremendous inefficiency, and a lot of grousing from the staff, which had been ignored by the higher-ups.

The institutional gray paint was on the walls, and the bullpen had no dividers that seemed to make the cubicles even smaller. The bare floor had a huge CTU logo painted on the floor. That's good, Jack thought sarcastically. It's really necessary to remind everyone here where they work. Otherwise they might forget. Jack took a deep breath to clear his head. This wasn't getting him anywhere.

As Jack took a step outside of the room a woman Jack didn't recognize came over. "Can I get you anything, Mr. Bauer? I'm Debbie Howell. Mr. Hammond asked me to take care of you." That, Jack knew, meant that she was supposed to be his babysitter.

"Thank you," he replied. "I'm just going for some coffee."

"I'll get it for you, Mr. Bauer. How do you like it?"

"I can get it, thanks, Ms. Howell. I know where it is."

The woman looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bauer, but Mr. Hammond told me to make sure you stay in the conference room. So I'll be glad to get you some coffee. How do you take it?

Jack looked ready to explode, but he wasn't going to take it out on this woman. It wasn't her fault that Hammond was a jerk. "Milk and sugar, please," Jack said, resigned to having to stay put. "But will you tell Brad I want to see him, please?" He might not be able to get where he wanted, but he'd damn well get what he wanted, which was information. He needed to be current with the data flow. Hammond wasn't going to cut him out.

"I'll tell Mr. Hammond, Mr. Bauer. And I'll get you that coffee." The woman turned, and left the room. She seemed to be happy to get out of there.

Jack Bauer was legendary at CTU, although he'd never been the darling of his superiors. He'd bent too many corners, broken too many rules, for those above him on the missions he'd been assigned to be happy, and there'd been plenty of fallout along the way. Some of his supervisors seemed to chuckle at the body count that seemed to follow in his wake, but they weren't happy at the work they had to do to justify the deaths that resulted from Jack's assignments. Each and every review board had ruled the killings justified, except for the deaths that followed after Jack broke Ramon Salazar out of jail.

He'd been prosecuted for that, persecuted, really, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. There, he'd been beaten and tortured almost daily, and the prison personnel had done nothing to stop it.

He tried to put aside his bitterness towards the bureaucrats at CTU, for he realized that he needed them now. They were the only game in town in terms of finding Azar. But he also knew that without him, without his brainpower and experience, CTU wasn't operating at full capacity. Cutting him out made him even angrier. This demanded all of CTU's resources, and he was one of the most important.

He didn't give a damn what Hammond thought, he didn't want to get back into the field, he didn't want to come back to CTU at all. He only wanted to see the intel, to make sure that nothing was being overlooked, for he knew his family's lives depended on it.

He remained in the doorway until Howell returned with the coffee. "Can I get you something else, Mr. Bauer?" she asked.

"No, thanks," he replied. "But did you talk to Hammond?"

"I was just about to," she said.

Jack was getting angry. "That's more important than coffee, Ms. Howell. There's a priority tasking, Ms. Howell, or weren't you told?"

"Yes, Mr. Bauer, I'm aware of the priority we're working on. But frankly, Mr. Hammond said he doesn't want to be interrupted by you. He said to tell you that when they find something useful, they"ll let you know."

"That's not the way it's supposed to work, Ms. Howell. That's not the way it's going to work. Tell Hammond I want to see him, now!"

Howell backed away from Jack's yell, and everyone on the floor looked towards the conference room. So this is the legendary Bauer, the newer people thought. Why did everyone they think he walked on water? They'd been told in training that he was a great killer, but his body trail showed that he was a loose cannon. He'd become an object lesson used by the CTU instructors to show the trainess how not to act. He could have accomplished his missions without killing so many people, the newbies were told. CTU was right to get rid of him, he belonged in jail. All he did was embarrass the agency. If it wasn't for his smart lawyer, he'd still be there, and that was where he should be. That was the group-think of CTU, shared by everyone bu the 'old-timers' who'd worked with Jack, who had seen enough to greatly respect him, as well as his methods.

The people who'd put themselves on the line knew that Jack was the best at planning and carrying out operations, and that he'd sacrificed himself many times over to protect his men. To consider him disloyal was outrageous, all of the older agents knew, and they were angry about the treatment Jack had received. But their protests had been ignored by the bureaucrats, the desk jockeys who never got their hands dirty, and who could never understand someone who did. That he produced the results they demanded wasn't good enough for the head honchos, Jack's contemporaries knew. They wanted everything tied up neat and tidy, with a bow. But to a man they knew counterterrorism wasn't like that, and they understood that Jack had always acted to further his missions, to protect his country. And he had never failed.

The newbies had never worked with Jack, and they smugly believed that Jack was a dinosaur, a cowboy who couldn't think through an assignment, and only knew how to use a gun to get his missions done. A lot of good CTU people were dead because of him, they'd been told, because he'd never thought he was bound by the rules. If you want to be a good agent, their instructors had told them, learn from Bauer. See what he did, and do the opposite. That this was the worst possible lesson hadn't occurred to any of them. The group psychology of CTU had labelled Jack a rogue agent, to be avoided like the plague. No wonder someone is after his family, the newbies believed. He'd obviously left a loose end. That Jack had captured Azar, and it was the government that had screwed up by releasing him, wasn't considered by these people. They believed what they were told, and they were told that Jack was a lousy agent. You have to get Azar, Hammond had told them, but he'd never put the blame for his freedom on anyone. He let them infer that it was Jack who had screwed up. And none of the newbies bothered to think it through.

Hammond heard Jack yell and came over. "Jack, I told you I'll brief you when we have something. So just sit and relax. Ellen will bring you something to read."

