PART III: BACK TO THE REAL WORLD
The helicopter landed on top of CTU. Jack escorted Ramon out of the helicopter down the stairs to a holding cell inside CTU. No one had seen it happen, and he was glad he was not ready to be faced with the questions he would have to answer. When he walked out of the holding cell Chappelle stood there waiting for him, "I want a full debrief now Bauer."
"Where?" Jack said to tired to argue with Chappelle.
"The conference room. Let's go." Chappelle was surprised by the lack of arguing coming from Jack. Jack walked through the CTU bull pen, everyone stopped their work and looked at him he was almost like a dead man walking, they had not seen him in months and now he looked so much different, older and haggard some might describe the changes in Jack.
Tony followed behind them once he saw them and called for Chase to come.
Michelle watched Jack and noticed he looked worse than the last mission he had returned from. She felt for him, and went back to work.
Jack got into the conference room and slumped into one of the chairs.
"You want some coffee Jack?" Chase asked when he walked in.
"Please." Jack said rubbing the sleep out of his tired eyes.
Chase left to get everyone coffee while Chappelle hooked up the recording machine. Tony intervened and said, "Can't this wait till tomorrow Sir.
Jack's been gone for months what's one more night. Let him go home and get some sleep."
"Jack can handle it can't you Jack?" Chappelle said.
"Tony it's no problem don't worry." Jack said staring at the table. Tony had noticed a change in Jack something was different he was almost the same after he found Teri dead.
"Are you sure?" For some reason Tony knew this was not the best time, he had a feeling from some of the stuff he had heard from other sources that Jack might need time to get his story together.
Chase returned with coffee for everyone and Jack started the long story of what happened down in Mexico. He finished the long ars story that took up about three tapes, and at least two hundred pages of transcript to tell around three in the morning. Chappelle had him sign a few papers and than said, "Your free to go. I'll call you if we have anymore questions take a few weeks on and get your stuff back together."
"I'll drive you home Jack." Tony said standing up. He knew Jack had lied about a few things, but Jack always had his reasons and Tony wasn't going to interfere they had more than enough to hang Ramon why hang Jack at the same time.
"Thanks." Jack said following Tony out. Jack went up to his office quickly to grab a gun and some spare ammo he knew he now had the biggest hit out on him. His head was probably worth at least a million. He wouldn't be surprised if he was worth more than Osama's head was to the U.S. He looked down into the bull pen and saw Tony and Michelle talking. Jack walked down keeping his distance not wanting to intrude on their moment.
Michelle noticed him and walked over to him pulling him into an embrace, "Jack it's great to see you. You'll have to come over for supper and see the new house sometime. Oh and there is the wedding this weekend. You have to come."
"yeah sure." Jack said distant.
"Ready to go?" Tony said standing there knowing Jack was tired and weirded out by being back to reality again, he had felt the same feeling before when he returned from undercover operations, but he had never been gone as long as Jack had been.
Tony walked Jack out to his car. He watched as Jack slumped into the front seat. It was almost as if Jack had not been successful. He drove Jack home in silence the radio playing softly to help the silence not be so present.
When Tony pulled up outside Jack's apartment he saw how bleak it was. "Are you going to be ok?"
"Yeah thanks. See you tomorrow." Jack left and went inside not looking back to see if Tony had taken off. Tony sat outside for a few minutes making sure everything was fine, a part of him didn't want to leave, he could see something was wrong with Jack, but he knew Jack would not want help. So he left to go home calling Michelle as soon as he walked in the door.
Jack walked inside and slumped onto the couch. He lay down and closed his eyes, he quickly feel into a dreamless sleep. He woke the next morning when he heard someone banging on the door. He got off the couch and moved to the door checking through the peep hole before he opened the door. He almost smiled to see Kim standing outside with a bag of McDonalds in her hand. He opened the door and put his game face on he smiled, "Kim I missed you."
Kim hugged him tightly she had missed him so much and worried every day he was gone. Jack tried not to grimace in pain as she hugged him, he was still sore from all the injuries he had incurred while working for the Salazars.
Kim noticed the slight look of pain when she pulled away, "Are you hurt?"
She asked worry.
"Nothing that won't heal. I've fine. How have you been? How is work do you like it?" Jack said trying to change the subject from himself.
"Everything's great. Everyone is really nice and I enjoy it."
"That's great Kim." Jack smiled genuinely happy, but soon after the memories of all the atrocities he committed while in Mexico came to him.
His smile faded.
"I brought breakfast."
"I noticed." Jack smiled again he had to make her think everything was fine. They sat at the able together and ate. Kim told him every detail that he missed while he was away. He smiled through it trying to act genuinely interested.
After they finished Kim hugged him and said goodbye she had to go to work and didn't want to be late.
Jack sighed with relief after she left. He knew this would happen when he got back, but he was hoping for a day of nice peace and quiet by himself to try to straighten his head out some. He was thinking about Mexico again when his cell phone rang, "Bauer?"
"Jack. Hello how have you been?" The woman's voice came over.
"Nina. What do you want?" Jack knew who it was from the voice, and his blood ran cold with anger.
"Oh I was just wondering if you knew where Kit was?" She said angrily she knew the entire story of what Jack had done to him, it had gotten around her circle.
"Uhm no. I never saw him since he went on the mission." Jack lied.
"Don't lie Jack. How does it feel to be a cold blooded killer? And you thought Victor Drazen was bad."
"Don't know what your talking about Nina." Jack said wishing he could trace the call now.
"Sure you don't I'll be seeing you later." She hung the phone up.
Jack sat on the couch and thought about what he had done and he began to cry from the emotional turmoil he felt from doing the action. He feared he had turned into the monster he had been fighting so long. He who looks into the abyss can't come back out normal he thought to himself paraphrasing and adding new meanings to the Fredrick Nietzsche quote.
After an hour of thinking about the entire trip to Mexico Jack had decided he was not going to think about it again. It was in the past, and it would stay there, he had no reason to dwell on his past the present was daunting enough. With that he got off the couch with the false feeling of knowing everything was going to be alright. He tricked his mind to think that, but in reality his mind and him knew it wasn't going to be fine, but they could act like that for awhile, till everything came crashing down again.
Jack took a shower and got dressed he had to go apologize to someone before he thought about doing anything. He shaved his stubbly beard that was growing. He looked at himself in the mirror he looked like a ghost of the person he use to be, but he was presentable enough to not worry anyone. Like she would be worried after what he did to her. He needed a little extra help he thought to himself, he could feel the slight craving for the drug. His mind screamed for it. He found the stash he had brought back with him and quickly inserted it into his body as he sat in his bathroom listening for anyone coming, though there was no one to come. He was alone again.
He drove over to Kate's after the initial symptoms of the drug wore off. His eyes were still glazed over, but everything else to him seemed normal. He sat outside still not have enough nerve to walk up and knock. He knew she was home because he watched her as she got the mail. He slumped in his SUV as to not be seen. She didn't seem to notice it either, he hoped. Finally he got out of the SUV and went to the door. He knocked and waited for her to answer.
Kate opened the door without looking through the peep hole. She had lived in a safe neighborhood and she was not to cautions anymore. Her face conveyed the shock she felt seeing Jack at the door instead of anyone else.
"Hi Kate." Jack said trying to smile, though it felt like his heart was going to explode her facial expression she hated them.
"Jack. Are you back now?"
"Yeah. I got back last night." He said looking to the ground.
