Blinded
Chapter 12
He felt empty and cold. This was it. His ears were still ringing from the gunshot. The concrete below him was unforgiven as he curled on his side. One last look at his enemy then there was nothing.
-STFBE-
Jack hated to admit it, but he did feel a bit better as he walked into the Hoover building on Monday morning, Sue at his side. She looked a bit more rested too. They had spent a lot of time talking the day before as they had mostly stayed in. Unlike the first night, Jack had returned home to shower and sleep, promising to pick Sue up first thing in the morning for work. She had agreed. While they were both keen to take another step into their relationship, they didn't want to rush the physical side of their connection. He had yet to fully even kiss her, wanting the moment to be special.
It was ironic that they had shared a bed for a night but hadn't taken the simplest of steps in a relationship yet, not counting their glorious undercover assignment as lawyer and assistant, a memory which Jack would never admit to anyone he recalled more often than he should.
Sue stole a quick glance at Jack in the elevator, glad to see a small smile on his face. Some of their conversation had been difficult the day before, but necessary. She remembered the look on his face when she had brought it up…
"Jack?" She had said as he was focused on the movie on the hotel TV. He mumbled "mmhmm". She took a breath. "I think we need to talk about if something were to happen to one of us." He looked at her quickly, his brow furrowing.
"Sue…" He moved to pause the movie. She looked intently at him, while playing with her fingers. Sue had been contemplating this conversation in her mind for the last hour. She knew it was important.
"Jack, listen. I know you don't want to think about, but we're in a dangerous situation right now. Even if this all gets resolved today, we have dangerous jobs. This isn't the first time one or both of us has been at risk before." Jack sighed, knowing she was right. "I want you to promise me that if something were to happen to me, you would take care of yourself. If somehow this man gets a hold of me, you won't put yourself at risk to save me. That if the worst should happen, you'd know I was okay because of what I believe." Jack didn't want to hear what she was saying. She bit her lip.
"Sue… I don't think… I can't even think about this…". She nodded.
"I know you don't want to, but Jack, he got to Marty. We need to be prepared. Jack, I'm scared but I'm more scared that if they got me, somehow, they would try to get to you too." Jack was quick to jump in.
"Sue, I'm not going to let that happen. We are going to keep you safe." Sue put her hand on his.
"Jack, if you can't though, it won't be your fault. This is clearly the work of a madman. Just promise me you won't put yourself at risk if that were to happen." Jack looked at her soft eyes. He swallowed but then nodded. He knew this was important to her, but he struggled internally because he didn't know how he'd react if she was taken. He knew what she meant though as he would want the same for her, but felt torn to make this promise he didn't know he could keep. Sue, however, looked relieved as she cuddled next to him and pressed play on the movie.
The elevator dinged and Sue was broken out of her reverie. She gave Jack a small smile as they ventured towards the bullpen. She took a deep breath, praying the team would have some update on finding Marty and his wife, and most of all the person behind this.
-STFBE-
"No news" Myles updated both Jack and Sue once they had been settled. "There was nothing found in Garfield Park. We think the perp did this as a distraction so he could get to Marty with less interference." Myles gave a small glance to Sue, deciding to leave out any comment that he may have been trying to get to her too. Bobby joined in.
"The piles of dirt we found had recently been dug, we think to add additional suspicion and keep us all there longer." Jack nodded, his heart sinking. Marty had now been missing 3 days. Gayle, almost a week. He knew their chances of being found alive were dwindling and they didn't seem to have any leads.
"We've cleared Martin Stack and don't believe he's involved" Tara then added. "I've started to trace the IP address of the messages sent to Marty. They were likely sent from just outside of DC. We've also got a team trying to decrypt the voice from the phone call he received. It's just a matter of time before they figure it out." She tried to conclude hopefully, looking at the disappointed look on her friend's faces.
"It's just a matter of time." Myles concluded. "The forensic anthropologist arrives this morning. We're hoping they will be able to ID the body we found last week by today or tomorrow. That's another strong lead." Everyone slowly made their way back to their desks.
The morning passed uneventfully. Jack was busy reading case files of past cases Sue and Marty had worked on together when D came into the office.
"Team – I have some bad news." They all looked at him. Jack felt his heart drop. "They found two bodies – at Nationals Park." D looked at Jack, and then at Sue. Silence rang out. Sue eventually sat. D didn't even need to say it.
"Is it?" Bobby asked quietly. D nodded.
"They are securing the crime scene, but DC police sent me some pictures, knowing we were actively working on this case and having found another body in a park only last week." Jack felt like he was going to be sick. No one had words. He, like the others also eventually sat, shocked by the news. D lingered in the doorway, giving his team a moment to let the news sink in.
Jack eventually turned to look at Sue who looked ashen. He could see the tears in her eyes, and she bit her lip, clearly trying not to cry. D finally spoke up.
"The best thing we can do now to honor their memory is to find who did this. I will be calling their children momentarily. Please update me with any news. Jack, can I see you in my office for a moment." Jack snapped his head away from looking at Sue. He nodded and got up to follow D out, glancing again at Sue who didn't meet his eyes.
-STBFE-
"Sit down Jack." D asked ominously. Jacks stomach clenched harder than he thought possible. His heart was pounding. What more could they take? "I didn't want to tell you this in front of everyone but will have to share with the team." Jack looked at his friend and now boss.
"What is it D?" He asked quietly.
"There was a picture on the bodies. A picture of you and Sue." Jack closed his eyes and bowed his head. He just wanted this to stop. He wanted it to end. D took a breath, hating every moment of this. "It had a message on the back." Jack looked up at him.
"It said – I'm coming for her." Jack barely had time before he reached for D's garbage can and retched into it. D got up and put a hand on Jack's back, before getting up and grabbing a spare bottle of water and a box of Kleenex, handing it to his distraught agent. He gave Jack a few moments to compose himself as he discarded his garbage bag into the hallway.
"We've failed them" Jack said. "We're failing her."
"Jack. I know you can't see it right now, but we will still do everything in our power to keep Sue safe. And now you too." Jack looked at him.
"Bobby will drop off and pick up Sue tomorrow. In public, we need to keep you two separate. You may be a target now too."
"I don't care D." Jack responded despondently.
"Well, I do." D responded fiercely. "I'm about to get on the phone with Marty and Gayle's two kids to tell them their parents are not coming home. I'm not about to have to call your family, or Sue's. I think we also need to start thinking about sending you two away and into witness protection."
"Separately?" Jack asked weakly. D didn't respond.
"No." Jack responded. "Sue is our last known link to this guy. I'm not letting her out of my sight." D sighed.
"Jack, we'll talk about this later. For now, you nor Sue are to leave this building. We'll come up with a plan this afternoon." The two sat in silence for several moments.
"Can I see the body? Once Marty arrives?" Jack asked quietly. D nodded. He understood his friend. His friend wanting to say his last goodbyes. Jack studied his friend. D looked like he had aged 10 years.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked D. D looked at him intently, with surprise in his face that softened within moments.
"I didn't expect this job to be like this. So heavy, so soon. I'm trying to imagine what to tell these kids. What I would want someone to tell my kids if something happened to my wife and me. I'm at a loss for words." Jack responded quietly.
"Maybe there are no words." D nodded. Jack got up to leave. He glanced back at D who reached towards his phone. Jack closed D's door to give him the privacy he needed for such a heavy moment. Jack took a few moments to take a few deep breaths, reaching deep within to every ounce of training he had to calm himself and try and stay rationale before walking back to the bullpen.