You’re a muck, that’s why I had to cut you down

[out_of_time]

WHO: Jack Bauer and OPEN
WHERE: Throughout the City
WHEN: The following takes place between January 3rd and January 10th. Events occur in real time.
WARNINGS: Violence
SUMMARY: Captain Bauer is fed up with having to do administrative stuff for the cops and goes to get back to his roots: running around, yelling at people, and fighting bad guys.
FORMAT: Whatever works. Comment on this post if you want to plan something out!

Jack was frustrated and restless. Paperwork lay on his desk like a tablecloth. He was by both training and inclination a field agent. He belonged out there, chasing down leads and suspects. However, he was also the force’s head Import officer, which meant he had to deal with the bureaucratic fallout of incidents like Khisanth escaping. Proposals and recriminations were flying around behind the scenes, and without the Red Queen to put a cool, professional, somewhat unsettling face on the super-jail, Jack had to handle them: the AI she had left behind was very efficient, but it couldn’t do memos. Two-Face’s escape had its own consequences, but at least NoHOPE wasn’t under police jurisdiction like the jail was.

This was on top of a police station being attacked by a dragon in November and Calendar Man ruining both Christmas and New Year’s, to say nothing of the Joker robbing a museum, trying to destroy the Porter, and not even staying in this universe to be imprisoned afterward. With all the new things happening, old work got pushed to the side, and so Jack still had to give an opinion on new riot control procedures stemming from the Thanksgiving debacle. He would have to testify at Roomba Man’s trial soon as well.

And Laurie and Yusuke were gone too, back home with her mother and his fiancée, a bittersweet thought that brought its own personnel paperwork with it. The fact that he might never yell at Yusuke about something or know that he had his back in a fight put a pain in his heart. He pushed that pain deep down, nestling it inside him next to all the other feelings that had been gnawing him for what would soon be two years, next to missed friends and family and people he hadn’t been able to save.

It all added up to Jack having to do more work that he didn’t consider work. He had never had to deal with this in the less regulated environment of CTU, and it grated on him. While he was bogged down in administration, Jack was all too aware that things were happening even beyond the high-profile Import crises that ate up the public’s attention. The Dolvanian mob group Zero’s Children had expanded its operations in the City, and was now involved in several nasty rackets. Yet most of Jack’s information on them had been acquired illegally, courtesy of James Bond. He couldn’t act on it, especially while he was doing this office crap.

Jack put down his pen. He stared at his desk for a moment, at another cost justification for the plasma gun Ted Kord had made for him. Then he looked at the force’s open case file.

“Screw it.”

Jack grabbed his jacket and headed out. He would spend most of the next week outside of the station, getting some real work done.

Comments

[a_relative_hero]

Joel was still pretty thrilled that he'd been promoted. He never would have imagined it would happen but it has and he couldn't be happier.

Now since it was time to report to the boss himself, Joel was moving as quick as he could without using his powers. Finding the man, he approached with a smile. "Reporting in, sir."

[out_of_time]

Jack nodded and smiled. "Officer Weinberg. Ready for your first assignment? We're going to have a talk with an informant, I want to see how you handle it."

[a_relative_hero]

Joel was nervous. His first ever assignment and in front of the boss no less. The last time he'd felt this way was when he was facing down the Es. Keeping it from showing, he nodded. "Yessir. I'm ready to go."

[out_of_time]

"Great. Follow me."

Jack ushered Joel into his car and talked as they drove. "His name's Michael Ryde. He's been giving us information on Zero's Children, the new mob group. He's cooperated so far, and everything he's told us has checked out. The hard part is convincing him we can keep him safe. He's terrified of these people."

For Garrus

[out_of_time]

Carlo Neri was a professional Mafia hitman wanted for five murders in Europe. Why he had come to the City Jack didn't know, but when he got the tip about it he'd dispatched officers to his hotel room without hesitation. It seemed like an easy win.

It was only when he learned that the takedown had gone bad and escalated into a hostage situation that Jack went there in person. Neri had spotted the police moving in, panicked, and dragged the nearest hotel staff member into his room with a gun to his head.

Jack could immediately see the situation could require a sniper, and a good one. He called Garrus.

[spacebatman]

Garrus -- who as a human looked strangely Mediterranean -- was happy for a chance to come out for an exercise run. He abandoned the pretense of humanity, however, once he was out of the squadcar-- it was awkward to ride in them normally, but there was no reason to do otherwise.

Besides, part of him loved the looks and the awe when a six-eight space marine raptor came down the road.

"Bauer," he says, voice kept low. "What do we have?"