Kate knew not to ask where he had been or what he did while he was away. She looked at him he was so pale besides the bruises that his face showed. He was also so much skinner than before. He looked like pure bones now. She had thought he was to skinny before, but the way he looked now it looked as if he hadn't eaten in a long time. She noticed his eyes too. They were glazed over, that meant that most likely he was still on the drug. She had not forgotten her discovery from that night. She wanted to help him, but the only way to do that was to get herself hurt again, and he had "That's great. What can I do for you Jack?" Getting right to business she was angry at him he had used her and left her, and she owed him nothing.
"Can I come in?" He asked looking at the ground not having the guts to look her in the face, he knew what he had done was wrong. She didn't need him, she shouldn't want him, but she had. He wanted to leave her for her own good, with his job and his life you couldn't have a family, and that was what she wanted.
"No not really Jack. I'm sort of in the middle of something." Kate lied she wasn't doing anything she had taken the week off to clean the house and just go out and have fun with her friends she had not seen in a long while.
"I'm sorry." Jack said. He knew she thought it was just for intruding now, but it was for everything so he continued, "I . . . . I'm sorry." He didn't have the guts to tell her. He turned around and left. He hated himself for doing this, he had no right to try to even think about getting back in her life. He had not right to even show up at her door.
Kate watched him leave and felt a little bad for doing it to him, but than she remembered how he had treated her last time they meant. She went back to her cleaning the house. She had already RSVP and said she would be at the wedding this weekend, and now she dreaded it. He would most likely be there, and she didn't want to see him again. She was afraid her resolve would not hold up, she knew she still loved him, but in time the hurt of being betray by a loved one goes away, or so she hoped.
Michelle and Tony were at lunch. They had a few things they had to go over before the wedding. "What about the sitting chart?" Tony asked knowing Michelle would go in depth how she arranged people so that the CTU people would not only be with CTU people so it wouldn't turn into one big let's talk shop outing.
"Here it is." She handed it to him. She didn't go into detail or anything about it. Tony began to wonder why she was trying to do something. He looked through the chart to try to find what it might be. She had Chase and Kim together along with an empty spot for Kit if he ever showed up, that was fine because they were all friends, she put Chloe at the table. "Does Chloe really have to come?" Tony asked.
"Yes. We invited everyone else from work besides the few that had to work and Chase and Kim promised to bring them stuff from it. We can't excluded her even if she is kind of annoying."
"Fine." Tony said like a defeated spoiled little brat. He went through again there was something there. He found it, "You can't sit Jack and Kate together."
"Why not?" Michelle asked innocently. She thought to herself, damn it Tony you never cared before about the sitting arrangement till now.
"They aren't even talking from what I understand. Kim talked to her a few times after Jack left, and I guess she was not to happy with Jack."
"So they will just have to be nice to each other that's already set in cement."
"Michelle what are you up to?"
"Nothing. Look there is my friend Monica there too and her guy friend, not boyfriend Marshall. So it's not like they will be stuck together there are other people to talk to and really how many people stay seated at these things?"
Tony gave up he knew he couldn't win against Michelle. He never could and he knew he was whipped, but he had no problem with that because while he was whipped, he told Chase and the others, he has the most beautiful woman in his bed every night.
Jack drove in to CTU. He knew if Tony and Michelle were getting married this weekend that meant they would not be at CTU next week when he was suppose to come back. He would have to catch up at some point, and that would not be the best time when he was in charge. He drove into the parking garage saying hi to Sal the security guard that manned that post faithfully six days a week. Jack walked through CTU, this time not feeling the wondering eyes on him. He walked in confident though he was far from it. Everyone it seemed he knew would give him problems was at lunch. So he just walked up to his office hoping that they wouldn't attention when they came back and he could slip in and not deal with them till he had to leave. He walked up the steps to his office and Chloe stood up shocked to see him, "Jack what are you doing back?"
"Just came in to catch up. Please send me all of the files I should look at now, and than send the rest in a separate folder." He said as he walked through.
Chloe went to work sending all the files over to Jacks computer.
Jack sat in his office and looked around, it was like he had never left, his mind told him. Denial was a great thing while it worked. He began to read the files, some of which were updates from Chase about his mission with the Salazars, and than he found a folder labeled Kit's mission. Jack was interested in it, but reading the name caused him so much pain to remember what he had done. Even if Kit had changed, which Jack doubted he did, he was a confused kid who was following his heart and not his brain, it still didn't mean he deserved what he got. No one deserved that.
He wiped his eyes, they were blurring from looking at the screen. He felt the drug wearing off he thought to himself. He went back to reading. Chloe walked in and told him, "I'm going to lunch."
"Can you please do me a favor?" Jack asked tired, but not wanting to leave his desk.
"What do you want?" Chloe said as if annoyed. In reality it was the opposite emotion she really felt excited, Jack had barely spoken to her before and now he was actually having her work.
"Can you please get me a cup of coffee. Please don't tell me how it's not your job, it just that I'm in the middle of this and if I get up know I won't finish." Jack said truthfully.
"Black?" She asked still sounding annoyed.
"Yes please." Jack said smiling at her. That was the first time she had ever seen him smile.
She returned a few minutes later with a cup of black steaming coffee. "It was just made." She said setting the black mug on his desk.
"Thank you Chloe."
Jack went back to work every now and than he would glance downstairs and notice that some people filed back into work from their lunch break. He saw Michelle and Tony walk in laughing. He felt a small tinge of jealousy seeing them so happy together, but than he wiped it away and felt generally happy for them. He thought to himself they deserve whatever happiness they got.
Tony walked into CTU holding Michelle's hand there for the first time. He didn't care what others thought he wanted to hold her hand and never let go. He looked up to what he would assume would be Jack's empty office and was surprised when he saw Jack sitting at his desk working.
Michelle had also noticed, "What is he doing? He's not due back for a few days at least."
"I don't know. I'll go talk to him." Tony said leaving Michelle to go to work.
Tony ran up to Jack's office he knocked on the door and went in. He was use to Jack when he was working this hard. Jack usually never yelled come in; he most likely never heard the knock. "Jack what are you doing here?" Tony asked when he walked in.
"I'm working what does it look like Tony." Jack said semi annoyed, but not by Tony by the feeling of needing the drug again already.
"Yeah I noticed. But you aren't suppose to be back till later this week or even next week."
"Well you want to go on your honeymoon and I want to be able to handle things after your gone so that we don't have to bother you. Therefore I need to get caught up before next week." Jack said partially lying he didn't want to tell Tony that his life had gotten to the point where he had nothing else to do but insert a drug into his body. He had no friends, barely any family, and no one missing him besides Kim when he was gone.
"Jack we had Gael here too. He was up to date on everything and was ready to help you."
"Just let me do this Tony. There is no rule that says I can't come back now."
"Whatever Jack. Just don't overdue it. We need you, but we need you in your top condition Jack." Tony said trying to make himself clear.
"I know." Jack said almost to himself as Tony left the room. What Tony had said had more meaning to Jack than what Tony was trying to communicate.
Jack looked downstairs again and noticed Kim and Chase were walking in laughing. Kim stopped as soon as she seen her father up in his office. She looked up angrily at him. Chase noticed Jack to and felt himself suddenly panic. What if Jack knew about him and Kim? He just saw them walking in together. Chase went up to the office, where Jack had begun to work again. He knocked on the door and walked in. He sat down in the chair and noticed even though the room was extremely cold Jack was sweating. "Hello sir. What are you doing back so soon?"
"I had to get caught up on some stuff. Remember call me Jack." Jack said without taking his eyes off the computer.
"Anything I can help you with?" Chase asked standing up.
"No." Jack went back reading. He was reading Kit's reports and each time Jack got more and more engrossed trying to figure out how Nina had gotten to him.
"Uh Jack you haven't happen to see Kit or heard anything about him?"
