In Mexico Chapter 11 and 12
CHAPTER 11-THE SALAZAR RANCH two days before the raid.
Claudia walked in with the tray. Today was the third day and she was hoping he'd be able to keep something down.
Yesterday had been hell. Jack had never left the floor of the bathroom. He'd refused her help getting back to the bed. And too weak and sick to get there without help, had willingly confined himself to a small space next to the commode.
By the early afternoon he'd stopped urging her to leave him be and let him get through this on his own. Not that he wanted her there; he was just too weak to protest anymore. She didn't care if he was embarrassed by her seeing him like this, having her help him up to be sick or to sit and relieve the cramps, and then guide him back to the cold tile.
Claudia had refused to leave him alone, not like this, so overwhelmed with the withdrawal that he couldn't even hold down the few tablets of methadone she'd managed to find. The one time he'd stood on his own had resulted in a hard fall and a few new bruises to match the one Ramon had left on his face the other night.
Hours had passed. Holding ice on the fresh lump on his forehead, she had tried to squeeze drops from a washcloth into his mouth only to see them futilely return within minutes. By late afternoon, the cramps and shaking finally showed the first signs of letting up. At least they weren't all consuming anymore. Jack's brain had taken advantage of the opportunity and shut down, allowing him to sleep for the first time in two days.
He'd fallen asleep against her shoulder. Claudia had been so relieved and exhausted she'd actually shed a few silent tears. But she hadn't moved for fear of waking him—not for at least an hour until her legs were numb and cramping beneath her. Despite her worry, when she gently moved him onto the hard floor, he didn't stir. Nor did he move when she picked up his head to place the bed pillow under it. Jack had slept on that floor for six hours before he'd awoken sick again.
It was well after midnight when his stomach settled and he had held down a few sips of water. Reluctantly, he'd let her give him a small dose of methadone to ease the symptoms. She didn't have much, but had convinced him even a little would help him stay well enough to attempt to regain some strength.
Claudia had had to smile when, before she'd even pulled him up off the floor on the way to the bed, he'd stopped her and demanded a shower. She hadn't argued. He smelled horrible. And now that he was at least a little aware, his filth would only add to his misery.
She actually hadn't minded having to undress and shower with him, wrapping her arms around him to keep him on his feet in the small shower stall. With Hector off the ranch, and Ramon not having made an appearance since the overdose, she felt safe doing it—even if Ramon's words echoed through her ears almost every time she'd looked at Jack since he'd made that threat. Or had it been a promise?
She and Jack had never made love in the shower worried they might not hear someone approaching. They certainly weren't going to this time either, not with him barely being able to stand. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but enjoy the feel and sight of his wet body pressed against hers or relaxing under her soapy hands as she helped him wash and massaged his aching muscles.
Jack had leaned his exhausted and battered frame against the wall and stood there for as long as he could, taking in all she could give him until his legs had threatened to give out. In that shower, she had felt like they had escaped somehow from Ramon's world. It hadn't been long enough for Claudia, especially knowing that Ramon's discovery was very likely to prevent them from ever being together again once Jack was well.
That had been ten hours ago. She'd checked on him twice since then and he hadn't moved from the bed. She couldn't imagine that there was anything left in him to throw up or put out anymore, his sunken eyes and cracked lips proving how dry he was.
Claudia put the tray on the nightstand and sat on the bed next to him. She ran her hand across the thick blond stubble on his cheek and then his disheveled hair. How she loved the feel of his hair. The wonderful light color always gave her the mirage of making it feel even softer than it was.
"Jack?" she said softly.
His eyes opened slowly. She could only imagine waking up to him some morning and having him smile at her. Today would not be that day—if ever.
"Claudia," he said, sounding miserable, his dry tongue sticking audibly to the roof of his mouth. He rolled to his back and used one hand to rub at his head. Claudia was dismayed to see that hand trembling. But at least it was only his hand, not his entire body today. She'd been expecting too much from only ten hours of sleep. The doctor had said three to four days.
"How's your stomach?" she prompted.
"Okay."
Jack was a lousy patient. He hated being cared for…that was obvious. But she was learning to live with his reluctance. Even he couldn't deny he needed her.
A jack hammer was working on each temple and his mouth was filled with glue. Every muscle…every single one in his body…ached from the constant tremors. Even his eyelids hurt. He wanted to go back to sleep.
"Here," Claudia demanded his attention. When he looked, she was holding her dripping hand inches from his face. He opened his mouth and let her feed him the small cube of ice. The cold and wet felt incredible in his mouth.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. Then he added, "For everything."
He was rewarded with a smile. Even though it made his face hurt, he smiled back, unable not to.
"I mean it Claudia. I know I didn't make it easy for you…what you had to do." He looked away, embarrassed. "Thank you," he repeated.
"You are welcome," Claudia said, bringing more ice to his mouth, not wanting to embarrass him further.
Jack took a chance and pushed up. His head spun and pounded even more once he was sitting upright. He tried to hide his face from Claudia so she wouldn't see he felt like he was about to pass out. He knew she'd figured it out when she squeezed his hand in support and remained quiet until he was ready.