"Don't!" Jack said, in a deep, quiet, but menacing voice. He pointed his index finger at Hammond. "Don't. I'm supposed to be completely in the loop on this, Brad, and you know it. That means I see all of the intel, not just what you want me to see. So cut the babysitter crp, and let me see what you've got."

"I'm a good analyst, Brad, you know that," Jack continued, trying to calm himself. Stern's instructions notwithstanding, Hammond could still find a way to keep Jack pretty much in the dark. And Jack couldn't stand that. He had to see what was going on.

"All right," Hammond conceded. "I'll have them bring what they've got in here." He didn't want to incur any more of Stern's wrath.

Jack returned to the conference room and waited. He had hoped to be permitted on the floor, where he could see everything as it came in, but he realized he could only push Hammond so far. He waited for several minutes before Michelle Dessler entered.

"Hi, Jack," Michelle said. "How are you?" Jack knew that Michelle was probably the only one at CTU who genuinely cared about his answer. They'd always gotten along, and Michelle knew that Jack appreciated her skills as a field operative. That meant a lot to her.

"I'm fine, thanks, Michelle, but not knowing what's going on is driving me crazy. So please let me see what you've got."

"You've seen the sat pictures, I'm told. We don't really have much more than that. The garage attendant at Ms. Gregory's office ID'd Azar from his picture, so we're pretty sure he was the one who attached the bomb. The man at the garage said he didn't see anyone else. He was very unhappy when he was questioned, I think he's afraid for his job. But I don't think he'd lie about someone else being with Azar. We're pretty sure of that," she added. Nothing was certain at this point in the investigation.

"That's all you've got?" Jack said, sorely disappointed. "Nothing else?"

"I'm afraid not, Jack. We have agents canvassing Ms. Gregory's neighborhood, and Kim's, too, but they've turned up nothing."

"You can call her Barbara, Michelle. She's not very formal." Jack knew that this wasn't really important, but he felt that personalizing a target somehow mattered to an agent; it built a more intimate connection, and that could subconsciously affect the agent's motivation to find the suspect.

"Okay, Jack," Michelle replied. "We should have more satellite coverage from the downtown area in a few minutes. I'll bring the photos in as soon as we get them, I promise. You'll see them at the same time the analysts do."

"Thanks, Michelle. I appreciate it. You know how important my family is to me. I have to know we're doing everything." He didn't notice that he'd counted himself in along with the CTU personnel, but Michelle did. She wondered what "we're" meant to Jack. Did he not accept his exile from CTU, or was it just a slip of the tongue? Michelle pushed the thought aside. It didn't matter, at least for the time being.

Jack sat down to re-study the old satellite pictures. The more he looked at them, the more he was convinced they were of Azar. The fact that he'd only been two blocks from Barbara's office couldn't have been a coincidence. It made Jack very afraid.

Michelle walked back into the conference room. "Here are the new pics from downwtown, Jack. The photo analysts just got them. We took pictures around Barbara's house, and Kim's, too. I should get them in a minute or two."

"Thanks, Michelle," he murmured. He was already engrossed in studying the pictures. Again he saw a man in what looked like a fedora. It had to be Azar. This time, he was less than a block from Barbara's office. Obviously, he was staying close to it. At least he's not going near her house, he thought. Maybe they can nab him downtown.

Jack pondered the likelihood that Azar was working with others. So far, he'd been known as a loner, but that could have changed, he knew. These guys mostly operated in cells, so there was a good possibility that there were more men involved. That would make Azar harder to catch. The others would be protecting him. He had no idea who Azar might be working with. That made it impossible to track them, and to use them to find Azar. So everyone had to be a suspect. Their task was enormous. He just hoped it was doable.

Jack called Barbara, just to hear her voice. Things were quiet at their house, and Jack was relieved. He knew that with the six agents around her Barbara was as safe as she could be. "Hi, Baby," he said, hoping she didn't hear the worry in his voice.

"Hi, Sweetheart," she replied. "Where are you?"

"I'm still at CTU. I'm going to stay here for awhile. I want to see the intel as it comes in."

"Well, at least you're safe there. Promise me you won't go out into the field."

"I'm not going into the field, Barb. When we find him the ops guys will handle it."

Barbara also noticed Jack's choice of words. Saying "we" instead of "they." She wasn't sure if it was significant, but she was afraid it was. Her greatest fear was that Jack would somehow be sucked back into CTU. She was afraid they'd destroy him if they got the chance. They'd come so close before.

"How's it going, Jack?" She forced herself to push her concerns out of her mind.

"We're working off satellite photos, Sweetheart. So far they're inconclusive." There wasn't any point in telling her that Azar was hanging out around her office, or that he was probably working with others. She couldn't do anything about it, so he didn't see any reason to tell her. She'd only feel more vulnerable, and he didn't want her to worry even more. He just wanted her to stay alert, and to listen to what Robbins and his men said. He was doing enough worrying for both of them.

"Keep calling me, Jack, please." She, too, needed to hear his voice. Then she'd know he was safe.

"I will, Baby. Just listen to whatever the agents tell you. They know what they're doing." Jack felt confident in saying that. He knew that Ed Robbins was a good field operative, and he was in charge. He was as sure as he could be that Robbins was handling the situation properly.

After saying good-bye Jack hung up the phone, and returned to his examination of the new photos. He wanted to see the ones taken of Barbara's and Kim's houses. He felt himself growing more and more impatient. It doesn't take this long to print pictures. Why hasn't Michelle brought them in?

With that Michelle entered the room. "Here, Jack, these are the new sat pics. The analysts are looking at them. So far they haven't seen anything."