Jack's blood ran cold, did Chase know something he had let that slip through his debrief. Jack was sure he was in a grey area of being right, but he was not sure he could live with them knowing what he had done, he didn't think he would be able to live with all he had done. "Uh no. Why do you ask?"
"He said he was going out of town the other day. Than he called me a few days ago and said he should be back soon, and he never came back." Chase said confused.
"So how would I know anything?" Jack asked trying to figure out if the young agent knew more than he was letting on to know.
"Well you know how word travels through the terrorist world, I was just wondering if you happened to hear anything."
"No." Jack was sure Chase knew what he had done and wanted something out of him, hence the reason he was hinting but not outright saying what he had heard.
"Ok. If you need help or have a question about anything I'll be working out in Chloe's area till she gets back."
Jack went back to work sweating the rest of the day not only from withdraw, but also nerves. Kim never once spoke to him, he was sure she was angry but he had other things to worry about, like Chase. In his withdrawn crazed mind he thought about setting Chase up to die, but than he shook the idea what because it was just crazy. Around eight at night he had been working for almost nine hours straight he got up and stretched laughing at himself.
He decided to call it a night. He would be back tomorrow to finish what he started. He left CTU the entire earlier shift gone. He saw a few people he remembered, but everything else was new. He felt as if they were all staring at him as he walked down the steps most of them never seeing him before, only hearing about him. He wondered if he measured up to their expectations, usually people thought he should be bigger, uglier, and meaner looking.
He got out to his SUV and heard his stomach growling. Hungry and nothing at home to cook he decided to stop at Subway and get a sandwich to go. He was not a fan of fast food it was all greasy with some teenage kid cooking the stuff for the first time. Not for him, he'd rather see some of the food prepared in front of him.
(BIG TIME JUMP. WHAT DID JACK DO INBETWEEN THOSE TIMES. HE WENT TO WORK SLEPT FITFULY, AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE CHASE SITUATION MORE NOTHING ELSE POOR GUY)
THE WEEKEND/THE WEDDING
Jack sat at the place the reception was to be. He had politely told Michelle and Tony that he would not be able to make it to the wedding itself. He lied and said he had some stuff to do, when in reality he sat at home staring at the same spot in the wall he had stared at when he was not at work.
The reception had already begun when he pulled up, but he wasn't ready to go inside. This would be the first wedding he went to since Teri died, the first social event since Teri died. He was not sure he could do it, he was not able to easily talk to people he knew let alone strangers. Michelle tried to tell him they would not be strangers they would be a lot of people from CTU, but what she didn't understand they were all new people that Jack had not meant because he was away while they were gone, and in a sense everyone was a stranger now. Jack seriously contemplated using before he came, but he knew his eyes would tell the tale of what was going on, so he just left the house. Getting the nerve up he got out of the SUV and walked into the reception. He saw Michelle who looked as beautiful as ever, and Tony was grinning ear to ear happy. Jack smiled at them and walked up to them.
"Sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding."
Michelle hugged Jack, "You made it here eventually that's all that matters."
Tony jumped in to say, "no he only came for the free alcohol."
Jack shook Tony's had and congratulated him and wished them the best time together. He walked away, what Tony had said hit close to home, he knew it was a joke, but he was a addict now and he knew one thing he had become dependent on too was alcohol. He had drunk six bottles of Southern Comfort by himself since he had been back. Jack found the bar got a drink and than went and sat at his table. He drank the beer slowly as not to drain it too quickly.
He was drinking and watching Tony and Michelle happily together when he saw someone sit next to him. She said quietly almost to herself, "I hate these things."
Jack took a swig of the beer and said, "Yeah. I have been accidentally calling it a funeral all day. Don't know why. Guess Freudian slip."
"I can see that. I was married once, but that just wasn't for me." She said smiling at the man she found to be very hansom. "Hi I'm Monica."
"I'm Jack."
"Bride or Groom?"
"Both I work with them."
"Oh my God. You're Jack Bauer?"
"Guilty as charged." Jack said not really carrying for himself.
"Michelle told me so much about you. You are like Batman meets Superman."
"I doubt that."
"You have a date Jack?"
"No. You?"
"Not really just a friend that came along.
Kate walked into the reception she had been at the wedding and took awhile to get to the reception. She was worried because she had expected Jack to be there, but he wasn't. She didn't care, she told herself, but she knew he was high the other day she saw him, and she could only guess whatever nasty things he had picked up on his mission.
She walked to her table and saw him sitting there talking to an attractive brunette. For a minute she was angry with him, he had moved on so quickly. He was just at her house the other day trying to get her back, and here he is now with someone else. She walked up to the table, he wasn't going to ruin her fun. She sat down and Jack noticed her. She asked, "Are you going to introduce me to your date Jack?"
Monica looked at her and smiled she knew who that was and could understand why she wasn't so happy. "Oh no I'm not his date. Hi I'm Monica I'm Michelle's friend from college."
"Oh. Nice to meet you Monica." Kate tried to play of it never bothered her.
Jack stood up his beer was gone already, "Would you like something from the bar?" He asked looking to both of them.
"A glass of wine for us please if you will." Monica said waiting for him to leave to pick Kate's brain about him.
Jack went to the bar and did two quick shots of whiskey grabbed another bottle of beer and two glass's of wine. As he was walking back to the table he ran into Chase who smiled at him, "Drink that much by yourself?" Chase joked relaxed in the social environment.
"Uh no. It's for them." Jack said looking at the table.
Chase patted him on the back jokingly saying, "Jack you dog you. Got two of them."
Jack gave him a look that said go to hell, and Chase left quickly taking his foot out of his mouth as he left.
Jack gave them their wine and drank his beer. No longer caring about how long it took him. He finished it in five minutes and than decided to just go sit at the bar. They were talking whatever women talk when they are at weddings, and he felt to uncomfortable being there.
He sat at the bar downing shots and than just beer. He had to remember he was at a wedding reception most people didn't drink like they were in a bar. He had finished off six bottles of beer and had only been there an hour and a half. He lost count of the shots he had done. Kim walked over to him frowning she could tell he was drunk and had been watching him from across the room. She was embarrassed by how he acted. He wasn't acting normal and making a fool out of everyone. She walked over and looked at him and angrily said, "What are you doing?"
Jack almost laughed because Kim was trying to correct him when he could say something to her about her choices, but never did because he loved her but the alcohol might help him. "Having fun." He answered slurring the words.
She glared at him and returned with Chase. Chase walked up to Jack and said, "Hey let's take you home ok." Chase could see the pain in Jack's eyes, and could only guess what caused it. He could tell Jack was in pain, but he was helpless to do anything about it.
"No I'm having fun." Jack said pulling away from Chase.
"Please dad. You're embarrassing everyone. DO you really want to act this way at Tony and Michelle's reception?"
Jack noticed that the half of the room he was in everyone was staring at him. "Let's go." He whispered softly. He left when they got outside Chase asked, "Jack where are the keys?"
"Here." Jack threw them to him. "I'm going to walk." Jack started walking down the street by himself. Kim ran after him, "dad you can't walk."
"Kim go back and have fun. Don't let me ruin your fun. I'll be fine. Chase has my keys so I can't drive and I'll use my spare key to let myself in." Jack said walking further away from his daughter.
Kim started to follow when Jack screamed back, "Go back to the damn party Kimberly."
Jack had rarely used her name and he was worrying her, but she was worried what he would say or do if she continued to follow him. She went back to the party angry at him for always ruining her good times.