[out_of_time]

"One shooter, one hostage, one way in and out of the room besides the window. No demands so far." In the command van, Jack was keeping things bustling, directing other officers while handing Garrus a file folder with everything he might possibly need to know about the suspect, the hostage, the hotel, and more. The information was available in electronic format as well- Jack preferred it that way, a legacy of his time at CTU, and had a feeling Garrus would too, being from the future and all.

"We've already ID'd a vantage point that will give you a full view of the room. You'll have a clear shot if we can't talk him down." The standoff had now been going on for over half an hour. Jack had no intention of letting it get dragged out into a siege.

[scarabsuited]

It looked like lightning from the outside. Lightning, or some really over-the-top rave lighting. There was loud hissing, and then windows shattered with the discharge; little tendrils of electric light scattered and dissipated into the air.

Inside, one of the lankier Children was thrown back by the force and landed in a pile of boxes, out of the fight. He'd enjoy a fabulous headache later, among other things.

The Blue Beetle clicked his fingers, elongated and still crackling with energy, slinking back to his best spot – himself between the Children and their kidnapped "merch," actual children, among others. It was now seven against one, with twelve to keep out of reach. Not the best odds to fly right on into, but the boat was ready to leave. He'd hoped to scare them enough to make it a quick and easy end, but they appeared rather prepared for metahuman interference.

Which sucked, but hey. He could complain later.

"You do not want this trouble," he said (again; he'd said so prior to tasing the first guy). "Just drop the weapons and no one else gets turned into toast."

Their response was a series of ka-clicks, weapons locked and loaded.

Ah, crap.

Scarab – forcefields?

[out_of_time]

Outside the building, Jack saw the unmistakable signs of metahuman combat and called it in. He took a moment to look in a window before entering. He saw Blue Beetle, the kids, the hostiles. Then he drew his gun, kicked in the door, and started yelling.

"C.P.D., DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND SHOW ME YOUR HANDS, NOW!" The entrance he'd chosen brought him in behind the gunmen, which was good, but which also put the Beetle and the innocents possibly in his field of fire.

The hostiles didn't surrender, of course. People this heavily-armed never did, especially when they were the kinds of people willing to target children. They opened fire, and Jack dove behind a metal cabinet as the bullets started to fly.

[scarabsuited]

Bullets bounced off the pale blue forcefield, rather contrary to Jack's demands upon arrival. Jaime flinched, backing up to shield the innocents. The pincers protruding from his backpiece began to lengthen and arc, sparking and shooting out toward the guns. He grimaced, seeing only a pair drop their weapons, the rest back turned to rain bullets down on Jack's cabinet.

"This way, guys, c'mon!" Jaime's backpiece expanded and flattened behind him as he turned his back on the fight to shepherd the kids behind stacked crates and cargo.

"Jack!" he called over the gunfire. Scarab patched into his communicator. "Jack, they're out of range!"

For Scatty

[out_of_time]

Vlad Latanov was reputed to be a core member of Zero Children's small but growing extortion racket. Jack didn't want any more citizens being intimidated out of their money, which made Latanov someone he wanted to learn more about.

Jack and a rudimentary disguise were currently lounging in the ill-reputed Tempest Bar, looking casual while keeping an eye on the 'import/export businessman' and his two bodyguards, both local ex-cons Jack recognized from their rap sheets. Latanov looked like an ordinary guy who'd just gotten off work, nothing to indicate that he was willing to order fingers broken to get a few extra bills from a store owner. What Jack needed was a way to find out what he knew without blowing his cover...

[symmachy]

Reconnaissance was something she hadn't done in a while. Not that she was out of practice or anything, that would be absurd. But there was a special sort of finesse required to pull off this sort of mission. A disguise didn't hurt, either.

Smokey-eyed and red-lipped, Scathach sipped on a rum and coke, jade eyes scanning the bar crowd, just as Jack's did. Remembering that she was here to give him some cover, she reached over to place her hand on his knee, giggling in a way that was very un-Scathach like.

[out_of_time]

Jack chuckled and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. They were getting attention, but it was the good kind of attention, the kind that was murmured gossip and rolled eyes. No one would think a man Jack's age with a girl Scathach's apparent age would be a cop.

"I recognize the guys with him," he whispered. "Both fighters, did time for assault. This will be a lot easier if we can separate them."

[lyingbrat.livejournal.com]

Lyra had been rather surprised when Captain Bauer had asked to meet with her, but she had sent him a location- and that was why she was sitting in a diner booth, with Pantalaimon sitting in her lap under the table as she waited for the police captain to arrive, she wondered what it could be about- a new lead on Vulcanus, maybe? Or had either of her parents arrived without her knowledge? Or was this about New Year's?