Jack took the photos Michelle was holding out. He eagerly, and anxiously, started to pore over them. After a minute he said, "Look at this, Michelle. Look at the image next to this tree. That looks like a person."

Michelle peered through the magnifying glass Jack had been using. Damn, he's right, she thought. I have to go tell the analysts. I don't know if they caught this.

"I'll be right back, Jack. I want to talk to them about these new pics."

Jack went back to examining the photos. He thought he saw another image, but they wouldn't let him out of the conference room to find Michelle. He decided that he didn't give a damn about any rules Hammond had made. He had to get to the analysts.

As he opened the conference room door he saw that there was no one nearby. He headed for where the analysis section had been, but when he got there he saw that the area had been reconfigured for more electronics. He didn't know where they had moved the analysts.

.

Michelle spotted him standing there. "What is it, Jack?" she asked. "You're supposed to stay in the conference room. Hammond ordered it."

"I know, Michelle, but I spotted something else on the photos. I've got to show it to the analysts."

"Show me, Jack," she said. He handed the pictures to Michelle, and pointed out what looked to him to be another man. After a moment she said, "You're right. I'll take you to them. It'll just slow things down if you have to channel everything through me. It's better if you can talk to them directly. Let's go."

Jack's opinion of Michelle, which had always been good, increased further. He followed her to what had been the communications hub, on the other side of what they'd always called the bullpen. As he led her past various workstations, he saw that everyone was busily at work. He could only hope that they were concentrating on the right thing.

The analysts looked up as Michelle and Jack approached. "Hey, Jack," Harry Thomason said. He was one of the old-timers, and he and Jack had always worked well together.

Thomason extended his hand, which Jack shook. "Hi, Harry," he said in reply. "Good to see you." Jack meant it. He'd always thought highly of Thomason. He knew how to cut through the bull, and that was something Jack had always appreciated.

"Good to see you, too," Thomason replied. "Michelle showed me what you found on the pics. Good catch. I missed it."

"I think there's something else there, Harry. Look at this." Jack indicated the area around the tree. It was different from the image he'd first seen.

"Damn. Jack, you're right. I missed that one, too. I'll see if we can zoom in on this, but I'm not sure we can. The images are fuzzy to begin with, and the resolution gets distorted when we come in closer." He turned to his computer, and tapped in rapidly. Jack saw the picture enlarge. Thomason had been wrong. The picture was still distinct enough for further examination.

The men were silent for a moment. Then Jack asked Thomason a question. "Does that look like a hat to you, Harry?"

"Yeah, Jack, it does. I'll be damned. Too bad we can't get in further. But we should have more sats in a couple of minutes. We've retasked one of the birds to fly over that area, and it'll be able to take pictures of that house, and your daughter's, too.

Jack didn't hear Hammond come up behind him. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, Jack?" he demanded. "You're not cleared for this. Get back to the conference room or I'll throw you out. Even Stern can't authorize you to be on the floor without breaking every protocol we have. This stuff is classified, and you know it."

Jack started to respond, but Thomason cut him off. "Jack's picking up stuff that I missed, Brad," he said. "He spotted two figures I didn't catch." Jack appreciated Thomason's honesty. It took a lot to admit a mistake to a boss.

"I don't care, Harry. He doesn't belong here, and you'd damn well better not show him anything else until you clear it with me."

Jack started to protest, but Thomason again interrupted. "Here are the new sat pics," he said. "The camera was zoomed in when it took these. We may be able to bring them even closer. We should get some good detail."

Both Jack and Thomason ignored Hammond, who had grown quiet. He, too, was intent on looking at the pictures. The photos clearly showed three men in the trees along the perimeter of Barbara's property. Their positions indicated they weren't from CTU. Besides, the CTU agents were clearly separate, manning their assigned posts, which Robbins had set according to protocol. No, these guys weren't with CTU. They had to be with Azar.

Thomason and Jack spotted something else. The three men were all wearing hats.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 11

Both Jack and Hammond reached for the phone, but Hammond glared at Jack, who pulled his arm back. He was still only a visitor, and he was clearly persona non grata, as Chase had said earlier. Hammond could still order Jack off the floor, kept in the conference room, and Jack knew it. He wasn't going to push it. All he could do was listen to the orders Hammond gave to Robbins.

"Ed, we've got new sat pics. There are three men in the trees, at three o'clock, seven o'clock and ten o'clock from the back of Gregory's house. And they're all wearing hats. One of them may be Azar. We have to assume they're all armed. They may even be fitted as suicide bombers, so you have to take them out carefully. If you hit them in the wrong place you might detonate something. So don't let your men get too close, and shoot to wound only, if possible. We have to question these guys."

Jack was pleased by what he heard. Hammond had given the same orders Jack would have issued to the agents. Hammond didn't sound like the bureaucratic wuss Jack had always thought he was. His estimation of Hammond rose, a little.

"We've got more photos of the downtown area, too," Thomason said. "There doesn't look like there's anything there, but if he's in a doorway or inside a building we can't see him. So we can't really tell from these pictures."

"Is there anything around Kim's house?" Jack asked. He assumed that Azar's cell was larger than just three men. Most cells had at least twelve terrorists, he knew. That meant there were more out there, and they were probably near Kim. And Robby, he added to himself. The people he loved most.

"Nothing shows up there, Jack," Thomason allowed.

Hammond was peering at the screen, and he concurred. "The area around your daughter's house isn't heavily treed. It should be easier to spot someone around there, and I don't see anything." Thomason didn't contradict him, and Jack didn't see anything there, either. The threat seemed to be aimed at Barbara.