Kate saw the entire ordeal go down and was worried about Jack. She got even more worried when she saw Kim and Chase come back in by themselves a few minutes later. Kate decided to check on him. She told Michelle and Tony good by and wished them luck. She went outside and saw that Jack's SUV was empty and he was nowhere in sight, maybe he got a Taxi she said to herself. She got into her car and drove over to his apartment. When she got there he wasn't there. She was unsure where he could be so she drove around the area looking for him. She didn't find him and gave up and went home.
Jack left the reception and walked to a bar a few blocks down. He continued his drinking. After he spent everything he had, except twenty dollars to get him home, he left the bar drunk and staggering. He barely made it to the Taxi without falling over. The Taxi driver dropped him off outside his apartment and Jack stumbled and weaved as he tried to walk to the apartment. Jack laughed because when he made it to the door he remembered he had to go around back to get in. His spare keys were hidden in the back. He stumbled around the apartment falling as he walked getting up every time and continuing to walk. He got to the back and was searching for the key in the flower box when he felt the cold medal thing touch his neck, the feeling he knew all to well and hated.
"Jack, imagine finding you here. You see a Federal Agent by the name of Jack Bauer lives here, not Jack Wood. Or are they the same people. I heard you didn't tell them half the stuff you did while undercover. Like letting the little girl slip your mind, the federal informants, oh and that other federal agent." Carlos said holding the gun firmly against Jack's head who was having problems not swaying.
Jack didn't answer him even his inebriated mind knew he was in trouble. "So let me guess." Jack slurred, "Hector sent you to take care of me."
"No he just wanted me to grab you and hold you till he gets transportation to move you back to Mexico for the proper death. Something about that other federal agent, only being much worse."
Jack was ready to pass out, and said in almost an non-understandable way, "Pu$$y couldn't do it yourself."
This angered Carlos who was already angry he had to go deal with this himself, Hector had commanded it and so it shall be done, now that Hector was the head of the Salazar's. Carlos thought about pulling the trigger and just saying that Jack fought him and he had to do it, but that wasn't what Hector wanted and he was sure if that happened he would just take Jack's place in painful death planned for him.
Kate had decided to check by Jack's house once again. She sat outside waiting for him when she saw him stumble to the front. She was getting ready to leave when she saw him stumbling back down to go around. She almost laughed when he fell because the way he got back up as if it never happened. She decided to walk around the back of his house sure that he wouldn't be able to unlock the door by himself. Before she got back there she heard him talking to someone. When she heard the Salazar name mentioned she remembered what she read in the paper the other day about the major drug cartel boss being arrested. She thought that they had caught him somewhere in L.A. it didn't give much details other than he was arrested in L.A.
Kate didn't go any farther back as she saw a man holding a gun to Jack's head. Instead she moved as close to the dark town-house apartment she slid down it's wall till she was back out to her car. She felt almost like a agent doing it. She called CTU but couldn't get through to anyone. She didn't want to call the place where the reception was being held. She thought about Kim she had her cell phone number and Kim had that other agent guy with her most of the time. She dialed Kim's number and Kim answered her phone worried, "Hello, Dad?"
"Kim its Kate is Chase there with you?"
"Yeah but why do you want to talk to him?"
"Please Kim." Kate pleaded sure that any moment she would hear the gun go off and Jack would be dead.
"Hello, Kate?" Chase came over the phone confused as to why she would call him.
"I went to check on Jack, and there is a man holding him at gun point at the back of the house." Kate said almost desperate looking at the house trying to see what was going on without letting herself be known.
"I'll be there we are about ten minutes out." Chase said running out of the reception with Kim following him.
Kate thought to herself, there isn't time. There is a man holding Jack at gun point. Jack was inebriated and she knew how annoying he could be drunk, sometimes she thought if she had a gun she'd shoot him. She looked through her car there had to be something. She found the club (IF U DON'T KNOW THIS THAN I AM SORRY FOR U) her father had bought her a few years back when they were the in way to protect your car. It would have to do. She grabbed her maze in the other hand and slowly walked back up the path quietly, sure she was going to be caught at any moment trying to sneak up on the man. She reached the corner of the house and peaked around. The man had Jack on his knees, even on is knees Jack was having a hard time staying up right. The man was saying something to Jack, but Kate couldn't hear. She slowly turned the corner and walked cautiously towards him the man to busy with Jack to notice her. She almost screamed when she saw him raise the gun and aim at Jack's head, but at the last second brought the butt of the gun onto Jack's head. Jack feel to the ground feeling the pain of the metal connecting with the back of his head. He fell to the ground blood pouring out of the cut down his face. He tried to stay conscious but he felt himself slip into the darkness.
Kate didn't wait she swung the second after Jack collapsed to the ground. She hit the man in the head with the hard metal bar. She heard something crack but she wasn't happy enough so she swung again. The man fell to the ground unconscious. She walked up to him cautiously and grabbed his fallen gun. She aimed it at him. Her had shook but Jack had showed her how to shoot the gun many of times. She wanted to see if Jack was dead, she had been so scared she didn't know if the man shot him or if he just knocked him out. She was so scared she was sure she just blocked out the sound of the gun. She looked over and saw the blood that surrounded Jack's head and she almost collapsed there.
Chase came running back in the yard. Kate quickly moved the gun, but luckily didn't fire on him. Chase raised his hands when he saw her. He saw both men unconscious on the ground. He walked up to Jack and felt for a pulse not sure if Jack was shot.
"Is he dead?" Kate said almost crying.
"No. He just has a bad cut on the back of his head. What about him?"
"I don't know I hit him with that." Kate said pointing at the club.
"Always thought those things were stupid till now." Chase said smiling sure that Kate was in shock. "It's ok you can put the gun down now Kate. He's not getting up any time soon by the looks of it." Chase said walking over to her.
Kate dropped the gun and than collapsed on the ground next to Jack. She was crying hysterically she had almost lost him and it scared her to much.
Kim came back a few seconds later and turned white when she saw Kate crying next to her father, who had so much blood around his head. Kim was sure he was dead. She almost started to cry herself when Chase said, "He just has a nice bump on the back of his head that's all Kim. We probably should have an ambulance pick him up and check for any damage."
Kim felt almost relived he wasn't dead. She looked at the other man on the ground and asked, "Who is he?"
"Carlos. He was the head of the gang that worked with the Salazars."
The ambulance came to collect Jack and Carlos. Neither of them had woken up in the five minutes it took the ambulance to get there. Kim drove Kate to the hospital and Chase rode with Carlos to make sure as soon as he woke up he would be read his rights.
After what seemed like a wait that took forever a doctor came out. He looked around the waiting room and walked up to Kim, "Are you Mr. Bauer's daughter?"
"Yes sir is he ok."
"He has a bad concussion but everything else is fine. He is way above the drinking limit."
"I know. We were at a friends wedding reception earlier and he drank a lot."
"He should be fine he is awake and is forcing me to discharge him." The doctor said not to pleased.
"Thank you doctor." Kim already knew she couldn't get him to stay there for the night.
They all walked down to the room they had been directed to by the nurse at the nursing station. When they walked in Jack was changing into a scrub shirt the doctor had offered him since his was covered in his own blood.
Kim noticed the bruises and the cuts on her father, but said nothing she didn't know what to say. She knew he couldn't tell her how he got them couldn't or wouldn't she was never sure which it was.
Jack turned around hoping the shirt was long enough to cover his new tattoo and the track marks from his drug use. He smiled at them; the back of his head had a bandage over it. He had gotten fifteen stitches and the doctor gave him Tylenol 3 for the migraine he was sure Jack would have on top of the major hangover.
Jack was still drunk, and wobbly when walking so Chase helped him out to the car. Chase drove him home. The entire time he kept glancing around as if he were expecting something to happen. When they got to Jack's house, Chase had to practically carry Jack inside, he was almost passed out and Chase struggled under his weight. Kim looked around and saw the empty bottles of Southern Comfort sitting on the living room table. She picked them up and moved them to the kitchen counter to let her father know she knew about it.
