A month passed by like nothing, at least Jack thought so. His days with Matthew during the weekdays, just having some good quality time with him alone, was alot, it helped him heal emotionally. Richard was there sometimes though, when he couldnt find anything to amuse himself during the day. Kristi was off at summer school trying to complete what she had missed last year, so she was gone all day. Nat came back to the house around 6pm, and they all ate together. Kristi would look after Matt sometimes during the night, leaving Nat and Jack alone, to work up their relationship again. It was stronger then it ever had been. Jack was happier now days, and all of them noticed. Now they were just waiting for Tony to call with the news that President Palmer had cleared his name and he would be able to go outside again.
Now it was time for Matthew to start kindergarden, Jack wouldnt be able to see him til after he got done with school. It was an all day kindergarden, so the bus wouldn't drop him off til 3:30pm. Jack didn't know what to do, no one was around, he had just his thoughts to occupy his time. He tried to sleep in, but couldn't sleep past 9am. He tried watching tv, but the day time shows and soap operas didn't interest him that much. He paced around the house, thinking how matt's first day was going. He thought about other things too, but tried to focus on happier things. He coudn't and nearly ended up breaking down, he really couldn't handle being alone anymore. Past memories and nightmares racked his mind at the worst of times, especially when he was alone.
Finally 3:30 came around, much slower to Jack's dismay. He sat on the couch watching the window for the bus to pull by threw the blinds. Within a few minutes the bus had came finally. A bunch of young kids, about matt's age came off. Matt was in the middle of the crowd of little kids, which dispersed quickly as they ran off heading to their houses. Matt was holding a clump of papers, starting to cross the street, when the bus pulled away, with a few taller, older even, kids looking in Matt's direction.
Jack watched in Matt about to go off the curb to cross the street as the taller kids gained up on him, pushing him from behind. Matt fell forward with a shout of suprise. The papers he was holding flew from his grasp as he went face first into the cement of the sidewalk. The taller kids, surrounded him, grabbing his papers and looking at them. Jack couldn't hear them, but knew they were taunting him. Matt was on his hands and knees, reaching desperatly for the papers in their hands, shouting at them. Jack wanted to interfere, but he also didn't want to be known that he was there at that house. He watched them taunt matt, as more rage built up. They were playing keep away from Matt, who was on his feet now, tears streaming down his eyes, and some blood trickling down a cut above his eyebrow that he had recieved from falling down. Matt was shouting at them, trying to get the paper away from them. Matt had gotten closer and closer each time to getting it away from the one boy, and the boy could see that. Finally the boy pushed him back, obviously stronger then Matt, the boy had pushed Matt off his feet and onto his butt. Matt looked up at them as they closed in then.
Jack couldn't take this anymore, not realizing silent tears were running down his face from this treatment. He had to do something, even if it risked his own safety, because he knew the kids would go home tell their parents, and he would be exposed. Jack got to the door and opened it, sheilding his eyes slightly from the sudden natural light that hit his eyes instantly and blinded him for a second, finally he got a good look, seeing the kids were kicking Matt, who was curled up into a defensive ball.
"Stop!" He shouted in an outraged tone. He moved over there, glaring at the older boys who had looked like they just shit in their pants, and backed away. Matt looked up with teary eyes, smiling seeing his father coming to save him. Jack looked at the kids as if he were about to kill them. They sprinted away as if they were deer caught in the headlights. Jack watched them run away as he moved towards Matt. His expression softened as the kids were out of view, he looked down at Matt, who was now sitting on his knees, rubbing the tears from his eyes, and looking at the papers that were crumpled up around him.
"Are you okay, Matt?" He asked kneeling down to him.
"The drawing I made for you is wrecked..." He said sadly, picking up the piece of paper that was crumpled, tworn and dirty now.
"Its okay buddy" Jack said holding out his hand to help Matt to his feet. Matt sighed heavily, and stood up with the help of Jack.
"It was really good though..." Matt looked down in defeat.
"Dont worry about it" Jack said, leading him into the house and closing the door behind him.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Jack asked. Matt nodded still slightly depressed that his drawing was wrecked.