Jack decided he had to go there. He was sure Azar was headed there, if he hadn't already arrived. Jack couldn't trust her safety to others, even Robbins. Not when he knew there was immediate danger.

"Let me have a car, Brad. I have to get over there." Hammond looked at him, and said something Jack hadn't expected. "Take Smythe, McKendrick, Highland and Irizarri," he said. He named two experienced agents, McKendrick and Highland, and Jack thought highly of them both. The other two Jack didn't know. He'd had confidence in all of his field agents when he was in charge. If he didn't trust a man, he got rid of him, or if he showed promise he transferred him to communications or analysis. Jack wouldn't let anyone go into the field who he felt wasn't up to the task.

The five men headed to the firearms locker and grabbed automatic rifles and pistols and a lot of ammo. McKendrick handed Jack a rifle, a pistol, and ten clips of ammo along with a vest. Hammond didn't object. After arming themselves, they headed for two SUV's. They could have all squeezed into one, but these were all big men, and their gear took up a lot of space. Besides, a second vehicle might be handy.

Irizarri was driving the SUV Jack was in, and Highland drove the other. They sped to the freeway, ignoring traffic lights as they went, and narrowly missed colliding with other cars. If they were stopped by the cops they'd i.d. themselves, and keep moving. When they were on a mission, civilian rules didn't apply.

Traffic on the roads was light, so they made good time. As they pulled up to Barbara's house they didn't see the agents who should have been there. They all prepared themselves for a battle. Things didn't look good.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 12

Jack headed straight for the front door, threat or not. He had to be inside with Barbara. He hoped she was still alive.

"Barb" he called as he entered. "Barbara, where are you?" She didn't answer. Although the house was big, she should be able to hear him.

Jack assumed the position he used to steady his gun, gripping it with one hand, and supporting that arm with the other. He carefully entered each room, working his way from the entrance through the dining room and into the kitchen. Nothing. Where is she? he thought. What happened?

He opened the door to the pantry. Again nothing. He backtracked and looked into the powder room off the entrance. No one was there. He couldn't imagine where she could be.

Jack started down the stairs to the lower level. The light was out, and he tripped over the body of one of Robbins' men. He maintained his grip on his gun as he pulled himself up, using the handrail. A flashlight shone into his eyes, and he was blinded.

"Drop it, Bauer!" an accented voice shouted. "Drop it, or you're a dead man!"

Jack bent to put down his gun on the step, but instead opened fire where the light was coming from. He heard a gasp, and then a thud. He'd hit him, but he couldn't tell where. The guy might still be alive, and he might still have his gun.

It didn't take long for Jack to learn that he was right. The beam of the flashlight moved towards him again, but this time Jack could see well enough to duck under the rail and jump the five steps to the floor. He rolled out of the way as he hit bottom, and the bullet missed him. Jack cursed the lack of a flashlight of his own, for not only would it have lit his way, he could have held it off to the side so that the man would have aimed for the wrong place. All he could do was follow the beam of the flashlight that was searching for him.

Jack heard someone approaching from behind. He knew it wasn't a CTU agent, because the man would have identified himself. He wheeled around and fired off a double tap. He heard another thud and this time the man didn't move. Jack felt for a flashlight, and found one in the dead man's hand. He ducked behind some suitcases that were stored there, and shone the light behind him. Although he now lived there he'd had no reason to go down to the lower level more than a couple of times. He knew the basic layout, though, and he thought he remembered it well enough to figure out where someone might be hiding.

Another shot hit the wall behind him. Jack shone it towards the man who was firing at him, and saw that the guy was holding the light away from him, as Jack was doing. But Jack could see the man's outline, and he fired another double tap. There was a grunt, followed by the sound of another body hitting the floor. Jack carefully shone the light around the room, but he didn't see anyone else, and no one was shooting at him, either. He slowly approached the body of the man behind him, and felt for a pulse that wasn't there before he looked at the man's face. Not Azar, he thought. He retrieved the gun, and stuck it in his waistband. Then he went towards the other shooter.

He, too, was dead, and after taking his gun Jack shone the light on his face. He didn't recognize him. He wasn't Azar, either. But beyond the man Jack saw another dead CTU agent, his throat cut. Were any of the others alive? Jack knew he had to be careful where he aimed his gun, for he didn't want to hit a 'friendly,' but at the same time people were gunning for him, and he still hadn't found Barbara. he was sure she was somewhere in the house.

Jack had no doubt that Azar was somewhere in the house, too, probably with Barbara. That thought sickened him. He knew what the man was capable of. He set off to find him.

Jack heard more gunshots, which sounded like they were outside. He didn't think any other CTU agents were in the house, but he couldn't be sure. He quickly re-checked the rooms he'd already searched, and headed down the hallway to the bedrooms. He looked in the closets and bathrooms along the way, but found nothing. Not even any of Robbins' men. When he checked the smallest bedroom, the one Jack had set up as a home office for himself, he found another body, that of another of the CTU agents assigned to defend the house. He'd been shot in the head, at close range. Someone had gotten the drop on him. Jack's dread, which had been enormous, increased even further. He was more convinced than ever that Azar was there, with Barbara.

As he checked the remaining bedrooms he found no trace of them. He then headed for the master bedroom.

There was blood on the floor, easily recognizable on the gray carpet. Jack advanced further into the room, but saw no one. He cautiously opened the door to the first walk-in closet, the one he used. Still nothing.

He went to the bathroom that was between his closet and the walk-in Barbara used. There were doors from each closet that opened into the bath. He checked the steam shower and the other stall. He found more blood on the tile floor, but still no sign of Barbara or Azar.