She sat on the couch while she waited for Chase to finish carrying her now passed out father down the hallway. She was mortified by what Chase would say and do afterwards. She had it in mind to wait around till her father woke up and lay into him for all he had done. He was acting like a child, she thought, and drinking too much making a fool of himself and her. She would not take it like her mother did when he came back from his last mission in Kosovo. She didn't know every detail about it, but she remembered how he had treated her mother.
Chase came back out of the room and sat next to Kim. Kate sat in one of the chairs not sure what to say or do or if she should even be there. She still hated Jack, but she could see he needed help.
"I think someone should stay with him tonight." Chase said worried about Jack passing out so quickly again.
"I don't want to." Kim said angrily, "When he wakes up I don't think I could stop from yelling at him. I'm so pissed off at him."
"I can." Kate said quietly. "I don't have to work tomorrow."
"Are you sure after what he did to you?" Kim said still angry at her father and getting even angrier as he had this nice woman willing to sit around for him even after he had broke her heart. Kim had heard from Kate some of the story, Kate told her reluctantly not wanting to give Kim a bad image of her father.
"Yeah." Kate said smiling at Kim.
"Ok. You have my cell phone number call me the minute he wakes up."
"Maybe you should give him a day to recuperate, he's going to be one sore person tomorrow Kim." Chase said gently not wanting her to take her anger out on him.
Chase and Kim left. Kate searched the house for food. She was hungry. She found nothing in the cabinets, and only really old milk that had already soured in the fridge. She shook her head and called a pizza. She thought about it after they were there that maybe his apartment wasn't the safest place to be. She called Kim's cell phone to tell her what she thought.
"Kate is he ok?" Kim asked worried that Kate would call so quickly after they left.
"Is it really safe here?"
"Yeah. Chase has two agents outside and the police are in the back of the house in the alley station, with more cops driving by during the night than usual." Kim said already having asked Chase that question.
"Oh ok. Should I tell them I have a pizza coming?"
"Wouldn't hurt." Kim said not sure herself.
Kate walked out to one of the cars with the men out front in it and said, "I have a pizza coming. Do you want me to order more, I'm sure you haven't eaten all day?"
"Oh no that won't be necessary ma'am." One of the agents's said.
"If I did would you eat some?" She asked knowing they probably would.
"Yeah." The Agent said.
"Ok pepperoni ok with you guys and the cops in the back?"
"That's fine. Thank you ma'am."
"It's the least I could do since you're stuck watching this place." She smiled at him, she thought maybe it was a requirement that you had to be damn good looking to get into the CIA and CTU more specifically because she had not seen an ugly young agent yet.
Kate went back inside feeling secure and called the pizza place and ordered two more pizza's to go with her earlier one. She sat on the couch bored. She was looking for the remote control to turn the TV on when she saw it sticking out of the side of the couch. She reached down to grab it and felt a black nylon bag. She pulled it up and opened it. Inside was Jack's drug kit. She studied it's contents in shock again, even if she knew he was addicted to the drug she never wanted to know for sure, she could have held on to the denial if she had not found that. She put it back in its spot and turned on the TV a little uneasy. The pizza came and she ran one box to the agents in front and than ran the other to the cops in back who thanked her. She went back in and ate a few pieces of the pizza and than put the pizza in the empty fridge. She went to the room and made sure Jack was fine. Chase had just laid him on the bed fully clothed. So Kate fought to get Jack's shoe's off and than his shirt. She knew how much he hated sleeping in a shirt. She noticed the big tattoo and almost gasped seeing it. She knew she had seen it somewhere before but she couldn't place it. She covered him up and left the room grabbing a spare blanket and pillow as she left the room. She curled up on the couch and fell asleep with the TV on the news.
Kate woke up early the next morning and went to check on Jack who was still sound asleep. She was a little worried because he was sleeping so long, but he seemed to be breathing fine so she left him. She went out to the car and there were new agents outside, she told them, "I'm going to the store to buy some eggs. It's right down the street." She walked down and bought some eggs and bread to make breakfast.
She checked on Jack again, he was still asleep. She to wake him up, have him shower and she'd have some food ready for him if he was in the mood to eat, and even if not she would make sure he ate because he looked so bad.
She gently shook him and he wasn't waking up. She got worried so she shook him a little harder. She had noticed the scars, bruises, and cuts on his body that she had not noticed the other night in the dark when she was taking the shirt off him. She also noticed the track marks in both arms now. She shook him hard this time and he opened his eyes slowly. It took him a minute to register everything and when he did he sat up in the bed, and groaned slightly in pain as his still sore body screamed at him for the sudden movement.
"Finally. I thought you were in a coma or something. Get in a shower. Breakfast will be done by time your out."
Jack got up and walked to the bathroom to shower. He panicked once he got inside she would have seen all the damage and the track marks on his arm, nothing could take that back now he'd have to come up with some excuse.
Jack finished his shower. He had a really bad headache he was sure from the alcohol and getting knocked out. He walked out to the kitchen dressed in a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. He sat down at the small bar in between the kitchen and the dining room. He put his head in his hands trying to block out the pain he felt in his head.
Kate noticed this and grabbed out a glass and filled it with water. She placed the glass on the table and grabbed the Tylenol 3 off the counter. She opened the bottle and placed two of the tablets on the bar next to the water. "here the doctor prescribe these for the headache you'd have."
"Thank you Kate." Jack said grabbing the tablets and swallowing them without the water. Kate noticed how quickly he was to take them, he use to gripe over taking any sort of medication, maybe he had changed while he was away. She thought to herself, of course he has changed look at the man in front of you, he is broken.
"You are welcome." She said placing the plate of food in front of him, "Eat. You look horrible Bauer."
Kate went to cleaning the pan as she cleaned it Jack ate the food starving. He wasn't sure the last time he had eaten. When he finished he put his plate in the sink and washed it while Kate went to putting the pan up she used.
"Can we talk?" She asked after he finished.
"Yeah." He leaned back against the counter knowing what was coming.
"I know you can't or won't tell me what happened while you were away but I'm worried about you. You look so horrible, have you seen yourself Jack. And your still using aren't you?" She said questioning him slightly.
Jack got angry at the end when she outright asked him, but he kept his temper under control. "Kate I had to do a lot of things I'm not proud of while I was working. I'm sorry that I hurt you in the process, and I am so sorry that I even ever thought I was good enough to go out with you, but I can't stop thinking about you. All those nights that I spent away I never once did not think about you."
Kate looked at him it pained her to see him like this, but she had to remember he broke her heart once, "Jack please don't do this to me again." She begged almost.
"I'm sorry Kate." Jack lowered his head and started to walk out of the room.
Kate grabbed his arm as he left, "Promise me something?"
Jack didn't turn back to her, but he asked, "What?"
"You won't break my heart again?"
Jack turned around and she could see the tears in his eyes, "I never meant to. I'm such an insensitive arshole. I never wanted to hurt you, but I didn't want you to get hurt. In the end I did all of it on my own didn't I?" Jack smiled sadly at her.
She pulled his face to hers and kissed him. "It's ok I'll forgive you this time Bauer. But you still have a lot to do to make it up to me."
Jack kissed her back. Everything he had done gone for those few seconds of joy he had. As soon as he finished he felt guilty for being happy for those few seconds. Kate saw the slight smile fade into a deep frown.
"What's wrong?" She asked looking at him worried.
"Nothing." Jack lied.
"Jack?" Kate looked at him knowing he was lying.