"Where?" Jack asked looking down at him, as Matt sat down on the couch. Matt pointed to his forehead where his cut was, as well as showing Jack the scratchs on the palms of his hands, silent tears of pain fell down the child's face. Jack placed his hands on Matt's face, wiping away his tears.
"Everything will be okay" Jack said soothingly. Matt kept frowning.
"They will keep coming after me though..." Matt said doubtfully and fearfully.
"I wont let anyone hurt you" Jack smiled weakly.
"Promise?" Matt asked with pleading eyes as well.
"I promise" Jack said, kissing him on the forehead, being careful of avoiding his cut.
"Lets take care of your owies now" Jack said, standing up and going off to get some first aid supplies.
Things got better for Matt at school and after, since the incident. Jack figured the kids were just scared of what he would do to them. He thought he was rather light on the older kids, he could have done so much more, it suprised even himself that he didnt do more. But he shrugged it off, things were better now, he get picked on that Jack knew of at least. He seemed as happy as he was when he got to spend the whole days with Jack.
It had been 3 months since that incident, and now Matt had a day of for some misc. reason. Nat dropped him off at Richard's place, and spent a few minutes with Jack. She was starting to get a little bored now, not being able to go out and do anything with Jack, he had to stay in the house. She could tell it was eating at him somewhat too. Or at least it showed in his movements, his skin had gotten extremely pale, since he wasnt in the sunlight often. He moved around slower as the days past by, his formly toned muscles, which Nat found really sexy, were getting smaller. Use them or Lose them was a literal term now for them. But then again he didnt need them either, it wasnt as if he was doing the stuff he was doing before.
It was around lunch time now Matthew was sitting at the table, talking in rapid fire like a normal 5 year old does. Jack sometimes wondered when he stopped to take a breathe. Jack was making a couple of peanut butter sandwichs for them, just listening to Matt ramble on about everything.
"...And that was when Ms. Ryley gave me my gold star!" He finished his story as Jack laid the sandwich infront of him.
"Ms. Ryley seems nice" Jack commented. Matt had already had the sandwich in his mouth taking a bite from it. He pulled it back as he was chewing.
"Yep...she really a nice lady" He said with a full mouth.
"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full..." Jack corrected.
"Okay..." He swallowed this time before he said it, then took another bite.
Jack took his sandwich in hand and started to bite into it as well, when suddenly the door was kicked down. Jack immediatly stood up, looking at the doorway, as 4 men in black came in. He saw them before they saw him and he ducked down behind the wall, grabbing Matthew in half bite, as he half yelped in the suprise movements. Jack put his hand over Matt's mouth to keep him quiet. The men heard it though, and started towards them. Jack pulled Matt along, retreating back into the hallways of the house, into the back room, which was his father's bedroom. He shut the door. He knew the second he shut it that they would know he was there. He let go of Matt then and looked around for something to put infront of the door. Matt was watching him scramble, and getting frightened himself.
Jack found a chair and was about to put it against the door when the men pushed themselves in, finding the 2. Jack instinctively put himself infront of Matthew, staring at them menacingly.
"Hello Mr. Bauer" The one said, his handgun trained on Jack's head. Jack remained silent. Matthew peeked his head around Jack to see the men with guns.
"Who's the boy?" The man said, they were not expecting a child to be there. Maybe Jack's father, or niece, but not a child of this age.
"Hes just a neighbor kid" Jack lied. Matt looked up to him in confusion. The man saw this and walked up to them. The man knelt down to Matt's level, Jack's eye never leaving him.
"Is he lying?" The man asked Matt. Matt looked up to Jack as if looking for an answer. The man grabbed Matt forcefully by the chin and moved him to be looking at the man again.
"Dont look at him, just answer the question" The man hissed. Matt started to cry.
"Dont touch him!" Jack hissed in a low tone.
"Im not talking to you right now Mr. Bauer, only the kid." The man said, pointing his hand gun at him, warningly. Jack glared at him.
"Now is he lying?" The man asked Matt again. Matt nodded slowly, tears flooding down his eyes. Jack sighed heavily.
"What is your relationship with him?" The man asked. Matt tried to pull away but the man held him firmly.
"Hes my dad..." He muttered. Jack let out another heavy sigh. The man looked back to the other men.