He put out his hand for the cup of ice. But it shook so hard when he tried to close his fingers around it that Claudia snatched it away before all the ice fell to the bed. "Damn," he swore, frustrated, as he watched several chips of ice melt into the sheet.
He didn't want to quit the heroin right now anymore than he'd wanted to start it almost two weeks ago. He didn't understand what had happened that night. In fact, Jack hardly remembered that night.
"Claudia," he said. "How many days has it been…since…"
"The overdose?"
Jack nodded.
"Three. Today's the third day."
Jack hated that he'd lost track of time. Three days didn't mean shit. The cravings would go on unchecked for weeks. He couldn't afford to be distracted by his habit…or lack thereof…right now. Why the fuck Ramon was doing this was beyond him. Jack had to find out. And, in the back of his mind, he had to have a fix. He tried to push the craving down.
"Where's Ramon?" Jack asked straight out, trying to remember when he'd seen him last.
"Around," Claudia said vaguely. "Hector's off on business. Ramon's busy. He hasn't been in here…at least not when I've been here."
Claudia looked nervous. She'd been fine until Ramon and Hector's names had come up. "Claudia," he asked leaning towards her, "what happened that night?"
Claudia took up a small bowl of orange gelatin and a spoon, attempting to ignore Jack's question. When he'd awoken the morning after the overdose, he'd already begun withdrawing. She couldn't tell him when he'd been so ill. And now she didn't want to tell him.
Jack batted away the spoon when she presented it to him, waiting for her answer.
"He knows Jack."
"Knows what Claudia?" Jack asked mildly annoyed. He didn't feel up to figuring out cryptic statements.
"About us."
Jack felt sicker. He didn't know that was possible. She must be mistaken. If that were true, they'd both be dead. On the other hand…it wasn't Ramon she'd been cheating on. Maybe his fickle sense of honor didn't cover his brother's lover's infidelities. Pleasure is pleasure…no matter where it comes from. He remembered Ramon's words.
"Claudia," he said, looking for confirmation. He saw the tears forming. She wasn't mistaken.
"What did he say?" Jack's stomach was no longer okay. The tentative truce that had been established was being overwhelmed by the adrenaline flowing through his bloodstream. His palms were quickly clammy.
"He saw us Jack." Her eyes darted up to the corner of the room, above 'Ramon's' chair.
Oh fuck. The camera. Jack remembered the days Ramon had come in the exact moment he'd finished eating to drug him back to sleep. Back then, he'd known he was being watched, but that had been very low on his list of concerns. He'd let the presence of a camera slip from his mind. How stupid could he have been? Not stupid…stoned.
Jack's memory of that night was spotty, but he remembered the kiss. Ramon must have relished seeing that.
"Did he hurt you?" Jack asked.
Claudia just shook her head, the tears now streaming down her cheeks.
Jack's stomach wouldn't take anymore. He jumped from the bed and then staggered unsteadily until he reached the door frame of the bathroom, where the need for support warred with the need to vomit for a moment until he made it to the toilet. He was grateful Claudia had stayed in the other room.
He finished being sick and whipped a towel off the rack as he sank to the floor. Jack wiped his face and then buried it in the clean smelling cotton. The implications and ramifications of Ramon knowing about his affair with Claudia paraded through his mind. There were just too many. He couldn't pick any reasonable scenario. Just the fact that Ramon hadn't acted yet was not reasonable nor understandable.
But wait a minute…he had acted. He'd stopped the heroin. Was that what this was….punishment for sleeping with Claudia? Was it jealousy? How sick was it to think that Ramon would be jealous of who he slept with? But this was Ramon. With anyone else, it would be just stupid, but not with Ramon…not with what had happened with the prostitute and in light of Ramon's blatant sexual threats.
Jack pulled himself up to the sink. He steadied himself enough to wash his face and brush his teeth despite his shaking hands. He'd kill himself if he tried to shave right now.
Leaning from wall to wall, he managed get back to the bed. Claudia hadn't moved. He wanted to sit to talk to her, but he was just too dizzy and the cramps had returned a little. He put his head down on the pillow and caught his breath.
"You okay?" Claudia asked, gaining control of her tears.
"Yeah," Jack assured her untruthfully.
"Claudia, what did he say?"
"I told you. He said he saw us. You know Ramon. He was gloating that he had something to hold over us."
Jack knew she was not telling him everything. She knew what Ramon was holding over them.
"What is it Claudia…that he's threatening? I know Ramon. He'll want something for his silence to Hector."
"He didn't say, Jack. He was drunk. He went to bed and he hasn't brought it up since."
Jack didn't need to ask to see how frightened she was.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, visions of Ramon abusing her vivid in his head, of his arms wrapped around her beautiful small body.
"I'm fine Jack. He's not going to hurt me."
The way she said that made it clear what the next sentence would have been had she continued. He's going to hurt you. Well he was already hurting him. But that's not what Claudia meant either.