"He's probably going to tell you to stay home and stay out of trouble," opined her daemon, and Lyra shushed him.

[out_of_time]

"Not exactly," Jack said as he dropped himself into the seat across from the girl and her... daemon? He still wasn't too clear on the relationship between the young vigilante and her constant companion. Another supernatural thing outside his experience.

"How are you doing, Lyra?" He asked.

[lyingbrat.livejournal.com]

"Besides having to fight on New Years, I've been fine- how about you?" Lyra responded as she opened her menu, but kept her eyes on the police captain.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ It's tempting to hunt him down directly. Find him wherever he is; vent a little frustration in the claustrophobic message that would send by default.

But intimidating an ally - particularly an ally that's thus far given him no reason to believe this oversight could be chalked up to incompetence always comes with a price, and more enemies in high places isn't what he needs now no matter how good it would feel to put a face on the anger. So instead he slips into the office and waits - dark and present in the shadows.

Eventually he'll be back. ]

[out_of_time]

[At some point simple procedure forces Jack to drag himself back into the station to process the arrests he's made. By this point he's worn himself pretty ragged, so when he enters his darkened office it takes a few seconds before his instincts kick in and say you are not alone.]

[The reaction is immediate. Jack's gun is in his hands and raised before he's finished whirling around.]

Who's there?

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ He waits for the motion from Jack before he drops off that acquisitioned perch, deliberately enough that missing him even in the dark should be relatively difficult. He's not really in the mood to get shot tonight, theatrics not-withstanding. ]

Guess who.

[newbvampire]

Seras was annoyed, not that that was anything too unusual. What was unusual was that she was also annoyed about being annoyed and the reason why was because of who all that annoyance was directed at. Really, of all the officers on the force he should know better than anyone than to do something like this. It was the sort of thing he was supposed to remind her about not the other way around! Also it set a bad example for the other officers.

It wouldn't be so bad she wasn't the one who'd gotten stuck with all the paperwork! She truly didn't mind helping of course, especially right now. Any that took her mind off of Yusuke going home was welcome, but he should have at least talked her first.

The end result of all of this is Jack would find a very angry young Sergeant sitting at the desk waiting for him whenever he came back to the station to handle some of his arrests. "Sir."

[out_of_time]

"Hey, Seras." Jack looked tired, but he felt better than he had for days while cooped up with administration. Rescuing kids had a way of improving one's mood. He walked into the office, dropped off his bag in a chair, bent over his computer for a moment. "Everything okay here?"

[newbvampire]

Seras took a deep breath before replying. As riled as she was before he arrived this still wasn't easy for her. "Things are under control sir, but their not okay. You took off and left all the paperwork. Things ended up a complete mess for a whole day until I managed to get some of it sorted out."

For Hans

[out_of_time]

Jack was in the air, his pulse climbing with the helicopter's altitude. Someone had just called in to take credit for hijacking the Phoenix, an experimental blimp filled with hydrogen instead of the safer, less-flammable helium most airships used these days.

The man had the craft's pilot at gunpoint and the craft headed out over the City. Worst of all, he was threatening to vent the gas over the City and mix it with sulfur to create toxic hydrogen sulfide. Jack had no idea how credible this makeshift gas bomb threat was, and he didn't want to find out. It was a job for the C.P.D.'s aerial units. Jack called Hans on the radio.

"Papa Hotel to Elbe One, do you have eyes on target?"

[the-enemy-ace.livejournal.com]

It was not the best time for such an operation. The jet was down for repairs, and he was still avoiding the 109 until he was sure it hadn't been sabotaged.

But the Fokker triplane...he knew this plane like an extension of his own body. And it was simple enough that any sabotage would be noticeable. Still, he had gotten used to the speed of later craft. And this was no time to appreciate the wind in his face.

"Elbe One to Papa Hotel, target in sight. Instructions?"

[out_of_time]

"Elbe One, we cannot destroy the craft while the pilot is hostage." Jack paused, making sure in his head that what he was about to say was really the only option. "I want you to distract the hijacker from outside while I attempt to board."

It was a beyond risky plan, considering that Jack couldn't fly. At all. But the force's flying and teleporting officers were unavailable, and Jack wasn't willing to call in superheroes for this. Accepting their help was one thing, asking them to do the police's job for them was going too far. When a hostage was at stake, Jack's instincts told him to make it his own responsibility.

"I'm going to maneuver above the envelope and then exit my craft. Just keep him from noticing until I'm in position." The chopper's advanced autopilot would take over after Jack dropped on top of the blimp. Then he'd just have to find a way inside, disarm the gunman, and rescue the hostage without causing a chemical leak. One thing at a time.