"Take him" He commanded as 2 came forward. The man let go of Matt's chin and stood up looking to Jack again.
"Honesty kills doesnt it?" He smiled, putting the gun to Jack's chest and firing. Jack fell backwards onto the ground. Matt screamed trying to go towards his fallen father, but the men grabbed him by the arms before he could and dragged him away.
"Hes gonna be out for awhile, get him to the truck" He commanded the other person who didn't help with Matt's capture. The gun was a tranquilizer gun that was built to resemble a real hand gun. The tranquilizer could easily put anyone out for several hours, even a day at max.
"Help me with his legs" The man said grabbing Jack's arms. The other one grabbed his legs, as they lifted him and carried him out, following the men who had matt, who was struggling profusely. The 2 men finally pulled out a sedative in a syringe and put it into Matthew, knocking him out cold. They other 2 men holding Jack, tossed him into the back of the black SUV, along with Matthew. Then they took off, disappearing.
Kristi was the first to come home since the incident. She went through the door as normal, suspecting nothing wrong. Everything was normal as she saw it at first.
"Uncle Jack! Im home!" She called through the house as she closed the door behind her and dropped her backpack in the entryway. No Response. Kristi shrugged it off as she hobbled down into the hallway, heading towards Jack's room. Maybe they were taking a nap. She thought glancing into the living room quick, no one was there. She pulled open Jack's room. No One.
"Uncle Jack? Matt?" She called out in confusion looking into the hallway. Where were they? She wondered to herself, then she saw Richard's door slightly ajar. She raised an eyebrow in curiousity, moving down to it.
She put her hand on it and opened it. The scene before her wasnt normal, she picked that out quickly. She saw the chair was toppled over, and serveyed the ground. She noticed a small red stain. She hobbled over to it and knelt down the best she could to examine it closer. It looked like something smashed into the ground, someone maybe? She thought to herself as she examined it closer, and assumed the worse, it to be blood. What had happened? She asked herself as she stood up slowly again.
"Uncle Jack? Matt!" She called again, tearing through the rest of the house as fast as she could, but turned up neither of the 2. Now she was panicking, where were they? Jack couldn't leave the house. He knew that. What had happened? She kept asking herself, starting to hyperventilate. She scrambled to the phone and dialed Richard's cell phone number.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Grandpa..." Kristi spit out quickly in a hysteric rush.
"Kristi?" Richard asked, wondering what was wrong. By her tone alone he sensed something wrong.
"They're gone!" She was going alot faster then Richard could comprehend.
"Who's gone?" Richard asked.
"Jack n Matt! They aren't here!" Kristi was huffed. Then it donged on Richard.
"Ill be home in 10 minutes, lock the door" He said.
"Okay" She said hanging up and locking the front door quickly.
Jack came around in a heavy headache, like he had been drinking quite heavily the night before. He was in a half daze, as he went to move his hands to rub his eyes to feel a tight chain around them behind him. He blinked a few times and realized his hands were chained to the back of a chair.
Suddenly a bright light went on in the dark room. He looked down, closing his eyes tightly, being stunned by the sudden brightness, and also him being already light sensitive.
"You thought you could get away..." A man said in chinese Jack shuttered knowing the voice all too well, keeping his head lowered so he was looking at the ground. The man knelt down infront of him, forcefully grabbing his face and forcing Jack to look directly at him. Jack jerked away defiantly from his grip.
"Regained some of your defiant nature?" The man continued in chinese, mocking him almost.
"I never lost it" Jack hissed, in return, also in chinese.
"If I remember correctly, the last time I saw you, you were on the brink of death, begging for it to end" The man said.
"I didn't give into your wishs though" Jack hissed back.
"You were about to. Then that Traitor! that lying traitor, got you out. Your lucky Bauer, you know that. To find the only soldier in the camp that would throw away their honor to their country to save you. Piece of Scum. You won't be so lucky this time" The man said wickedly.
"What did you do to him?" Jack asked.
"To who?" The man asked in return.
"Sasuke! What did you do to him!" Jack demanded. The man before him slapped him across the face hard, making Jack jerk his head hard to the right, making Jack see stars.
"What do you do when a fellow soldier comites treason?" The man asked, watching Jack wince and slowly in a dazed face go back to face him.