"Claudia," he said, only wanting to relieve her of the knowledge she wanted to bear alone and not scare her anymore. "I know already. I know what he wants. He told you to punish you. To make you afraid for me."
Her eyes widened.
"Let it go Claudia. It won't happen. You don't need to worry. That's what he wants—for you to worry about what he's going to do to me."
Claudia looked at Jack, lying too weak on the bed to get up. Lying there trying to convince her he wasn't threatened by Ramon. She wasn't convinced. He'd already been drugged and abused and now thrown into withdrawal by Ramon…and who the hell knew what else. She had no confidence that he could protect himself from Ramon.
But what could she do? Nothing. He was being stubborn. But then again, there was nothing he could do either except to try to protect her by deluding himself and lying to her. This place was a living hell.
She stood. "I'll leave the tray," she announced flatly. "Try to get everything down. You need the fluids. There's a methadone dose there if you want it." Claudia walked to the door. "I'll check on you in a few hours," she said before she walked out.
Jack watched her leave…feeling relieved and abandoned at the same time. For her own protection, he had to push Claudia away. And it was just about the last thing he wanted to do. But he didn't want her to get hurt.
If she didn't care about him, she wouldn't be hurt by what Ramon might do to him. She had seen through his lie when he'd said Ramon wasn't going to touch him. Jack knew the only way he'd be able to avoid it would be time. If he could put Ramon off long enough for the meeting to happen and CTU to come in, he could keep Ramon's hands off him and stay alive. That's the only way out he could see. And when he eventually arrested Ramon, Claudia would be safe.
With difficulty, Jack managed to pinch the methadone pill between two fingers and get it into his mouth. Using both hands, he was steady enough to pick up the cup of ice and drink the small puddle of water that had accumulated in the bottom. He let his head fall back against the headboard and waited to see if the water and pill stayed down.
After a moment, he eyed the tray full of an assortment of liquids and gelatins. Climbing Everest seemed easier than ingesting all that and keeping it in him. But he needed out of here. He needed some strength back so he could deal with Ramon and the cartel. With two hands again, he reached for the unappealing orange gelatin Claudia had tried to feed him.
What a waste this was. As soon as he walked out that door, he was going to be in a battle to prevent himself from looking for a fix. The stuff was everywhere on the ranch. Ramon knew he could never keep him from it. If this was a test, seeing if Jack had the resolve to remain clean, Jack wasn't sure he could pass. He needed the stuff too much in this hellhole. And he was hooked again.
Claudia looked out her bedroom window. She looked at the men working and walking about, going about their business. She tried to put Jack among them…just another face working the ranch. Another face she didn't need to worry about or care about if Ramon decided to hurt or discard them. But she couldn't. Even if their relationship was over, he'd never be just another face. If Ramon touched him and she couldn't, she'd care.
Ramon had thrown himself into his work to distract himself from Jack…and now Claudia. He'd allowed himself an occasional peek at the video from the camera, but that had been unrewarding, Jack and Claudia having spent most of the last two days in the bathroom and therefore out of sight of the lens.
Only by chance had he seen Claudia leave late yesterday afternoon. When he'd heard the shower go on in her room, he'd snuck in to see Jack, curious that he wasn't back in the bed. The smell had almost overwhelmed him in the filthy bathroom.
He'd half expected Claudia to lose interest in her lover when she saw him vomiting and shitting like a pathetic addict. But she hadn't. She'd hung in there like the tough peasant girl she really was beneath the designer clothing his brother's money paid for. She'd grown up with misery in the slums and seemed immune to the suffering-very immune given Jack's miserable state.
He had been covered with a blanket, a pillow under his head, passed out on the bathroom floor. He had looked like hell. Ramon had never seen anyone this far into withdrawal and had been a taken aback by the severity of the symptoms. He hadn't meant for this to happen. With Hector gone and Jack's liaison with Claudia confirmed, he simply hadn't wanted to see Jack. The byproduct had been that Jack also didn't see him or his fixes for over twelve hours after the doctor had left.
When Claudia had come to him, almost on her knees, begging for him to help Jack, to at least soften the withdrawal, his heart had hardened against her and her lover. Let her watch her knight in shining armor suffer like the lowest of mortals. A few days of watching Jack withdrawal would take the glamour out of the love affair…if that's what it was, if it was about more than just sex.
He had nudged Jack with his toe. Jack had opened his eyes but didn't come awake enough to really see him, closing them right away with a soft moan. Ramon had been worried. In the next couple of days, he needed Jack working on the ranch and the planning. He'd been worried that maybe he'd let this go on too long.
But today he was encouraged. He'd kept an eye on Jack all day through the lens of the camera. He'd been dutifully forcing down everything Claudia had brought him to drink. The times when he disappeared into the bathroom were becoming fewer. Mid day, Claudia reappeared with another tray, this time containing solid food.
Ramon sat at his desk to watch their interactions, regretting he'd not installed audio with the camera. But studying their body language was enough to give him a good idea of what was going on. Claudia, probably happy with how much better Jack looked, had sat down on the bed and handed Jack something off the tray. He had refused whatever it was. Jack's face never returned the smile that had decorated Claudia's at first. Over several minutes, Claudia's face darkened, her body slouched.