"It's fine." Jack hugged her. He never wanted to let her go. "I'm so sorry. I missed you so much."
Kate had to ask, "Was there someone else?"
Jack thought about lying, but why, "Yes. But they meant nothing, and I sort of had to in order to keep my cover and get some information."
Kate wanted to snap, so your government whored you out, but she kept her mouth closed. She was a little upset by this but it wasn't the time. She just wanted to be with him and help him get back to normal. She knew he had a drug problem, but she was going to be selfish for awhile and just be with Jack, or the Jack that was with her now, she wasn't sure they were the same man.
Jack wasn't sure to say he was worried she was not replying to his answer. He looked at her and saw a mix of emotions on her face.
"But you got Ramon Salazar correct? Didn't I speak to his brother once on your cell phone?"
"Yes." Jack said looking down sure she would be angry.
"But, how . . ?" She was to confused to say what she was thinking.
"He grabbed it from me for awhile once he didn't trust me and I'm sure he checked it all out and I couldn't get it back when you called." Jack tried explaining what happened and how it all was, but he thought he sounded to confusing.
"It's fine Jack." Kate said grabbing his arm gently. "Would you like to go see a movie with me today?"
"Sure." Jack smiled it was time to go out some, and try to readjust to life in the real world of Jack Bauer again.
"I'll be by around six. I got to go shower and call a few people back." Kate said kissing him on the cheek and than leaving him. She was going to confront him, but she just couldn't do it. She could see both Jack's but she blocked out the newer version of him.
Jack waited till he heard the car pull away before he went back to the couch and pulled out his drug kit. He quickly inserted the drug and sat back letting it take over him. He thought to himself smiling because the drug dulled every pain he had emotionally and physically, I'm back with Kate now. He sat up and looked around the apartment. There was nothing there for him. He thought about calling Kate and seeing if he could go over to her house.
The rest of the weekend Jack and Kate spent with each other. Every night Jack would go over to Kate's watching to make sure he didn't see anyone falling him. They would make love, and he would leave in the middle of the night saying he didn't want to put her in danger by staying over night. He would go home every night to his empty apartment and the new bottle of alcohol he bought that morning, his drugs, and he would sit on the couch till he passed out, awaking the next morning when either Kate called or his watch alarm went off.
Monday came quickly and Jack walked into work haggard from a long weekend. He apologized to Kim when he saw her and went to his office to work. He was reading a case file when he noticed something. There was a new virus out. The Cordilla Virus, the scientist had predicted it could be turned into a very deadly weapon if put in the right hands. Jack read more and more and started to feel the cold chills of fear as he read that a group of scientist possibly has been mutating it to a deadly strain.
Jack looked down to the bullpen looking for Gael. He went down to where he found Gael working, "Gael can I speak to you up in my office?" Jack asked.
"Sure." Gael said not sure why Jack had wanted him. He was not fully acquainted with Jack, but he had heard a lot about the great agent and respected him.
"Do you know anything about this Cordilla virus?"
"Yeah I read something about it. We got to try to stop it before it hits the market. Any ideas?"
Jack smiled as the sad truth came to him. "I think I might have one, but we don't have time."
"What's that?" Gael said knowing that Jack was a magic worker he could do some of the longest things in a short of amount of time.
"The Salazars were working to expand themselves into weapon smugglers and arm dealers on top of the drug trade." Jack said looking at his desk thinking about how he could possibly get back in or get anyone else in.
"Oh." Gael said sitting down. "That's not going to work to well. They'll be leery of any new people since you. And there is no way to get you back in." Gael thought a little longer and it hit him. They weren't getting anything from Ramon no matter how hard they asked, and in the end it wasn't going to amount to a great amount of information. "What if . . ."
Chase went to walk into Jack's office and when he turned the handle he saw the door was locked. He could see Jack and Gael talking in the office, and he was a little taken back by Jack waving him away. Chase walked down to Kim's desk and sat on the edge of it. "Did you tell him?"
"Tell who what?" Kim said typing away.
"Your father?"
"No why?"
"His doors locked and he waved me away. He's talking to Gael. I figured you told him and this is his way of fixing things, waving me out of field ops."
"Chase we agreed we would tell him together if we stayed together and knew it was getting serious." Kim said finally looking at him.
"I know." Chase smiled at her, he loved her and was willing to give up anything for her.
"Do you think we should tell him now?"
"No. Not yet he just got back and I think he needs more time to adjust to everything you know." Chase said looking at Kim.
"Ok. Lunch today?"
"Yeah. I can't come over tonight cuz I got some stuff I have to do." Chase said hoping Kim wouldn't ask too many questions.
"Ok." Kim said wondering what Chase would have to do at night.
Chase looked back up at Jack's office. He had been watching Jack the past few days and he had noticed the mood swings, the cold sweats, and the occasional grimace in pain from Jack. Chase also noticed the night they took him home a mark on his arm along with a new tattoo. Chase had put it all together, but was to scared to confront Jack head on about his addiction.
"Gael I think that just might work. We'll have to talk to Tony about it, but keep this quiet. Ramon has people working in our agencies and they don't' need to find out about it." Jack said smiling as he worried about the pain he felt. He had been trying to reduce the amount of heroin he was using every night and the side effects increased with every lower dosage.
A few days later Gael came to Jack with a better idea than before. He included himself this time, "I was approached by someone last night."
Jack listened intely, "Someone from?" Jack was a little confused. Why would he care if Gael was approached by someone.
"From the Salazars, I'm guessing. They gave some bull sh!t excuse about being of Latin decent that I should work with them to help free their people, from the oppression of the U.S. I laughed at them. But it got me thinking. You'll need someone to confirm you're having issues and we should know who that person is so they can feed the Salazars bogus information if needed. Who better than me? I can get into all of CTU's programs and filter them so that it looks like all of our files are open to them when in reality is a few bogus ones."
"I don't know." Jack said unsure if he liked the idea. Gael showed him through his computer what he could do and by the end of the meeting they had a plan.
"Do we wait for Tony to get back Monday?"
"Why wait. He'll go with it I think, and he can't do anything once we have the plan in motion. Call the people and start giving them information. If they ask about me tell them you'll check out closer for now on and we'll come up with an idea when Tony gets back." Jack said rubbing his hand together it just might work.
Tony returned on Monday ready to work again. He enjoyed his honeymoon with Michelle. They went to Jamaica. He was tan from the long days of lying on the beach with her next to him. He smiled and greeted everyone as he walked by them. He saw Jack wave for him to come up. Jack and Gael were in Jack's office talking when Tony finally made his way up there. "What's this Gael you defecting to Jack's side?" Tony joked.
"Hey Tony. How was the honeymoon?" Gael asked.
"To short." Tony smiled.
Jack cleared his throat and told Tony their plan. Tony thought about it and said, "You've already put this into action?"
"Yes." Jack said knowing he had Tony in a corner.
"Does anyone else know?"
"No one can. They have to many ways into our government, and they can't find out. We have to make it all look real. I'm contacting the scientist tonight to let them know I might have someone interested. Tomorrow I'm going to go into the bar and let Carlos's men know I want to see Hector."
"What's to keep them from killing you on the spot? You got both of their boss put away." Tony asked.
"I have to hope they don't, but I'm positive they wouldn't. They want my death to be painful and at the hands of Hector or Ramon if they could." Jack said flatly not affected by the thought of his own death.
"I don't too much of a choice, but Jack keep me informed."
"It's just me you and Gael that's all will know and we can meet after work to talk about it so no one will think anything's happening."
"Fine with me." Tony said hoping Michelle would not notice any change because he didn't want to lie to her so early in the marriage.
