Joel entered the room, thinking he had given Daniel enough time alone. He needed to discuss some things, and Joel understood that, but he needed to go over details with him now.
"Daniel." Joel said as he entered the room. "I need to go over some things with you in the other room." He tried to speak authoritative but both knew Daniel was the boss.
Sighing, Daniel got up. "Fine." He said. Before he left he turned to look at Jack, "Ill be five minutes, okay?" The concern was present in his voice.
Jack nodded, and patiently waited as the two left the room. Once alone Jack realised it was time to test his strength, and see how badly injured he was. He began to push himself into a sitting position using his one good arm, and found it extremely difficult. His chest was burning with pain, but he continued anyway, knowing he needed to get up. He finally managed to sit up and groaned in pain as he moved his arm. He could see the pain killers on the desk, with the lap top.
He figured that he should take some more of the pills. He knew it was dangerous to take too many as he could injure himself further, but if he was going to escape, he wasn't going to get far whilst feeling the pain.
He slowly began to stand, his legs were a little wobbly at first, but eventually he was confident he could walk. He took a few tentative steps forward, his arm and chest aching with every step. He was halfway there, two more steps and he would be at the desk. He reached out to the wall to steady himself, but the door opened.
Joel and Daniel both entered the room. Daniel had a questionable look on his face, but Joel looked angry. He looked to Daniel, "What the hell is he doing?" He yelled, angry that he hadn't taken his advice earlier and restrained him.
Daniel turned to Joel and ordered, "Leave us alone. I will find you when I am ready." Joel knew not to argue, and so he left the room. Daniel approached Jack who was still leaning against the wall in pain from the short journey.
"What are you doing Jack?" He asked softly, ready to accept whatever excuse he offered.
"I was getting the pills.... my chest...." He stopped to swallow, "... really hurts..." He broke off, out of breath. There was no acting, his pain was real.
Daniel grabbed Jacks good arm and slowly led him back to the bed, Daniel silently noted how weak he was. Once he was laid back down, Daniel told him, "You can't have anymore for another hour, then I'll give you some."
Jack didn't argue, he simply closed his eyes. He knew he wasn't going to get very far, so he might as well find out what his brother was up to, what he was involved in this time.
"Why am I here Dan?" He asked quietly.
"I wanted to see you, make things right." He said.
"You could have phoned. What happened down at that warehouse, you were their too. Are you involved in this bomb?" His voice broke into a whisper as he said this, fearing the answer.
"Jack we both know that you wouldn't have seen me freely, and it wasn't something that could be said over the phone." He paused, not knowing how to explain his involvement to Jack, someone who wouldn't understand. "What happened at the warehouse doesn't matter, but I am involved with the bomb, yes." He didn't offer any more information, so Jack had to probe.
"How far is you involvement?"
"I'm responsible for the detonation. The only person with more power than me is the financial backer for this whole operation."
Jack was beginning to add things up. "So, this whole 'I'm sorry I left you' thing was a load of shi. You have me here so I don't stop the bomb like I did last time." Anger was present in his voice.
"That's not true Jack. I wanted you here, so I could see you."
"Oh I see, like two birds with one stone?" He questioned.
"You wont understand, you can't understand Jack. The things Ive seen-"
Jack interrupted him, filled with rage, "The things you have seen! Don't even start down that road Dan you have no idea. That is the most worn out excuse ever, so don't feed me that bullshi!" He yelled.
"Weather you believe me or not, its true Jack. But I brought you here to make things right. We don't have much time left."
"What?" Jack asked, confused.
"The bomb is going to detonate today Jack, nearly all of Los Angeles is going to be destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people will die, including us." He said simply, as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Jack tried to sit up, shocked by his brothers revelation. "What?"
"That's why you are here Jack. So I could make things right with you before we leave this world for another."
Jack stared at him in shock, not able to comprehend what he was saying. "Why detonate a bomb if you are going to be part of the wreckage?"
"I'm not a bad person Jack, I am doing this for the greater good. You will understand when we reunite in the heavens." He said, ignoring Jacks question.
"Heavens? What are you talking about, this isn't you!" Jack stammered.
"Jack, you haven't know me in a long time. I have changed for the better, and so will you."
"No I wont Danny, I know where my morals lie and I would never sentence millions to death because of... shi.... I don't even understand why you are doing this!"
"It may look like I am doing a bad thing now Jack, but in the afterlife you will thank me. I don't have a cause, this is simply my way to protest against an inhumane world."
"This is stupid, your crazy!" Jack yelled, before he started to cough again.
Daniel was angry that his brother couldn't understand. "Ive been keeping tabs on you over the years Jack. I know how you saved the presidents life when he was a senator, I know that your wife was murdered, you saved the country from a nuclear bomb! I know you were given a drug habit to complete your job. I know how much you have suffered, as have I, so how can you say that this world is not cruel?"
"If you have been paying so attention to my life you would know I have a daughter. Are you willing to let her die?" He said, hoping to strike a cord with Daniel, make him think about what he is going to do.
"Of course I know about Kim. I am doing this for her too, for us all Jack.."
"If this world has been so bad to you then take your own life, let the other hundred thousand have the choice to live or die!" He shouted, again angry.
"They don't understand Jack, like you don't understand. But you will, once we are on the other side." He remained calm.
"How do you even know their is something else? What if their is nothing on the other side Dan, then what?" He asked, trying to provoke him.
"I don't expect you to understand." He said. "I have to make some preparations, I'll be back when you can take some more pills. Don't try to escape Jack, first off, your not strong enough to get out of here, you will just hurt yourself more, and secondly, it doesn't matter where you go, the blast will take you. The blast will take us all."
He left the room and Jack slammed his fist into the mattress angry. How could his brother be so narrow minded, so stupid, and most of all, so selfish. He had to have been brainwashed, that was the only plausible explanation he thought. He momentarily thought of Kate, he now knew how she felt, and understood why Marie's involvement screwed her up so much. She would die too, he thought.
He looked around the room, thinking that he had to escape to stop the bomb, but he felt weak from the argument, to weak to move. He could feel his eyes drooping as his body tried to sleep, as he dozed off his last angry thoughts were of if he would wake up again.