The conversation ended when Claudia abruptly stood and turned to Jack. Ramon could no longer see her face, only Jack's. Over the last two weeks Ramon had been studying that face. He knew Jack's moods, when he was in pain, and when he was covering pain.
At this moment, Jack was covering pain. He'd masked it well enough for Claudia, who'd turned on her heels and fled the room, but not for Ramon. Ramon saw that whatever had happened had hurt both of them. Jack stared off into space for a moment and then punched the mattress hard in frustration.
Ramon knew now, seeing this, that this relationship had been about more than just sex. Ramon also knew he would probably never tell his brother. He would handle these two on his own.
He didn't want Jack to die. He'd determined that over these many days. He'd also determined he'd give Jack time to come to him. Jack's expertise was crucial to their upcoming arrangements. Their clients would need to see the ranch's men at their best, and only under Jack would that happen. Also, his arms knowledge was irreplaceable.
Given all that, threatening Jack and carrying out the threat if he didn't comply was just not feasible now. Jack knew what Ramon wanted and he wouldn't let Jack forget either. Nor would he let Claudia.
Their clandestine relationship was over tomorrow when Jack left that room. Jack had probably tried to end it just now, but given both their reactions, it wasn't really over. Jack could try to push her away to protect her, but Claudia would still feel for him. And anything he did to Jack, she would know about. That would be both their punishments. Ramon wondered if she could ever look at Jack the same way knowing Ramon had fucked him.
He'd lain in the dark for a few minutes after the sun went down, wanting to sleep, but knowing he should stay up, try to put himself back into a regular routing, and finish the food on the tray. Finally, Jack pushed out of bed and flicked on the lights before shuffling to the bathroom.
Jack looked in the mirror. He looked like shit.
Three days of withdrawal and a nearly constant barrage of physical and mental abuse will do that to you. He had lost track of how long it had been in total. At least most of the swelling was gone, even if the bruises at various stages of healing still left a rainbow of colors on his skin. He brushed his teeth to rid himself of the taste of bile and swallowed a little water.
"Well, well Jack, up and about I see," Ramon crowed from right outside his bathroom door when he opened it, standing so close his after shave made Jack's stomach heave.
Jack didn't want to admit that it was the closeness itself that made him nauseous.
All in all though, Jack was glad Ramon was here, hoping it signaled the end of this purgatory. "Ramon," Jack greeted flatly, leaving it open for Ramon to do the talking.
"Feeling up to getting back to work?" Ramon asked straight out.
Jack eyed Ramon suspiciously. Although that was usually unnecessary…Ramon was rarely coy. When he said something he meant it. "Yes, Ramon, I am," he said, trying to express his relief as positively as he could for Ramon's benefit.
"Good," said Ramon, looking out the window onto the dark courtyard. "Things are happening quickly," he turned back to Jack. "I need you ready."
So many things were running through Jack's mind at once—the mission was back on track, he felt like shit, if Ramon needed him why the hell did he hurt him, exactly what was happening quickly, and, to his dismay, he wondered if Ramon had brought him a fix.
"Not happy, Jack?" Ramon asked when Jack hadn't said anything.
"No…no," Jack stuttered lost in his own thoughts. "I'm sorry Ramon. Of course I'm glad. I want to get back to work…I'm just a little tired, that's all. A good night's sleep and I'll be ready."
Jack fidgeted under Ramon's gaze, unhappy he'd admitted the fatigue. But hell, Ramon had to see he wasn't a hundred percent, after all, it was his doing. Jack just didn't want to take any chances. He wanted Ramon to think they were one big happy family again and he was ready to go bust his ass for the cartel. Ramon could do anything he wanted; even come close to killing him when he was sloppy drunk, and all would be forgiven because Ramon now trusted him.
But Jack didn't delude himself that this was all over. There was still that matter of the…oh hell…he couldn't even think the words…the threat Ramon had made. Just like Ramon was never coy, he also never forgot.
Jack absently rubbed at his eyes. He'd been up for hours forcing himself to eat. He thought the worst was over. His stomach was almost completely settled. He was pretty sure all he needed was some sleep and a few more hours. Then the battle to stay away from the needle would begin in earnest.
While he certainly looked better than he had on the bathroom floor yesterday, Ramon didn't think Jack looked great. But, knowing Jack, he'd rally and get to work. Hector was gone. And Ramon was going to join him tomorrow—something he'd been hoping to avoid but now thought he could manage. He wanted Jack to be in charge. It would be both his reward and test. Ramon would be watching to make sure that there were no grudges after all this.
Ramon almost felt sympathy for him. He'd put him through hell. And Jack had proven what a tough and resilient son of a bitch he was. Jack only had one more hurdle to jump before he was a free man again. Actually he'd be much more than a free man. He would be a partner in the Salazar cartel, which, within the month, would become far and away the most powerful cartel in all of Central and South America.
Chapter 12 THE SALAZAR RANCH The day before the raid.