Jack found the person he was suppose to talk to, a Michael Amador. He didn't have a great amount of information on him, but what he did have Amador was a middle man. That's what he did he worked for people and helped them sell their product to interested buyers. Michael at first did not want to trust Jack he was not sure if Jack was trying the stupidest thing a federal agency had ever tried to go undercover, or if the man was true to his word.
Amador contacted someone who had someone inside CTU who had confirmed the problems Bauer was having. A drug addiction he most likely picked up undercover, and a demotion when he came back from the outside world. That was more than enough, Amador had learned, to turn someone.
Jack told the others that night when they meant to plan every detail out from start to finish, of his success. "I'm going to the bar tomorrow. It's Saturday and that'll give me time to get back to CTU by Monday."
"What about Kate?" Tony knew Jack had been spending time with her.
"I told her I'd be working all weekend." Jack said.
"How do you do it?" Tony asked amazed and horrified at the same time.
"What?" Jack asked confused.
"Lie to her like that. It's killing me not telling Michelle what's really going on. She keeps asking to make sure your fine and all and I tell her yes, and than she ask if we are working on anything. And I say no. And it's killing me not telling her the truth."
"Don't worry it'll get easier. Or you won't have to many of these to worry about." Jack said trying to be encouraging.
Jack waited anxiously the next day. He walked into the bar his nerves slightly acting up. Casey glared at him as he came in. The word had gotten out on who Jack really was, she was also shocked by seeing him here, he was quiet gutsy.
He looked at her and noticed the glare, "Are they in back Casey?" He asked continuing back to the room.
Everyone in the bar knew who he was, and they all hated him for it. They were all ready to kill him, but the word had gotten out that he was to be done in by Hector, just capture him and call the number you would get at the bar and Hector would give you a million dollars for it, maybe more.
Before she answered Jack was already in the back and opening the door. When he walked in he automatically felt the barrel of a gun placed against his head. He raised his hands and said, "I'm not armed. I came with a deal for Hector."
"You must be one stupid son of a b!tch Jack." The man said knowing Jack from his earlier undercover with them.
"Yeah I must be working for the Fed's." Jack joked. "Now why don't you take the gun down before I take it down for you."
"I don't think you could." The man challenged him.
Jack quickly spun grabbing the mans arm and turning it quickly so that it was behind the mans back. Jack pulled up until the man let go. Everyone else in the room already had their guns pulled and pointed at Jack. The man dropped the gun on the ground and Jack let go of his arm. He looked around the room and said, "Call Hector tell him I want to speak to him. He knows where to find me at the hotel." Jack left the room and went back to the crappy hotel he had been staying at when he was undercover.
The attendant was reluctant to give Jack a room till Jack paid him double the normal rate. Jack waited sitting away from the windows for Hectors men to show up. He knew they would come this was to tempting of a chance to get at Jack. He started to fall asleep when he heard the car pull up outside. Jack went into the bathroom, incase they decided to fire before they came in. He heard them open the unlock door and walk in. He thought to himself, amateurs they never learned anything from me. He called from the bathroom shocking the men who thought he was in the bed, "Where is Hector?"
Thomas answered, "He's not stupid enough to come to the U.S. and meet a federal agent."
"Oh so he grew some brains after I left?" Jack said.
"So how we gonna do this Jack?"
"Up to you. I got a deal for him. He could easily make three billion off it."
"What do you want?"
"20 million and to live."
"I'm not so sure about that Jack. You put his brother in jail."
"I'll get him out." Jack said knowing he would have to anyways in order to gain their trust back.
"I don't know." Thomas said moving through the room.
Jack turned the corner from the bathroom his gun ready. Thomas stood across the bed with Pedro in the door way, "I see Hector sent the big guns down."
"Heard what your girlfriend did to Carlos and didn't want you to get so lucky this time."
"My girlfriend?" Jack said inside a wreck worried about her, and on the outside cool and calm.
"The woman you've been seeing since you've been back Sherlock." Thomas said.
"Oh her." Jack didn't know what to do if he denied she was his girlfriend they'd know and if admitted they'd know she was so he left it at that. "It's between us not her. Whatever men you have with her or around her call them back now." Jack said angrily no use in hiding it they knew he had gotten sloppy again.
"Come with us first." Thomas said smiling.
"Not until I know for sure they are away from her. I'm not as stupid as you think." Jack challenged.
"Then you will come with us?" Thomas asked.
"Yes." Jack answered.
"Fine I'll call them." Thomas pulled his phone out and called someone Jack couldn't tell what numbers he was pushing. "Leave the girl alone. Meet us at the airport. We have Bauer."
Jack lowered his gun. "Let's go than."
"The gun first. Set it on the bed."
Jack looked at him, he didn't want to give the gun up but he knew in his heart he couldn't keep it. He sat it on the bed and stood there.
"Let's go than." Thomas said pointing at the door.
When Jack walked by him Thomas threw a punch into Jack's abdomen hitting him with the gun. Jack doubled over gasping for breath in pain. "That's for the men you killed." Thomas sent the gun crashing down on Jack's head. Jack fell to the ground feeling the stitches from his meeting with Carlos rip open again, as the blood poured down his head. Jack tried to keep conscious but soon lost the battle.
Pedro and Thomas carried Jack out to the car. Pedro went inside and paid the hotel attendant to keep his mouth shut.
Tony was having diner with Michelle and she noticed a slight change he seemed nervous. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He said smiling at her. His nerves were horrible he knew Jack was in danger somewhere because today was the day he was meeting with Carlos's men.
"Are you sure?" Michelle said still worried.
"Yeah it's all fine. Want to go to the movies tonight?"
"Sure. There is one out I want to see."
"Which one is that?" Tony asked seemingly interested, but really thinking about whether the mission would end here.
"Love Actually."
"Sounds good." Tony said.
Michelle thought nothing of that because Tony had once confessed to her that he didn't mind chic flicks to much.
Jack had been out for the entire trip. It was not that long because the plan took them just over the border where Hector was waiting. Hector watched as his men hung Jack from a beam in the ceiling of the old warn down barn.
Hector walked up to Jack with a bottle of water. He poured it over Jack's head.
Jack shook awake slightly grimacing in pain as his head pounded.
"Jack nice to see your awake. I heard you were a good boy and came down almost willingly."
"I have a deal for you."
"What makes you think I want to make a deal with a traitor like yourself?"
"Because if you want to see your brother in less than forty years it might be a good idea." Jack answered back.
Hector hit Jack in the ribs twice. "And you are the reason he is in prison. You came to us, we gave you everything you wanted, we trusted you, saved your ars once, and than you betray us. Why should I trust you now?"
"You shouldn't." Jack answered truthfully.
"Your not helping yourself here Jack." Hector said confused.
"Here is the deal. There is a new virus coming on the market. It's very deadly and in high demand. The scientists who want to sell it are working through someone else. They are going to sell it all to one person, everything that goes with it. They are willing to give you a demonstration of its power. Think how much you can make having the sole recipe for it plus the virus itself. You could sell that to all your terrorist buddies and make billions of dollars."
"And what do you get out of this?" Hector asked.
"20 million of it and a chance to walk out of here alive."
"How do you plan to do this?"
"I've used my CTU connections to get in touch with the sellers. They are willing to entertain a offer from you. All you have to do is say yes and I'll set it all up."
"What about my brother?"
"Here is the beautiful part of the plan. The demonstration they are going to give we use one of the bodies from it. You in turn have it dropped off outside health services in L.A. Threatening to release the virus if your brother is not released."
"The U.S. does not negotiate." Hector said.
"No they don't, but if they think you will do it they will find a way to let Ramon go. If not than I will break him out of prison myself bring him down here and than get the virus for you."