"He was sent to the gas chambers" The man smiled cruely. Jack's eyes went wide in suprise and anger. Sasuke was the only one that had any honor of any of them.
"You Murderer!" Jack screamed in rage.
"He got what he deserved" The man said standing up. "And so shall you get what you deserve" The man laughed evilly.
"I will kill you" Jack hissed with pure venom in his tone.
"Sure you will Jack. How many times have you said that to me and haven't done it yet? Your word isn't really credible" The man laughed.
The chinese man stepped aside. Jack looked forward to see Matt tied to the chair his head limply resting on his chest.
"Matt!" He cried pulling on his chained hands only causing pain to himself. He screamed in rage, as he pulled harder then stopped looking towards the chinese man in pure rage.
"What have you done to him!" He yelled in chinese.
"He's just sedated, dont worry. Hes useful to us, I see now" The chinese man replied.
"Leave him alone, Please, let him go!" Jack begged.
"Why should we let him go? He can be of use. I dont see any help for us if we let him go" The man replied.
"Please, Ill do anything. Just let him go" Jack begged more with pleading eyes.
"O dont worry, youll do anything" The chinese man chirped, as 2 men entered the room. Jack looked at the men as they advanced to matt, and shallowed hard.
"What are you doing?" He asked the man, as the 2 other men grabbed Matt. The chinese man didn't answer.
"Where are you taking him!" Jack hissed.
"He'll be fine for now, worry about yourself" The chinese man said standing infront of him, blocking his view of the 2 men hoisting Matt and taking him away. Jack tried to get his head around the chinese man to see what they were doing with Matt, but couldn't because of his restraints.
The chinese man whistled. 2 different men came into the room after the other 2 had exited with Matt. The 2 men approached the chinese man and jack, one on each side of the chinese man.
"Take him away" The chinese man ordered. The 2 men approached Jack, and undid his chains from the chair and hoisted him to his feet. This was when Jack decided to attack he jerked out of the grip of the 2 men that were both taller then him and launched himself at the chinese man in a fitted rage. Jack managed to tackle the chinese man to the ground, and keep him pinned for a few seconds, before the 2 other men grabbed him and hoisted him back, throwing him roughly to the other side of the room. He skidded slightly on his back to the concrete floor, hitting the back of his head against the wall. He groaned quietly, trying to calm his breathing some, which was now unsteady and erratic.
"Punish him!" The chinese man that he had tackled howled out in rage now. Jack sighed heavily knowing what was coming, he winced slightly trying to scramble to his feet without using his hands, but only got into a sitting up position. The men advanced on him quickly surrounding him.
Nat came into the house and trotted to the kitchen to find Kristi, Richard, and Tony around the table.
"Who's he?" Nat asked eyeing Tony.
"My name is Tony Almeida. I helped Jack get out of CTU before he could get killed" Tony explained.
"Where are they!" She asked then.
"I think the Chinese might have them..." Tony stated his opinion.
"But no one knows hes here, how can the chinese!" Nat hissed. Worry for Jack and Matt was definitly evident, and her anger just enforcing it.
"We dont know" Richard said, standing up moving over to her.
"How are we going to get them back!" Nat asked. Richard rested his arm over her shoulder to comfort her as he guilded her over to the couch and sat her down. Tony and Kristi both moved over to them.
"We could put in a missing child report for Matt. But nothing can be said about Jack, until his name is cleared. Hopefully Jack and Matt are being held in the same central area" Tony said.
"And if not? We just can't stand by and let Jack die. Thats exactly whats going to happen, You and I both know it" Nat almost yelled.
The men threw Jack roughly into a dimly lited small room. He spat some blood out from his mouth and rolled to his side, he couldn't do much more. Every movement now was agonized. He strained to look down at his now battered body, they always over did the punishment. He grimaced as he saw blood pouring slowly from his feet, they had stomped on both feet several times, he was sure both of them were broken.
A tape started playing in the room.
"You are a murder. You are a traitor to your country. You killed your family. You don't deserve to live" is what it said. It kept repeating it over and over. Jack knew this was a brainwashing tool. Why were they trying to brainwash him he thought to himself, as the tape kept replaying.