The sleep had been restless, but at least there had been a lot of it. And there hadn't been any vomiting or cramps. The tremors were almost controllable. The only things that weren't at this point were Ramon's appearance and his appetite for a fix. Jack was praying once he was busy and working again the cravings wouldn't be so front and center.
He was lying in bed in just his boxers when Ramon burst through the door. The sun was barely up. Ramon was not usually a morning person, preferring to do everything…business and pleasure, late in the day. Jack sat up in bed as Ramon threw the same clothes Jack been wearing almost two weeks ago onto the bed at his feet. He kicked Jack's boots out from under the bed.
Ramon smiled down at him. "Come on, Jack, we've got a lot to do. Let's go."
Jack, still groggy, moved slowly. His body still hadn't quite recovered from the days of shaking. But he pushed himself, trying not to make Ramon wait or think he was too weak to do whatever he had in mind.
"Throw those clothes on and then go to your own place to shower and dress properly," Ramon said, watching him plant his feet on the floor.
Under normal circumstances, Ramon's watching him dress would be fine. But Jack didn't think he'd ever be comfortable again under his gaze, no matter how innocent it may be or appear.
Ramon paced to the window, oblivious of any discomfort on Jack's part. Jack was relieved, both that he could hide his anxiety, and that Ramon, at least this morning, seemed uninterested.
"May I ask what's happening, Ramon?" Jack asked tentatively.
"Jack, this" Ramon glanced around the room, clearly referring to his imprisonment here, "is over."
Jack was glad to hear it, but past events made him know it really wasn't even if he was being set free.
"You aren't…" Ramon paused searching for the right word. What was the right word Jack wondered? Prisoner? Chattel? Slave? Toy? Ramon couldn't define it either. "You aren't being tested anymore. You don't have to be so damn polite."
"Okay, Ramon," Jack said, knowing that only time would prove that true, even if Ramon believed what he was saying.
"Things are moving quickly with our new clients. Hector is meeting with them as we speak in Buenos Aires," Ramon informed him. Jack finished buttoning his shirt. "I need to bring you up to speed. Go change and meet me in the kitchen for breakfast."
Jack sensed Ramon's excitement at his new venture. Ramon gave Jack one more unreadable look, and walked quickly out the door. "See you in few minutes," he threw over his shoulder.
In his wake, Jack sagged and sat on the bed to collect himself. After a moment, with nothing to pack or clean up, he walked out the door, through the quiet house, and out onto the porch. He paused to revel, however briefly, in the freedom of being outside. And to get his act together. In fifteen minutes he had to walk into that kitchen as if the last two weeks hadn't happened.
Gathering his resolve Jack stepped off the porch towards his room. And ran almost head on into Tomas and Oscar. Oh fuck. You'd think at this time of morning, with the sun hardly up, his walk back could at least be private.
Tomas and he exchanged uncomfortable glances. Tomas knew exactly where he had been. The only question was how much Tomas knew of what had happened. Jack thought not all. Tomas had been there in the beginning…and that day in the courtyard…when Ramon had faked his execution. But, of late, Jack had not seen him…just Hector and Ramon. That meant Ramon had probably kept quiet the worst of what had occurred.
"Tomas," Jack greeted dolefully.
"Welcome back, Jack," Tomas returned. Jack wondered where everyone thought he had been. He needed to find out the lie Ramon had told so he didn't give anything away.
Oscar shifted uncomfortably in Tomas' strong grasp. Jack immediately thought the kid was drunk. As much as he liked Oscar, he was just pissed to see him this morning. "Hello, Oscar," he grumbled, only deciding at the last second to greet him at all, pushing past.
His eyes were already targeting the door of his quarters when suddenly Oscar's skinny frame was draped all over him. A thin elbow knocked into too fresh a bruise and Jack had to suppress a small gasp. Controlling his temper, he grabbed at the drunken boy and righted him. "God damn it, Oscar, get a hold of yourself." Maybe some other morning, he would have found this all comical, the boy drunk and lost at the crack of dawn. But not this morning.
It was then that he felt Oscar's hand slip into the front left pocket of his jeans. Jack's first impulse was to grab him and twist his arm. He didn't want anyone else touching him. But then he realized, quickly, that that was just stupid and paranoid. The boy's movement had definitely not been accidental.
Jack glanced at him, but Oscar's face was already turned toward Tomas, who was too busy scolding him to note Jack's look. Jack continued to his room, aware of the note as soon as he closed the door and felt the pocket where Oscar's hand had been.
Why the fuck was Oscar passing him notes?
Jack went to the bathroom so no prying eyes saw him reading. His legs weren't that sturdy to begin with this morning. When he recognized Tony's handwriting, his knees just about gave out and he fell heavily onto the seat of the toilet. Was this some sort of fucking withdrawal nightmare?
He shook his head, trying to clear it enough to piece all this together. Ramon had freed him at exactly the same time Oscar was there waiting with a note that was, without a doubt, hand written by Tony Almeida. This had to be a set up. But how? How would Ramon have gotten Tony's note? And why have the boy give it to him rather than confront him himself?