He knew that they had to be in the other closet. He re-entered the bedroom rather than going in through the door that opened onto the bathroom. He thought that Azar was counting on him to enter from the direction of the bath.

Jack pulled open the door to Barbara's closet in one swift motion, and shone the light in. They weren't there. He was at a loss. He didn't know where else to search.

A thought occurred to him. He went to the sliding glass door that led onto the deck, and slowly opened it. A shot barely missed him. Jack ducked back inside the bedroom, trying to figure out another way to get onto the deck. All of the rooms along the back opened onto it, but gauging from where the shot had come from Jack realized that Azar was at the end, near the kitchen, and had a clear view of all of the deck doors. He couldn't get to him that way, and at first he couldn't think of another approach.

Jack realized that there was another option. He quietly made his way back to the stairs leading to the lower level. There was a door there that opened onto the ground, beneath the deck, and he quietly opened it.

Jack wished there were CTU agents around, not only for back-up, but to make noise that would have distracted Azar. He had to do this alone.

He didn't know if Barbara was there, so he couldn't just open fire up to the deck from below. Someone was bleeding, and he was almost certain it was Barbara. He tried to put the thought out of his mind, but he couldn't shake it. She was in terrible danger, and he was the only one who could save her.

Jack knew that he had to try to get up the stairs leading to the deck, although he knew that from his position Azar could see the top of the steps, as well as all of the doors leading onto it. Because of the height of the deck there was more than a simple railing around it. Part of the edge of the deck had solid panels connecting to the rail, to keep anyone from falling through onto the ground. Jack thought he might be able to hide behind one of the panels, if he could get up the stairs without alerting Azar.

Jack crept up the steps on all fours but he held his gun tightly in his right hand. He saw that he would be able to stay out of sight behind one of the panels, but he wasn't sure he could get a clear shot from there. He was afraid of hitting Barbara.

He cautiously peered around the panel, and saw two figures. He thought Barbara was the one in the front, he was sure that Azar would use her as a shield, but if she was badly injured he might have put Barbara behind him so she wouldn't sag onto him, and interfere with his ability to shoot.

Jack realized he had to take a calculated risk. He was terrified as he moved from behind the panels and fired at the figure in the rear. He heard Barbara sob, and he rushed towards her.

Azar had fallen to the side, two bullets in his head. Barbara was ensnared in his arms, and she struggled to get free. "It's okay, Baby. It's okay. It's over," he said, kneeling swiftly to take Azar's gun. He pulled Barbara away from Azar, and held her tight. She was crying, and he kissed the top of her head as he tried to calm her. There might be others out there, more of Azar's men. He had to move Barbara to safety before he continued to search.

He helped her walk into one of the guest bedrooms, and sat her gently on the bed. "I'll be right back, Baby," he said, as he started to lock her in. "Don't open this for anyone except me. I think all of the CTU agents are dead. Anyone else coming to the door is probably with Azar."

Jack remembered that he had an extra gun in his waistband. He turned back to her, checking to see that the pistol had a full clip, and he handed it to her after he took off the safety. He knew she had never fired a gun, she'd turned down his offer to teach her, but he hoped she would be able to use it if she had to. After he checked that there was a round in the chamber, he quickly told her how to squeeze the trigger. Then he left, locking her inside.

As he crept down the hallway Jack heard more shooting from outside. Then another shot narrowly missed him. Jack ran inside an open bedroom doorway and leaned against the wall. Dammit! he thought. He didn't know where the shot had come from, so he couldn't defend against it. He had to draw more fire to tell where the shooter was.

Jack found a book on the nightstand and lobbed it out the door. A shot came from the kitchen. Jack took the flashlight and shone it in that direction, hoping to blind the shooter as he rolled out of the room into the hallway, getting off two shots as he did so. Nothing further came from the kitchen, so Jack inched his way there, pulling himself along with his arms as his feet worked behind him, just like he'd been taught in the army.

He found a man just inside the kitchen doorway, a bullet in his chest. Again Jack checked for a pulse and felt nothing. Jack took his gun, and listened for any noise in the house. He heard nothing.

Crouching with his back against the breakfast bar, Jack pulled his cellphone from his pocket and called CTU. Keeping his voice low, he asked for Hammond, who quickly came on the line. Jack told him what had happened, and Hammond said he would send more agents there, and would get more sats of the area around the house. They had no idea who was out there. Jack was afraid that the agents at the house had all been killed, and the four agents Jack had come with were unaccounted for.

Jack stayed in the kitchen, hoping there was no one else near the bedrooms where he'd left Barbara. After everything was silent for a few minutes, he carefully inched toward the light switches and turned them on. Most of the house was illuminated by the master switches controlled from the kitchen. Only the bedrooms remained dark.

He saw and heard nothing. He stood, and quickly searched the living room, dining room and powder room again. They were clear. He knew he'd already dealt with the thugs in the lower level, but he went downstairs and again searched it thoroughly. He was satisfied that there was no one there, either.

He cautiously made his way back to the master bedroom, and hit the light switches there. His search turned up nothing.

He stood, knowing he would draw fire from anyone still around, but there were no shots. He still wasn't going to let Barbara out of the room he'd locked her in, not until more CTU agents arrived. He positioned himself at the door of the master bedroom, which gave him a view of most of the hallway to the kitchen, and provided a clear shot at anyone approaching the room where Barbara was.

After a few minutes that seemed endless to Jack he heard cars pull up outside. The next thing he heard was a voice calling "CTU. This is Highland. Where are you, Jack?" The front and kitchen doors opened simultaneously. Jack was in the line of fire from both places. He froze, knowing the men could see him, but hoping that without movement they'd hold their fire.

