Ya one in a million cause you got that shotgun shine

[out_of_time]

WHO: Jack Bauer and OPEN
WHERE: NoHOPE
WHEN: Visiting hours, Saturday 10th through the week.
WARNINGS: Should be none.
SUMMARY: Jack has been incarcerated in the Import asylum after being apprehended by Wonder Woman. Visiting hours are open.
FORMAT: Whatever works.

Suicidal tendencies. Violent behaviour. Paranoid traits. Anger issues. Possible PTSD.

Jack had been caught again, but this time he wasn't going back to the Superjail as a convict. This time, it had been decided that he was sick, that he needed help. He was a psychiatric patient now. They were going to treat him.

Despite not having superpowers to speak of, Jack was kept under careful and delicate watch in his room. They had his file, they knew what he was capable of. Even his plastic utensils were scrutinized and accounted for after every meal. After Harvey Dent's suicide, even his clothing was treated with suspicion, in case his shirt became a makeshift noose or garrote. His room was locked, his window was bulletproof glass, and everything, everywhere was so damn white.

He cooperated with them, within reason. As far as he was concerned he wasn't sick- his behaviour in Venezuela had been the result of Vulcanus' damn virus. But these people were just doing their jobs, and he understood. He answered their questions. They talked a lot about his past, about his career, his experiences. He didn't let them get too close though. His family was off-limits, especially his wife.

He was anxious throughout though, tense, on-edge, and it was hard to hide. Always watching, looking for openings or threats. As far as Jack was concerned, he was running out of time. His capture and institutionalization couldn't have been kept secret, not for someone with as many warrants as Jack had. Soon the world would know that Jack Bauer was captive in NoHOPE. And there would be those who weren't content to leave him that way. Sooner or later, they would come.

The hospital had at least one advantage over Superjail, from Jack's perspective. It would be a little easier to escape.

Comments

[wild_roar]

Behind the mask, Kotetsu's brown eyes widened. He'd seen the world's largest city almost end for one person's sick thrill...but the whole world? Much bigger. Much worse.

"So where do you feel like you stand?" he wondered. "Still got further to fall?"

[out_of_time]

Jack looked away. "I've done things I have trouble justifying," he admitted. "I won't say I don't have any regrets. But I've never released a bioweapon, never tried to nuke innocent people. And if I ever do, I hope someone else is willing and able to put me down."

[wild_roar]

"Well...all things considered, I guess that's not so bad," Kotetsu mused, scratching under the edge of his cap. "Still, I can't help but feel a little bad for the circumstances, you know? Kind of a, 'there but for the grace' thing, or something."

He shrugged it off easily. "Don't mind me, I was just curious and wanted to know more. After the thing with the hostages, I was pretty surprised that you helped me out, and were gonna risk your life for me even though I was all powered up and everything. A villain doesn't do stuff like that."

[out_of_time]

"Don't be so sure about that," Jack said, because he just had to ruin good feelings. "There are plenty of people on the other side who would have treated that as an opportunity to gain your trust. I've had to deal with a lot of threats that do harm by looking good." Like Vulcanus itself.

He paused, tried to pick the thread of the talk back up. "But I'm glad you understand, at least."

[wild_roar]

Kotetsu's expression fell a little. "Oh. Well, yeah, I sort of do. At least now that I've heard your side of it. So - thanks, for what it's worth." He folded his arms over his chest. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still one of those big damn heroes, looking out for justice and all that. You seem like a decent guy, the kind I'd rather fight alongside than against, so I hope you don't put me in that position again." He snuck one finger up from beneath his arm to wag. "Next time we probably won't be interrupted by the phantom of my partner."

[out_of_time]

Jack grimaced again. "Well, considering how long I'm probably going to be here, I don't think you'll be in that position for quite a while."

[wild_roar]

"...yeah. Probably not." Kotetsu gave him a helpless sort of smile. "Hell of a raw deal, especially if you don't need to be here. But, hey." He tossed up a hand. "If you can still chat with people on the network, at least there's folks to keep you company. Give me a call sometime."

He could justify it to himself as rehabilitation. Yeah. He wasn't befriending a criminal, he was helping a guy who had fallen on hard times pick himself back up. Yeah, that was it. That was just and right.