Jack controlled the shaking in his hands enough to read. Immediately, he recognized the code. He should have been able to decipher it in his head. But his brain was numb and he wanted physical proof of what he was reading. He went to the desk and for three minutes worked out the message.
Raid Sunday fourth.
No. Jack said under his breath. No. This can't be happening. Those three words would ruin everything. He rummaged through the desk drawer for a calendar. By his best guess, today was Saturday, the third. He ran to the bed and fumbled at his watch. It confirmed: 6:25 am, Sat 6/3.
In the back of his mind, Jack was aware he needed to be in the main house very soon. His legs carried him blindly to the shower. As he shaved, then dressed, Jack ran through every way possible he could to stop them. Not a single one involved borrowing Ramon's house phone during breakfast and calling CTU. Other than that, he had no options until he was done with Ramon's breakfast meeting.
Wondering how the hell he was going to concentrate and focus on Ramon, Jack burned the note and his decryption over the toilet and flushed the ashes down. He walked out the door to see Ramon and hear about his plans for the new clients—clients he'd never see if he didn't stop this raid.
Ramon was damn near chipper. Jack had to work way too hard to force a barely comparable mood. At least when he slipped, Ramon would suspect the lingering withdrawal as the cause. The cook put breakfast on the table in front of them. An hour ago when he'd awoken, Jack had been hungry. Now the sight of the eggs and ham in front of him was sickening. He cradled a cup of coffee, forcing his hands steady on the cup, and listened to Ramon.
"…Tomas has been working them. But I need you to focus on a different kind of training," Jack picked up mid sentence.
"No problem, Ramon," he answered dutifully as Ramon specified the type of training the men needed and what weapons were available now and plans for purchasing, training on, and selling new ones.
The more he spoke, the more Jack realized that the cartel was well into the planning phase of their collaboration with several Middle Eastern groups. Jack could take an educated guess at which ones based on what Ramon was saying, but waited in vain for Ramon to identify them specifically.
"You are not going to eat?" Ramon said, taking a break from the rather intense briefing session. "Are you feeling up to work?" He asked, more concerned, Jack thought, for his plans than for Jack's health and well being.
"Oh, I'm sorry Ramon…just that I…" Jack said, "I was listening and forgot about the food. I'm fine." He dug into the eggs and forced himself to swallow.
"Good," Ramon said, signaling for both their coffee cups to be refilled, "because I need you to run things around here for a few days."
Jack stopped mid bite.
"Hector's negotiations are going well…but, unfortunately, the heads of the groups are requesting I come join them to finish up. I had wanted to wait until they were gathered here. But now that you are back…I think I can go down. Besides, a few days by the sea would do me some good before the work ahead."
"When are you leaving?" Jack asked as nonchalantly as he possibly could.
"This evening," Ramon said, getting up. "I want to get you started on the things I need you to do in my absence. But they want me there in the morning, if I can, for an early meeting."
Jack's blood ran cold. Ramon wouldn't be here tomorrow. The raid would happen without the capture of Ramon Salazar. Oh fuck. He needed to find a way to stop CTU.
"Jack, you alright?" Ramon asked.
"Yeah…fine…I think that I just ate a little too fast for my stomach," Jack covered. "Listen Ramon, would you mind if I took a few minutes before we got started? I've been out of my room for a while. I just need to take care of a few personal things." He prayed Ramon didn't pry about what personal things he could possibly need to take care of.
"Sure, Jack," Ramon said, studying him to see if he was really alright. "Twenty minutes enough?"
No. "Yes, thanks," Jack said, already leaving. Jack realized that Ramon thought he was going to shoot up. That was good. First it provided some cover. Second, it meant that if he couldn't stop himself from resuming the habit, at least he didn't have to worry about Ramon coming down on him.
"Meet me in the armory," Ramon called out behind him.
"Okay."
Jack had to stop himself from breaking into an all out sprint. Once in his room, he quickly checked outside all the windows. The courtyard was empty. But the house was only seconds away. Anything he did was risky. But he had to. Jack pushed the bed aside and found the loose floor board.
The phone was dead. He vaguely remembered the battery had needed charging the night of the party. Usually he would leave a gathering early and charge it in the dark, watching the windows for anyone approaching. But he'd been drunk and not due for a check in for another day, so he'd let it slide.
And the phone wasn't the best quality. His phone had been confiscated the night he'd come here. They'd search his luggage immediately. Buying this one off the black market on one of the first forays he'd made into town had been dangerous. You never knew if word would get back to Ramon, even when he had someone buy it for him. For all he knew, he'd bought it from one of Ramon's own black market suppliers.
He pulled out the phone and plugged and went to the wall. There was no where to hide the thing in this room. Only two outlets, both in plain site, both with long extension cords running exposed for a couple of meters from the only two lights he had and an ancient alarm clock.
He'd been too optimistic thinking it would turn right on. In fact, he didn't even see any signs of life. Frustrated and discouraged, Jack sank to the floor. He couldn't leave it plugged in. He'd have to find another way. The adrenaline rush Tony's note had induced was wearing off. Jack found himself desperately wanting the heroin that Ramon already assumed he was injecting.