"Why now? Why are you leaving CTU now?" Hector asked still skeptical.
"I lost my wife because of the job. When I came back they asked me to go undercover so I did. As you know I got a nasty little habit from my time with you. I also did a lot of things that once they find out they aren't going to be to happy with me. I have nothing left. And what did I get from them for all my hard work, a demotion." Jack said angrily.
"Keep him company Pedro and Thomas. I'm going to make some phone calls." Hector said leaving.
Hector came back about ten minutes later, "What you say checks out. Don't think about turning on me. I have someone watching you Jack, and I will get my brother out and I will let him kill you slowly if you screw with me."
"Deal." Jack said waiting for them to let him go when they didn't he was wondering what was going on, "I can't stay here between them. I have to be with CTU in order to make sure the deal goes through, and if it doesn't than I'll need them to get your brother out."
"Oh we'll let you go Jack don't worry about that." Hector said walking over to him.
Jack knew what was coming and he said before they started, "Watch the face. I'm going to have a hard enough time explaining how I busted my head open again to them, but if I walk in with bruises all over my face they are going to think something happened, and I won't be able to explain it."
"Jack always thinking. Thanks for the advice." Hector grabbed the bat from Pedro. He swung hard hitting Jack in the chest. Jack screamed out in pain. He was gasping in pain when the next hit him in the ribs. Hector hit Jack six or seven more times before he was sure Jack's was in enough pain, but not too bad off that he could walk.
"Let him down and take him back." Hector said.
Pedro cut Jack loose. Jack fell to the ground and grunted in pain when he hit. He pushed him up slowly through the pain. Hector laughed in the background watching Jack struggle through the pain. He went inside and came back out with a small baggie with a few vials of liquid heroin for Jack. "Here supply. I don't need you getting busted between now and the time this all goes down getting some."
Jack grabbed it from him and with the help of Pedro he walked out to the car. They took him back to a small L.A. airport and let him go there. Jack slowly walked to a pay phone. He dialed Kate's number. He couldn't call Tony incase they were watching him.
"Hello?" Kate said happily hoping it was Jack and he got done with his work early.
"Can you pick me up?" Jack said grimacing in pain as moving caused him more pain.
"Where are you? Are you ok?" Kate could hear the pain in his voice.
"I'm at the Hazel Dell airport. I'm fine."
"I know where that is. I'll be there in ten minutes." Kate said hanging up the phone worried she knew she heard pain in his voice.
When Kate pulled up outside she gasped. One side of Jack's face had blood covering it, and she could tell he was in a lot of pain. She got out of the SUV and ran over to him, "What happened?"
"I ran into some old acquaintances I managed to get away." Jack lied.
"You need to go to a hospital."
"I'll be fine." He said not wanting to go to a hospital again it would be on file that he got hurt again and they would ask questions and it might raise suspicion that he got away alive in his shape.
"Than your staying at my house tonight." She said helping him into the SUV.
She ran around and drove home quickly. She helped him inside to the bedroom. He laid on the bed slowly grimacing in pain as he moved. "Help me take your shirt off."
"No it's fine."
"Jack I've already seen the scars and the marks on your arms. I know you have a problem."
"I don't have a problem. It's fine. Maybe I should go home." Jack said sitting up slowly. Kate pushed gently on his rib cage pushing him back down, and it caused him to cry out in pain.
"See what I mean Jack. You should be in a hospital. Fine if you want to be a pain. Fine. I'll be out in the living room if you need something."
Jack lay back down and closed his eyes. He fell asleep a few seconds later.
Kate waited for him to fall asleep before she came back in. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt to look at the damage that was done. His chest was purple and so where most of his abdomen. She grimaced slightly knowing how much pain he had to be in. She saw something in his pocket. She reached in them and pulled out a baggie of what she assumed was liquid heroin.
Jack awoke when he felt someone's hand in his pocket. He opened his eyes and he saw Kate holding the baggie Hector had given him. "It's now what you think it is." He said rising slowly.
"Oh so it's not liquid heroin?"
"Ok so maybe it is what you think it is."
"Is this how you got so beat up. Trying to get this." She asked angry at him for lying to her.
"No." After he said it he thought he should have said yes it would have made more sense to have her believe that than something else.
"What happened to you Jack?" She asked angry.
"A lot." He said trying to keep himself calm.
"You lied to me about everything haven't you. You don't want me back you just want someone around to distract everyone from the real truth about you."
"And what's that Kate?" Jack said angry.
"That you are a weak man. That you are a junkie." She said pissed off at him she felt bad once she said it.
Jack stood up and started to walk out slowly in pain.
Kate grabbed his arm and said, "I'm sorry Jack."
Jack yanked his arm away and glared at her, "No you are not." He started to walk again.
"I guess your right. You never did love me did you. I was just there to fill the void for your dead wife."
Jack stopped when she said that his anger reaching a new point. He turned around and walked back into the room, "What did you say?" He said in a mean tone that sent chills down Kate's spine.
She was convinced he would hit her. She didn't care though, "I said I was just there to fill the void of your dead wife. I see you like cheating on people? You and Nina and than you and whoever the girls were in Mexico." She looked at him holding back her tears.
"I had no loyalties to you Kate, nor did I when I was with Nina. We were all separated." He said walking away again before he let his anger get to him.
"How was she Jack? How was it to sleep with the woman that killed your wife?"
Jack lost it he came back and glared at Kate and dared her to say more.
"You heard me. And what now you are so weak you have to take a drug to make it through the day. You died with Teri didn't you."
Jack lost it. He punched Kate in the stomach.
Kate was shocked at first as she doubled over in pain. She stood up again. He had started off down the hallway but she wasn't going to let him leave like that. She grabbed the glass pot off the table and launched it at Jack.
The pot connected with Jack's back causing him to cry out in pain as his ribs screamed in pain.
"You fu(king arshole." Kate screamed running at him ready to fight him.
Jack turned around in time to see her throw a punch into his ribs. He grabbed her arms before she could hit him again, "I'm LEAVING DAMN IT." He let go of her arms pushing her back hard enough that she fell to the ground. Jack walked out of the hosue slamming the door.
Jack walked to the nearest gas station. He was happy that they kept their outside bathrooms unlocked because if they had not he would have had to walk inside with the blood on the side of his face and that would have drawn attention towards him. He quickly washed the blood off his face and than walked inside to the pay phone. He called Tony.
"Hello?" Michelle answered.
"Hi Michelle it's Jack can I speak to Tony."
"Not if you're calling him to come into work." Michelle joked knowing that would be the only reason Jack would call.
"Sorry." He said.
"Hold on Jack. God you guys have been working over time on trying to get Salazar to talk."
"I know I'm sorry Michelle. I promise to have him home before midnight."
"Hey Jack." Tony came over the phone after Michelle handed it to him.
"Can you pick me up?"
"Where you ate?"
"A gas station down the street from Kate's. We had a fight and I left. I need a ride and you would probably like to know how the meeting went too."
"You've already done that?" Tony asked surprised.
"Yeah." Jack smiled into the phone everything was working out.
"I'll be there soon."
Almost a week later the plan started. Ramon had been told about getting broken out, but never how. Jack had been ready to do everything he had to do. The day was here. Ramon shocked him when he killed his lawyer and later the warden, but Jack couldn't do anything about it. Jack was even more shocked and worried that Hector somehow contacted the scientist by himself, when he found out that the kid Kyle Singer might actually have the virus. He found out from Gael later that day it was not true that Kyle had the virus. Hector was testing Jack, he had wanted him to have to break Ramon out of prison so that Jack could not go back to the U.S. once he finished with them, if he survived. And the rest of what happened that day is another story by the professionals of 24.