Several squad cars arrived, followed by a team of FBI agents and several ambulances. They searched the buildings surrounding the alley, but came up empty. The shooters were long gone. Denton was attended to and loaded into an ambulance, he would be fine, but out of commission for a while.
Jack was questioned by the FBI goon squad and let go. He searched the alleyway and found Sam at the end of the alley involved in an intense conversation with another agent. He could hear her shouts occasionally above all the other noise, but couldn't make out any specific words. He looked for Agent Temple.
The young agent was sitting with his back against the wall, head in his hands. Jack walked over and sat down next to him, stretching his arms out on his bent knees. "You going to be okay kid?"
"Do you ever get used to this?"
"If you get used to it, you're dead. But it does get easier."
"Maybe I'm not cut out to be an agent after all."
"Maybe not. But you did well, you're still alive, right?" Temple lifted his head and looked over at Jack and nodded. "Next time, you will know what to expect, and you will follow your training and instincts. If you can't do that, you need to find another profession, or you put everyone else in danger." He felt sorry for the kid, he almost reminded him of himself on his first mission many years ago.
Sam finished her verbal sparring with her commanding officer, Walter Gibson, an angry balding man in his mid forties. To say the least, he was not happy that she went in without backup and an agent was shot. But mostly, he was still against her decision to involve Jack Bauer.
He kept things strictly by the book, and had no tolerance for breaking the rules. Sam couldn't stand him and his near-sightedness. She wasn't one to go against the grain either, but if something needed to be done, she had been known to bend the rules every once in a while.
Jack's reputation for breaking rules and literally getting away with murder had preceded him, and he told her that the higher ups in the Bureau didn't want him involved in the investigation. Sam had fought with her superiors to include him, since he was the most knowledgeable when it came to the Salazars. She had even taken personal responsibility for his actions. Now Gibson wanted to place all the blame for the shooting on Jack. Sam's career was now on the line.
She looked over at Jack, who seemed to be comforting Agent Temple with his words. She had been worried when the rookie was assigned to her team, but so far he hadn't made any real mistakes. Temple was looking at Jack with awe. Great, just what she needed was to have her agent following his example. She would have to have a talk with Temple.
She walked over to Jack and Temple, "Can we get a cup of coffee and talk?"
Agent Temple spoke up, "I would love one." He caught her glare, and suddenly changed his mind, "You know what, I'm kinda tired. I'm gonna head home." He got up and walked away. "See you tomorrow boss. Jack."
Jack needed answers that only Sam could give him. He looked around, then up at her, "Sure." He got up and followed her to her car, a government issue black Chevrolet Tahoe.