The morning hours passed by in a blur of instructions and questions from Ramon—as if he was trying to cram the last two weeks of what should have been Jack's job into this one abbreviated day. Jack was dismayed to find himself, at almost every turn, listening to Ramon while simultaneously making contingency plans for the raid tomorrow, acting as if he was already resigned to the notion that he wouldn't find a way to get word through to stop it.
He followed Ramon from place to place. He noted the weapons in the armory that would pose the most danger to anyone trying to raid the compound. As they covered sections of the ranch, he assessed the likelihood of where the raid would come from and where it had already been determined, in previous planning, they on the inside would defend from.
They found most of the men training on the far north fields. At a break, many of them came over to happily greet Jack, glad to see him 'home' again. He felt dizzy as more than one of them used that word. Ramon gathered them around and gave an abbreviated version of the talk he'd given Jack at breakfast, outlining the training they would begin in the next few days.
Jack stood quietly at Ramon's side, noting the faces belonging to those who would be most dangerous in a conflict and to those he would hate to see hurt. Oscar was in the latter group, fidgeting uncomfortably under the hot sun, looking so out of place surrounded by the tough and grizzled lot of Ramon's men.
The boy kept his eyes on Ramon as he spoke. Only once did Jack see him look up at him. When he saw Jack looking back, Oscar's face resembled a deer in the headlights and he brought his head quickly down to his chest.
Jack tried to read something into Oscar's reaction, but couldn't. He desperately wanted to get him alone so Oscar could explain. Between that and finding a way to make the phone call, neutralizing as many threats as he could before dark, and getting started on Ramon's orders, he had a very busy afternoon ahead of him.
Ramon finished speaking. Jack climbed back into the jeep, in the passenger seat next to him. They were both hot and sweaty, summer having hit hard and quick weeks ago. Jack reached into the back seat as Ramon drove and grabbed two bottles of water. He opened one for Ramon, but his arm and his mind froze as he raised the bottle to hand it to him. Ramon didn't see him, but instead, seemed lost in thought, staring at the dusty track ahead, mulling over his plans.
Jack stared at the man next to him. All day he'd been ignoring the biggest problem. Well, finding a way to make the call was his biggest problem… but after that…if he couldn't find a way to contact CTU. He needed to keep Ramon on the ranch.
"Here, Ramon," he said to get his attention.
Ramon took the bottle wordlessly and emptied half of it in one gulp. Jack sipped more tentatively, the heat and stress reeking havoc on the lingering withdrawal symptoms and unsettling his stomach.
"You didn't fix," Ramon said simply, still staring far ahead down the road, after another draught had emptied the plastic bottle in his hand. He didn't like the way Jack looked.
"No," Jack admitted, turning to look out the passenger side of the jeep at nothing, waiting to see what Ramon had to say about it. But he said nothing more.
Jack used the silence as the jeep hit a bumpy slow section to map out just how this could all play out. He closed his eyes at the impossibility of the situation.
Ramon must have been watching and misinterpreted. "Fix if you have to. I need you to get the work done."
When Jack looked at him, Ramon actually appeared slightly concerned. Jack looked back out where a window would have been. "I will Ramon." That was vague; he could have been referring to either fixing or getting the work done, or both.
But he was thinking he might have to fix. Especially considering what he had just concluded, what he now knew he might have to do. He fought to settle his stomach.
"Ramon, you said, this morning," he began "that these people wanted you at this meeting?"
"Hector implied they wanted me. I want things to go smoothly, so I agreed. What's your point, Jack?" Ramon asked, confused. Was Jack worried he was leaving? He couldn't believe Jack would be admitting he was incapable of running things.
The jeep slowed naturally as Ramon's attention switched to Jack. When Ramon looked at him, Jack felt a swell of panic. He backtracked, unable to commit yet to what he'd been planning to do.
"Just curious what they want. From what you've told me, Hector has plenty of power to deal and make decisions. I'm just thinking about their reasons for wanting you there…and your safety."
Ramon looked at him with a critical eye. The jeep had stopped, now sitting still under the blazing sun, the running motor the only sound around. Jack needed to pad his reasoning to get Ramon to reconsider this trip. "Look Ramon, I know these people. I have an idea of who specifically you are dealing with from what you've already told me."
That was a not so subtle stab at getting Ramon to confirm an actual group name. But Ramon didn't fall for the bait. Instead, he squinted his eyes critically at what Jack was saying as he continued. "They are trustworthy, but only to a point. You both go down there, you are alone and isolated, without security. That makes the entire cartel vulnerable."
When Jack looked at Ramon he could see the wheels turning over his words. Ramon was cautious, but not a coward. "You think they might kill me? Why would they do that?"
"No, not kill you…at least not right off. But hold you hostage for your money…if they think your holdings are worth more than your assistance. With both of you gone…who will protect your interests?"
"You will Jack," Ramon said instantly, as if the answer was obvious.
