CHAPTER 10: THE ROOF THE ROOF IS ON FIRE WE DON"T NEED NO wATER LET THE MOTHER FUCKER BURN BURN MOTHER FUCKER BURN
He woke up and tried to move his hands to his head where he could feel the warm blood trickling down. His hands wouldn't move from behind his back, they had restrained his hands, and than his brain took note of the restraints he felt on his legs and mouth. Shit, he wasn't going to get out of this until someone let him out. He could hear the cries of pain, and he knew who they were from, he struggled against the restraints hoping maybe he could get out to help his friend, but there was no use. He stopped when silence overtook the house. Had they left? Surely they had left, it was quiet. Who would come, and would the find them quick enough?
Jack was lying on the floor of his room his head aching, no way out of the restraints that held him, when he saw the smoke filtering under the door, and he could feel the house heating up, and than the sound of the fire came into his ears. He struggled against the restraints he had to get free, the house was on fire.
He heard Lisa screaming his name and he couldn't call out because of the gag in his mouth. He rolled on his side trying to find a way to make some sort of noise so she would know he was there. He rolled until he reached the wall, the only thing against the side of the wall was a stand up mirror that had been left in the house. He rolled trying to knock it over, it's breaking would clearly be loud enough to alert Lisa to his position. Finally after a few tires of rolling into the mirror the mirror tumbled down shattering on the floor. Jack listened, the smoke was filtering into the room more, at least he was low to the ground he thought. He had no way of trying to help himself from the smoke and it was filling his lungs quickly as it filtered into the room quickly. Jack felt the heat rise the fire was not to far off, and there was no sound of Lisa coming.
He looked around trying to find something to help him cut the plastic tie that held his hands together. The mirror, he rolled over on the glass feeling it under his body poking him as he struggled to find a piece that he could grasp in his hands. The door was on fire now, he didn't have long. He rolled from the glass trying to give himself more room away from the fire. He started to move the glass, it cut into his hands as he struggled against the plastic tie watching the fire moving closer and closer to him. He was almost through when the fire reached him. He worked as he felt the heat from the fire burn into his exposed skin. He cut through the plastic tie and quickly moved to his feet that were only duct tapped he ripped the tape off. He staggered towards the window coughing uncontrollably as the smoke filled his lungs. He smashed the window with his fist not taking the time to find something to help him through.
Lisa saw the window smash out and she quickly pointed it out to the fireman that was trying to comfort her as she sat in the back of the ambulance breathing oxygen through a face mask.
The fireman rushed towards the window.
Jack's hands were bloody his arm burned as he lifted himself through the window, the glass in the window cutting into his bare hand, but it didn't matter he had to get out of the room. Jack made it out of the window and fell the few feet to the ground bellow. He saw the fireman rush over to him and start patting his arm, making it ache more. Jack groaned and tried to move away.
"Sir your arm is on fire I'm trying to put it out sir." The fireman said as paramedics rushed over. Jack was coughing his chest heaving in pain, his arm ached and stung as the cold air hit it. He felt tired to tired to keep his eyes open. He looked over to see Lisa sitting in the ambulance Liz at her side. He weakly smiled at her as his eyes closed.
Lisa got up and walked over, forcing herself not to rush over. "Is he ok?"
"Yes ma'am." The fireman said not sure himself, but he didn't think the woman needed anymore stress. "They are taking him to the hospital."
"We are riding along." Lisa said following the paramedics as the rushed Jack off on the stretcher.
Liz rushed over getting into the ambulance that Jack was in. She watched her mom who looked at the man with worry on her face. She wanted to try to comfort her mom, but the look on her face told Liz that this was not just her concerned for a neighbor. Liz was upset by the look, why couldn't she give her father the same look.
Lisa watched with worried filled eyes as the paramedics started to connect machines to Jack. He had a oxygen max over his mouth, and blood was flowing from cuts on his arms and from the gun shot wound. Lisa wasn't sure of his condition, but by the amount of blood, and his being unconscious she was worried.
When they reached the hospital the paramedics rushed him out of the ambulance into the awaiting ER room. Lisa and Liz were directed to a waiting room where they could wait if they so choose too.
Liz sat next to her mother looking at her she finally decided to question her mom, "mom what is going on between you and Jack?"
