(Untitled)

[geeky_agent]

July 10, 2012
9:12 AM

After driving around, Chris and Jack found a drugstore nearby that was open. Armed with a short list of supplies, she went in while Jack stayed behind with their attacker

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[action_antihero]

Jack doesn't breathe until he sees the police cruiser leave the lot, and Chris leaving the store a minute or two behind it. When he'd seen the squad car pull in, he'd immediately started wondering what he would do if Chris was caught. Leaving was probably what he should do, but he's not sure he'd just be able to drive away, not when she'd likely be taken to CTU and interrogated. Doing something might only make things worse, though, and if he got caught it was almost as good as game over.

It's hard to believe, both that Palmer is really dead and that everyone wants him for the murder. How could anyone think that he would actually do that; would actually kill someone he counted as a friend? Eight years before, someone had tried to set him up for the same thing, and he'd been framed; now it seems that things have come full circle, only this time, Palmer is actually dead, as hard as that is to believe.

He opens the door for her, wanting to just hold her for a minute now that the enormity of the situation they're in is really starting to hit him, but knowing that they don't have time. "Did you find everything?" he asks, taking the bag from her hands.

[geeky_agent]

"Yeah, and some extras like granola bars and water." She gives his hand a small squeeze while passing the bag over, wanting to hug him if not collapse in his arms.

Looking at the exit where the cop just drove through Chris asks, "You don't think the cop paid any attention to us, do you?"

[action_antihero]

"I don't know; if he did, we'll find out soon enough," he says, trying to sound calmer and more focussed than he feels. A headache is starting to build behind his eyes, but he's forcing himself to ignore it; he's not the one who just headbutted someone after all. "Until then we can't let ourselves worry about it. We should find somewhere else to park for a while, though, somewhere we won't be noticed."

He starts up the van again, glancing warily out toward the street as he pulls out of the parking space, taking note of the cars, getting an idea of what traffic should look like so he can spot anyone driving erratically.

[geeky_agent]

"All right. I think if we head west, about two miles, we'll come to the giant mall. Westfield? I think we could just go the parking lot." The hiding in plain site was a little risky but short of driving out towards the desert again, there weren't many places they could go where there wouldn't be many people around.

[action_antihero]

Jack nods. "Okay, I know where that is. We might be able to find a similar van to swap plates with as well," he says, turning onto the street and heading for the mall, eyes checking the mirrors every few seconds, watching for anything suspicious. It doesn't look like anyone's following them, but that doesn't help him relax at all. Maybe the cop back at the pharmacy didn't notice anything, but a passing squad car has. Maybe he's just lost his touch and they're being followed by someone who's an expert at tailing people.

They don't talk along the way, but Jack finds Chris' hand without taking his eyes off the road, squeezing it in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture. Soon, they've arrived at the mall and he picks a parking spot well away from the doors, but not so isolated as to be conspicuous. "Okay, keep a lookout for anyone approaching."

[geeky_agent]

Her hand lingers in his and she wishes that they didn't have to deal with this. That they could just go somewhere, maybe live their lives in Milliways till this all blew over. (And it had to because Jack was innocent and no one could believe he'd kill David Palmer)

"All right."

But they couldn't. Chris takes her hand away and digs through the bag for the asprin, every so often looking up at the cars around them.

[action_antihero]

Quickly kissing Chris on the cheek as he takes the bag from her hands, he hops out of the van, taking a look around at the surrounding cars as he heads to the back of the van. Their attacker is awake, probably being bounced around in the back of the van, but besides looking a little groggy, a grey pallor and the sheen of sweat on his face, it looks like he's not going into shock.

"Make any kind of noise and I'll shoot you; setting up the meeting will be easier with you alive, but I can still do it without you," Jack says, pulling the door closed behind him, then fixing the attacker with a stare. "Understand me?"

The man nods, and Jack gets down to work, pulling out the latex gloves from the first-aid kit, then covering the wounds with a thick layer of antibiotic ointment and gauze pads. When he's finished, he tighens the belt and tie around the wounds again, just to make sure they're not going to bleed more after he's poked and prodded at them.

Pulling off the gloves and putting them in the drugstore bag, he looks over the back of the seat into the front of the van. "You've still got the phone and the battery?"

[geeky_agent]

"Hmm?" Is the response as she looks over her shoulder at Jack. "Yeah. Why?"

[action_antihero]

"Pop the battery in for a second, just to see if Kim's called back," he says, glancing at his watch. They should still have time to get to the abandoned refinery without their contact getting suspicious. If things had gone as planned, their attackers would have had to take care of their bodies, after all; a thought he shies away from thinking about too much.

[geeky_agent]

Chris does as he says, when nothing shows up, she looks through the list of incoming calls. Nothing from Kim or anyone from CTU.

"No, she hasn't," she frowns as she says this, wondering if something had gone wrong. Almost thirty minutes had passed since she had last called. "It's busy at CTU. Maybe she can't get away."

[action_antihero]

"Yeah," he says, though he doesn't believe it even as he says it. Reaching over the seat he grabs the aspirin bottle holding it up in front of their attacker's face.

"Listen very carefully. We are going to the meeting with your contact, and if he's not standing in the middle of the refinery, you're going to get this guy to come out of whatever hiding spot he might be in. Say anything suspicious and I'll kill you. Do anything to put either of us in danger, and I'll kill you. Do what you're told and maybe I won't decide to get creative when asking you a few more questions," he says, using a tone that clearly says he isn't exaggerating about the killing him part.

Slowly the attacker nods, and Jack gives him two aspirin tablets before climbing back into the front of the van. He's still not sure how exactly they're going to do this, particularly without knowing the layout of the refinery or exactly who they're dealing with. There's as good a chance that the contact will blow the van up on sight as that he'll be intending to make good on the offer to pay the goons. Suddenly, Jack's filled with the feeling that he's out of his depth, and the worry that if he fucks this up it's not just his life at stake.

"We'd better head for the meet," he says, turning the engine on again. "When we get there, I want you to take the phone and two of the guns and get out before we reach the spot. Work your way over to the spot on foot, and stay behind cover."

[geeky_agent]

"And what are you going to do?" She's not too keen on hiding in the bushes while he goes to face these people alone.

[action_antihero]

"I'm going to try and draw whoever hired these guys out into the open, using him as bait," Jack says, jerking his head in the direction of the back of the van. "I'll need you to provide cover in case things get dangerous."

[geeky_agent]

There was so much that could go wrong with this scenario and so many ways they could both end up dead. After a moment, Chris asks, "How are you so sure they'll care about him?"

[action_antihero]

Jack's quiet for a moment, looking at the road, at the mirrors, but not at her. He can't be sure; that's the part that's got his stomach knotted and his shoulders rigid with tension. There are no guarantees, and he's flying blind, here. Worst of all, it's not just his life that he's risking, but somehow he has a feeling that if he pulled over right now and asked her--or ordered her--to get out and call CTU to come pick her up, she'd refuse. Not to mention that he needs the backup, as much as he doesn't want to put her in danger, like so many other people he's cared about.

"At the very least, this guy will want to tie up the loose ends. He'll have to be there to do that," Jack says, quietly.

[geeky_agent]

It's clear from the way Jack's not looking at her that he's about as thrilled with this idea as she was. Unless they came up with another plan, arguing wasn't going to change their options.

Chris touches his shoulder, a small gesture of comfort. "Let's do this."