It worked. Jack called out, "It's me, Bauer. I'm in the hallway. Don't shoot. Here's my weapon." He slowly reached out to put it on the floor where the agents could see it.

With the lights on they could see his feet jut outside the bedroom. One of the agents cautiously approached Jack's position, and gave the all-clear. Then a dozen agents entered the house, all with guns drawn. They found the bodies of Azar and his men, and did a complete search around the house. There had been six men with Azar. CTU agents had taken out four of them, while Jack had gotten the two on the lower level and Azar himself. Fortunately five of the CTU agents had only been wounded, and only two had been hit seriously. Not until the newly arrived agents thoroughly searched the house did Jack tell Barbara she could open the door.

She rushed into Jack's arms, crying. As he hugged her he felt the warmth of blood on his hand. "You're hurt," he said. "Let me see it."

He saw a mark on the neck he so loved to kiss. She'd been grazed by a bullet, and it was still bleeding. He quickly went to the linen closet and got a towel as he said, "We'll get you to the hospital. The house is clear, Baby. We got Azar."

He then put her hand on the towel so she could hold the it there. He wanted to be able to hug her with both arms.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 13

At the hospital the doctor said Barbara would be fine. He closed the wound with butterfly bandages, and told them she could leave. She said she didn't need any painkillers and just wanted to go home, but Jack took her to Kim's house instead. There was a lot of blood to clean up, and Jack didn't want Barbara there to see it.

At Jack's insistence she stayed with him at Kim's for a couple of days, while he arranged for a cleaning crew to go over Barbara's - their - house. He knew the carpet in the master bedroom had to be replaced, so he had it torn out. He wouldn't select a replacement; they'd do that together.

The shoot-out was all over the news. A TV station managed to get pictures of the deck that had been riddled with bullets. There were others of Barbara leaving the hospital, and more of her arriving at Kim's. She was still badly shaken, and Jack held her arm as she walked. She'd been traumatized by the shooting of Azar while he was holding her, dying with his arms pinning her to him.

Jack was solicitous, never leaving her side. Slowly she got over her ordeal.

When Barbara went back to work Jack walked her into her office and saw her safely ensconced behind her desk. He would work at her conference table for awhile. He still didn't want to leave her. It was time they got married.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 11

Both Jack and Hammond reached for the phone, but Hammond glared at Jack, who pulled his arm back. He was still only a visitor, and he was clearly persona non grata, as Chase had said earlier. Hammond could still order Jack off the floor, kept in the conference room, and Jack knew it. He wasn't going to push it. All he could do was listen to the orders Hammond gave to Robbins.

"Ed, we've got new sat pics. There are three men in the trees, at three o'clock, seven o'clock and ten o'clock from the back of Gregory's house. And they're all wearing hats. One of them may be Azar. We have to assume they're all armed. They may even be fitted as suicide bombers. You have to take them out carefully. If you hit them in the wrong place you might detonate something. So don't let your men get too close, and shoot to wound only, if possible. We have to question these guys."

Jack was pleased by what he heard. Hammond had given the same orders Jack would have issued to the agents. Hammond didn't sound like the bureaucratic wuss Jack had always thought he was. His estimation of Hammond rose, a little.

"We've got more photos of the downtown area, too," Thomason said. "There doesn't look like there's anything there, but if he's in a doorway or inside a building we can't see him. So we can't really tell from these pictures."

"Is there anything around Kim's house?" Jack asked. He assumed that Azar's cell was larger than just three men. Most cells had at least twelve terrorists, he knew. That meant there were more out there, and they were probably near Kim. And Robby, he added to himself. The people he loved most.

"Nothing shows up there, Jack," Thomason allowed.

Hammond was peering at the screen, and he concurred. "The area around your daughter's house isn't heavily treed. It should be easier to spot someone around there, and I don't see anything." Thomason didn't contradict him, and Jack didn't see anything there, either. The threat seemed to be aimed at Barbara.

Jack decided he had to go there. He was sure Azar was headed there, if he hadn't already arrived. Jack couldn't trust her safety to others, including Robbins. Not when he knew there was immediate danger.

"Let me have a car, Brad. I have to get over there." Hammond looked at him, and said something Jack hadn't expected. "Take Smythe, McKendrick, Highland and Irizarri," he said. He named two experienced agents, McKendrick and Highland, and Jack thought highly of them both. He'd had confidence in all of his field agents when he was in charge. If he didn't trust a man, he got rid of him, or if he showed promise he transferred him to communications or analysis. Jack wouldn't let anyone go into the field who he felt wasn't up to the task.

The four men headed to the firearms locker, and grabbed automatic rifles and pistols and a lot of ammo. McKendrick handed Jack a rifle, a pistol, and ten clips of ammo along with a vest. Hammond didn't object. After arming themselves, they headed for two SUV's. They could have all squeezed into one, but these were all big men, and their gear took up a lot of space. Besides, a second vehicle might be handy.

Irizarri was driving the SUV Jack was in, and Highland drove the other. They sped to the freeway, ignoring traffic lights as they went, and narrowly missed colliding with other cars. If they were stopped by the cops they'd i.d. themselves, and keep moving. When they were on a mission, civilian rules didn't apply.

Traffic on the roads was light, so they made good time. As they pulled up to Barbara's house they didn't see the agents who should have been there. They all prepared themselves for a battle. Things didn't look good.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 12

Jack headed straight for the front door, threat or not. He had to be inside with Barbara. He hoped she was still alive.

"Barb" he called as he entered. "Barbara, where are you?" She didn't answer. Although the house was big, she should be able to hear him.

Jack assumed the position he used to steady his gun, gripping it with one hand, and supporting that arm with the other. He carefully entered each room, working his way from the entrance through the dining room and into the kitchen. Nothing. Where is she? he thought. What happened?