After all Ramon had done to him over the last two weeks, he assumed Jack's total allegiance. Jack almost laughed at the Salazar notion of how to aquire loyalty. In a way, Ramon was very naïve. Probably because no one had ever dared to turn on him before.
"I know I would, Ramon," Jack assured. "I just didn't…I wasn't sure you trusted me to that point."
He was wondering if there had been or was anything else he could say to make Ramon fear for himself or the cartel's interests enough to not go to Buenos Aires tonight. All he had to do was delay Ramon for twenty four hours. But pushing the point any further could undermine Ramon's trust in him and just cause suspicion.
Ramon reached out and touched the tattoo on Jack's arm. Jack watched his tanned hand on the paler skin of his forearm and didn't recoil. He couldn't for so many reasons—one of them the sincerity of Ramon's face at the moment-pulling his arm back would have been a slap in that face.
"You have this," Ramon said.
Jack continued to look at Ramon's hand, his head down. He felt Ramon's eyes scanning his face. He was glad the heat covered the flush that he felt—the flush accompanying the light headedness caused by what he was about to say—what he was about to allow Ramon to do.
"I don't own it outright, though, do I Ramon?"
He gathered his courage and looked up at Ramon. What the hell was he doing? And why?
But Jack knew why-because he'd worked too hard and sacrificed too much to go home empty handed. It was that simple. This, letting Ramon have him if he had to, was the end of the slippery slope he'd let himself fall on to. This had all begun with that first fix to quell his despair the night of Teri's birthday. Maybe this was an appropriate end. Maybe he deserved this for all that he'd done.
Ramon said nothing. The air, despite the topless jeep, was heavy between them. Jack swallowed hard and felt the perspiration drip down the side of his face.
"No, you don't," Ramon finally admitted, studying Jack hard.
"I want to."
Jack was aware of Ramon's hand still on him. He felt the fingers squeeze down a bit.
Then Ramon laughed, almost as if he wanted to break the tension. "Are you that worried about me going down there Jack?"
Jack stayed serious. He couldn't laugh even to fake it. "No," he said softly.
Ramon took his hand off Jack's arm and his foot off the brake. The jeep rolled forward, each of them lost in his own thoughts. Nothing was said until they stopped minutes later in front of the armory where Jack was to begin his chores…for Ramon it was to be an initial assessment of stock for his meeting, for CTU it was to be sabotage.
"I will send someone out with lunch for you." Ramon said, still in the jeep as Jack stood aside it, not addressing the real issue. Jack looked at his watch. It was already past two. Ramon sighed heavily and looked through the windshield.
"Nine o'clock."
Ramon didn't look at him before he roared the engine and Jack watched him pull away. But not so fast to prevent Jack from seeing Ramon's unmistakable smile. He'd gotten what he wanted yet again.
He looked down and kicked the dirt. This wasn't over yet. He still might be able to figure a way out. But somehow, Jack felt like he was drowning, Ramon's hands all over him, pushing him under.
Claudia heard him rummaging somewhere in the large room, but didn't see him. She put the tray down on the desk right next to the door.
"Jack?" she called.
Hearing her voice, Jack almost dropped the gun he was holding. He stiffened and wished her away. But her face appeared around the end of the row of shelving.
"Claudia," he said softly, wiping his sweaty forearm ineffectively across his equally perspiring face.
"I brought you something to eat. You look better," she added hopefully.
"Thanks," Jack replied to both statements.
Claudia couldn't help herself. She walked over and put a hand on his chest, bringing herself close so he would kiss her.
Jack walked away. He turned away. "Ramon sent you."
"Yes," she admitted, knowing where this was headed. But she didn't want to give him up without a fight, Ramon be damned.
"He's teasing you, Claudia." Ramon was actually teasing him, parading Claudia in front of him in a little celebration of triumph. "And he's probably watching us." Jack eyed the security cameras within sight. And there were more out of sight. He'd been very careful to hide what he'd been doing to many of the weapons as he'd 'inspected' them.
"Jack," Claudia said plaintively, "please, don't do this."
"Damn it Claudia, we've been over this. You're an intelligent woman. Don't be so fucking naïve." She was playing with both their lives. Jack felt both anger and pity. Claudia was desperate. She had nothing but Hector's unreliable attention. She had to fake love for him just to stay alive…just to stay in this hell for her brother and father. Because her few alternatives were actually worse.
"I'm sorry, Jack," she said turning away from the harshness of his words. "I don't want to give you up. Only for Ramon to…" Claudia was sickened at the thought of Ramon touching Jack. Touching him when she couldn't and Jack forced to let him to live.
"You have to. Go Claudia…its over." He let the words sink in. "I'll be okay."
Jack was grateful when she left without protest, although he knew she was crying. Claudia was another loose end that he wouldn't have time to tie up. That was cold. Claudia was more than a loose end.
He had seriously promised to get her out of here someday. That someday would now be tomorrow. There would be no time to warn her to soften the blow when she found out what he really was. Yet another man who'd deceived her. He could only hope she knew, after it was over, he had never used her. What he'd felt…what he still felt…was genuine.