Lisa looked at her daughter confused, "nothing." Nothing was going on, and yet she felt worried for his well being more than a neighbor, nothing had given her a reason to care more than a neighbor, and yet she did.
"Mom it doesn't look like nothing." Liz said upset that her mom wouldn't tell her the truth.
Lisa knew her daughter could see what she was feeling it was very obvious on her face, "Honey there is nothing more than a friendship if that between Jack and I."
Liz was staring at her mother wanting to say more but knowing she would cross a line, she was saved when Thomas's wife came walking into the waiting room.
"What are you doing here?" Lisa asked standing up forgetting all about Colonel Thomas Anderson being in the house.
"They called me is Thomas ok?" Mia, Thomas's wife asked worriedly.
Lisa didn't know what to tell her she had been so wrapped up in worry for Jack she forgot about the badly beaten colonel she had dragged out of the house. "He's hurt." Lisa said not sure what else to say she didn't know.
"How?" Mia was baffled about how Thomas could have gotten hurt. She didn't know what Thomas had asked Jack to do, she barely knew Jack was in town.
"Um I'm not sure. Some men attacked him at a Jack Bauer's house." Lisa wasn't sure how much about Jack Mia had known.
"Jack, oh my god." Mia said she felt even more worried she knew some of the people Jack had dealt with over the years in his career were dangerous but why would they attack Thomas also.
"I think they are both here. Why don't we go ask?" Lisa switched over from concern for Jack to being there for Mia
They walked together to the reception desk Mia asked in a shaky voice, "My husband Thomas Anderson was brought in here. I want to know his condition."
The male nurse looked up at her and started typing the name into the system. "um…" He said waiting for information to come up on the screen. "When was he brought in?"
Mia looked at Lisa for the answer, "Not to long about about twenty thrity minutes?" Lisa guessed.
"He won't be in the system yet, was he brought in through the emergency room?"
"He was one of the two victims from the house fire."
"Oh. Which one?"
Lisa was getting annoyed by the mans inability to do his job, "The older of the two, he came in first."
The man shook his head and started typing again. Lisa was getting really annoyed and wanted to scream at him, but she held her feelings back. She was to be strong for Mia, she remembered how bad Thomas had been when she was trying to pull him out.
"He's in surgery." The man finally answered looking up from the screen. "If you would pleas wait in the waiting room I'll have the doctor come and brief you on his condition when he's out."
"What about the other man?" Lisa asked.
"Um Family?"
Lisa glared at him, "No."
"Sorry I can't give the information out than ma'am. If you wait I'm sure the doctor will come out also when they have dealt with the man if he wants any visitors."
Lisa walked away before she lost her temper. She sat back down in the waiting room wondering how much damage had been done to Jack before he escaped the house. He didn't look horribly beaten, at least not more so than he had the day before. There was a good amount of blood on his face, and on his body, but she assumed it was from the cuts he sustained trying to get out of the house.
Hours passed by and no word came to either of the ladies, and they both had been up to the desk multiple times being told each time just to wait. Lisa looked at her watch as she yawned she didn't want to leave the hospital but Liz had school tomorrow. She formed a plan, "Liz would you mind going to stay at your dad's house tonight? I want to be here for Mrs. Anderson." Lisa tried to lie her true need to be there.
"Fine mom." Liz said annoyed.
"Thank you I'll call him and have him take you back to the house to get some things." Lisa grabbed her cell phone and walked out of the hospital to make her phone call.
Dave answered on the fifth ring, "Yeah."
"Dave it's Lisa can you take Liz tonight."
"How is she after yesterday?"
"Fine. She's fine. There was an incident and the Colonel got injured pretty badly and I don't want to leave Mia alone, so can you take Liz for the night?"
"Ummm I'm in the middle of work right now."
"Please Dave I have never asked you to take her for a night. She doesn't need to be here for whatever happens."
"How was the Colonel injured?"
"Dave please." Lisa said almost pleading she didn't want to get into it with him right now.
"I'll be by. Which hospital?"
"Methodist. Thank you Dave. You'll have to take her by the house to get some stuff and drop her off at school tomorrow. Could you lock up the house please?"
"Yeah. Has she eaten yet?"
"No." Lisa said leaning back against the brick wall in the cool air. She was exhausted from the day, and stressed. She just wanted to curl up somewhere alone in the dark.
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