He opened the door to the pantry. Again nothing. He backtracked and looked into the powder room off the entrance. No one was there. He couldn't imagine where she could be.

Jack started down the stairs to the lower level. The light was out, and he tripped over the body of one of Robbins' men. He maintained his grip on his gun as he pulled himself up, using the handrail. A flashlight shone into his eyes, and he was blinded.

"Drop it, Bauer!" an accented voice shouted. "Drop it, or you're a dead man!"

Jack bent to put down his gun on the step, but instead opened fire where the light was coming from. He heard a gasp, and then a thud. He'd hit him, but he couldn't tell where. The guy might still be alive, and he might still have his gun.

It didn't take long for Jack to learn that he was right. The beam of the flashlight moved towards him again, but this time Jack could see well enough to duck under the rail and jump the five steps to the floor. He rolled out of the way as he hit bottom, and the bullet missed him. Jack cursed the lack of a flashlight of his own, for not only would it have lit his way, he could have held it off to the side so that the man would have aimed for the wrong place. All he could do was follow the beam of the flashlight that was searching for him.

Jack heard someone approaching from behind. He knew it wasn't a CTU agent, because the man would have identified himself. He wheeled around and fired off a double tap. He heard another thud and this time the man didn't move. Jack felt for a flashlight, and found one in the dead man's hand. He ducked behind some suitcases that were stored there, and shone the light behind him. Although he now lived there he'd had no reason to go down to the lower level more than a couple of times. He knew the basic layout, though, and he thought he remembered it well enough to figure out where someone could hide.

Another shot hit the wall behind him. Jack shone it towards the man who was firing at him, and saw that the guy was holding the light away from him, as Jack was doing. But Jack could see the man's outline, and he fired another double tap. There was a grunt, followed by the sound of another body hitting the floor. Jack carefully shone the light around the room, but he didn't see anyone else, and no one was shooting at him, either. He slowly approached the body of the man behind him, and felt for a pulse that wasn't there before he looked at the man's face. Not Azar, he thought. He retrieved the gun, and stuck it in his waistband. Then he went towards the other shooter.

He, too, was dead, and after taking his gun Jack shone the light on his face. He didn't recognize him. He wasn't Azar, either.

Jack had no doubt that Azar was somewhere in the house, probably with Barbara. That thought sickened him. He knew what the man was capable of. He set off to find him.

Jack heard more gunshots, which sounded like they were outside. He didn't think any other CTU agents were in the house. He quickly re-checked the rooms he'd already searched, and headed down the hallway to the bedrooms. He checked the closets and bathrooms along the way, but found nothing. Not even any of Robbins' men. When he checked the smallest bedroom, the one Jack had set up as a home office for himself, he found another body, that of one of the CTU agents assigned to defend the house. He'd been shot in the head, at close range. Someone had gotten the drop on him. His dread, which had been enormous, increased even further. Jack was more convinced than ever that Azar was there, with Barbara.

As he checked the remaining bedrooms he found no trace of them. He then headed for the master bedroom.

There was blood on the floor, easily recognizable on the gray carpet. Jack advanced further into the room, but saw no one. He cautiously opened the door to the first walk-in closet, the one he used. Still nothing.

He went to the bathroom that was between his closet and the walk-in Barbara used. There were doors from each closet that opened into the bath. He checked the steam shower, and the other stall. He found more blood on the tile floor, but still no sight of Barbara or Azar.

He knew that they had to be in the other closet. He re-entered the bedroom rather than going in through the door that opened onto the bathroom. He thought that Azar was counting on him to enter from the direction of the bath.

Jack pulled open the door to Barbara's closet in one swift motion, and shone the light in. They weren't there. He was at a loss. He didn't know where else to search.

A thought occurred to him. He went to the sliding glass door that led onto the deck, and slowly opened it. A shot barely missed him. Jack ducked back inside the bedroom, trying to figure out another way to get onto the deck. All of the rooms along the back opened onto it, but gauging from where the shot had come from Jack realized that Azar was at the end, near the kitchen, and had a clear view of all of the deck doors. He couldn't get to him that way, and at first he couldn't think of another approach.

Jack realized that there was another option. He quietly made his way back to the stairs leading to the lower level. There was a door there that opened onto the ground, beneath the deck, and he quietly opened it.

Jack wished there were CTU agents around, not only for back-up, but to make noise that would have distracted Azar. He had to do this alone.

He didn't know if Barbara was there, so he couldn't just open fire up to the deck from below. Someone was bleeding, and he was almost certain it was Barbara. He tried to put the thought out of his mind, but he couldn't shake it. She was terrible danger, and he was the only one who could save her.

Jack knew that he had to try to get up the stairs leading to the deck, although he knew that from his position Azar could see the top of the steps, as well as all of the doors leading onto it. Because of the height of the deck there was more than a simple railing around it. Part of the edge of the deck had solid panels connecting to the rail, to keep anyone from falling through onto the ground. Jack thought he might be able to hide between one of the panels, if he could get up the stairs without alerting Azar.

Jack crept up the stairs on all fours, like a dog would, but he held his gun tightly in his right hand. He saw that he would be able to stay out of sight behind one of the panels, but he wasn't sure he could get a clear shot from there. He was afraid of hitting Barbara.

He cautiously peered around the panel, and saw two figures. He thought Barbara was the one in the front, he was sure that Azar would use her as a shield, but if she was badly injured he might have put Barbara behind him so she wouldn't sag onto him, and interfere with his ability to shoot.

Jack realized he had to take a calculated risk. He was terrified as he moved from behind the panels and fired at the figure in the rear. He heard Barbara sob, and he rushed towards her.

Azar had fallen to the side, two bullets in his head. Barbara was ensnared in his arms, and she struggled to get free. "It's okay, Baby. It's okay. It's over," he said, kneeling swiftly to take Azar's gun. He pulled Barbara away from Azar, and held her tight. She was crying, and he kissed the top of her head as he tried to calm her. There might be others out there, more of Azar's men. He had to move Barbara to safety before he continued to search.

He helped her walk into one of the guest bedrooms, and sat her gently on the bed. "I'll be right back, Baby," he said, as he started to lock her in. "Don't open this for anything, unless it's me. I think all of the CTU agents are dead. Anyone else coming to the door is probably with Azar."

Jack remembered that he had an extra gun in his waistband. He turned back to her, checking to see that the pistol had a full clip, and he handed it to her after he took off the safety. He knew she had never fired a gun, she'd turned down his offer to teach her, but he hoped she would be able to use it if she had to. After he checked that there was a round in the chamber, he quickly told her how to squeeze the trigger. Then he left, locking her inside.

As he crept down the hallway Jack heard more shooting from outside. Then another shot narrowly missed him. Jack ran inside an open bedroom doorway and leaned against the wall. Dammit! he thought. He didn't know where the shot had come from, so he couldn't defend against it. He had to draw more fire to tell where the shooter was.

Jack found a book on the nightstand and lobbed it out the door. A shot came from the kitchen. Jack took the flashlight and shone it in that direction, hoping to blind the shooter as he rolled out of the room into the hallway, getting off two shots as he did so. Nothing further came from the kitchen, so Jack inched his way there, pulling himself along with his arms as his feet worked behind him, just like he'd been taught in the army.

He found a man just inside the kitchen doorway, a bullet in his chest. Again Jack checked for a pulse and felt nothing. Jack took his gun, and listened for any noise in the house. He heard nothing.

Leaning against the breakfast bar, Jack pulled his cellphone from his pocket and called CTU. Keeping his voice low, he asked for Hammond, who quickly came on the line. Jack told him what had happened, and Hammond said he would send more agents there, and would get more sats of the area around the house. They had no idea who was out there. Jack was afraid that the agents at the house had all been killed, and the four agents Jack had come with were unaccounted for.

Jack stayed in the kitchen, hoping there was no one else near the bedrooms where he'd left Barbara. After everything was silent for a few minutes, he carefully inched toward the light switches and turned them on. Most of the house was illuminated by the master switches controlled from the kitchen. Only the bedrooms remained dark.

He saw and heard nothing. He stood, and quickly searched the living room, dining room and powder room again. They were clear. He knew he'd already dealt with the thugs in the lower level, but he went downstairs and again searched it thoroughly. He was satisfied that there was no one there, either.

He cautiously made his way back to the master bedroom, and hit the light switches there. His search turned up nothing.

He stood, knowing he would draw fire from anyone still around, but there were no shots. He still wasn't going to let Barbara out of the room he'd locked her in, not until more CTU agents arrived. He positioned himself at the door of the master bedroom, which gave him a view of most of the hallway, and provided a clear shot at anyone approaching the room where Barbara was.

After a few minutes that seemed endless to Jack he heard cars pull up outside. The next thing he heard was a voice calling "CTU. This is Highland. Where are you, Jack?" The front and kitchen doors opened simultaneously. Jack was in the line of fire from both places. He froze, knowing the men could see him, but hoping that without movement they'd hold their fire.

It worked. Jack called out, "It's me, Bauer. I'm in the hallway. Don't shoot. Here's my weapon." He slowly reached out to put it on the floor where the agents could see it.

With the lights on they could see his feet jut outside the bedroom. One of the agents cautiously approached Jack's position, and gave the all-clear. Then a dozen agents entered the house, all with guns drawn. They found bodies of Azar and his men, and did a complete search around the house. Fortunately five of the CTU agents had only been wounded, and only two had been hit seriously. Only after the newly arrived agents thoroughly searched the house did Jack tell Barbara she could open the door.

She rushed into Jack's arms, crying. As he hugged her he felt the warmth of blood on his hand. "You're hurt," he said. "Let me see it."

He saw a mark on the neck he so loved to kiss. She'd been grazed by a bullet, and it was still bleeding. He quickly went to the linen closet and got a towel as he said, "We'll get you to the hospital. The house is clear, Baby. We got Azar."

He then put her hand on the towel so she could hold the it there. He wanted to be able to hug her with both arms.

The Man In The Hat - Chapter 13

At the hospital the doctor said Barbara would be fine. He closed the wound with butterfly bandages, and told them she'd be fine. She said she didn't need any painkillers and just wanted to go home, but Jack took her to Kim's house instead. There was a lot of blood to clean up, and Jack didn't want Barbara there to see it.

At Jack's insistence she rested at Kim's for a few days, while he arranged for a cleaning crew to go over Barbara's - their - house. He knew the carpet in the master bedroom had to be replaced, so he had it torn out. He wouldn't attempt to select a replacement; they'd do that together.

The shoot-out was all over the news. A TV station managed to get pictures of the deck that had been riddled with bullets. There were others of Barbara leaving the hospital, and arriving at Kim's. She looked pale and unsteady, and Jack held her arm as she walked. She'd been traumatized by the shooting of Azar while he was holding her, dying with his arms pinning her to him.

Jack was solicitous, never leaving her side. Slowly she got over her ordeal.

When Barbara went back to work Jack walked her into her office and saw her safely ensconced behind her desk. He would work at her conference table for awhile. He still didn't want to leave her. It was time to get married.