Week 2Sunday. 3:00 A.M.Jack Bauer, imprisoned in the Glendale City Jail, tosses in the upper bunk, mutters what sounds like "chicken, watch out for the chicken" then bolts upright. "Jack?" his cellmate Vincent calls out. "You OK brother? It's been a week man, the feel for the hard stuff ought to be outta you."
"No, it's not that. I saw something last night that troubles me."
"You still ragging on that man-in-the-chicken-suit jazz? Give it up brother. Ain't nothing you can do about it here. And the warden, he thought you'd lost your mind, he was ready to put you in the padded room."
"Fuck the warden."
"Amen to that. But watch out, he likes to be on top."
"I'm telling you Vincent, that chicken suit is bad news. I've got to get out of here. Now!"
"Don't we all, Jack, don't we all."
Sunday. 14:00 PM. "Yeah", Tony Almeda picks up the phone at this desk in CTU headquarters.
"Tony, shhh!it's me," he hears Nina on the other end. "Listen, I've got news from Jack."
"Jack? How? No one from CTY is supposed to talk to him."
"I didn't. Jeff Green, he got picked up last night near Malibu for being an ass, spent the night in the drunk tank, then got transferred to Glendale, before his Larry David kicked him free this morning."
"Green? the writer? the fat-fuck?"
"Yeah that's him. Apparently, when he's been drinking he's not so funny. And since the strike started that's all he's done. Last night, he and Nikki Finke got a little carried away at BooRah, Malibu's latest buzz restaurant. Apparently they were having a little too much fun at Brad Grey's expense who was across the room."
"What's this got to do with Jack?"
While Green was at Glendale, he overheard the desk sargeant going on and on about a stink that Jack was raising the night before; said Jack almost got committed he was acting so crazy."
"What about?"
"Apparently it had something to do with a man in a chicken suit."
Monday. 10:00 AM.David Pouffe, aid to Senator Barack Obama, bangs on the door of the charter bus. The door opens, he steps inside, greets a few members of the volunteer staff, motions to Obama who listening to his iPod.
"
"Listen, Barack, we got word that the man-in-the-chicken-suit may be showing up at some more events later today."
"No, we're cool. I talked to HRC. It's an old joke between us. A dude in beaver coat and raccoon hat will be filming her today."
"Problem is, this FogHorn Leghorn wasn't Hillary's joke. The man she hired was found this morning at the Hampton Inn just off I-29 near Des Moines. He was hanging from shower rod, still in costume, his entrails going down the drain. This dude that greeted you, we're not real sure who he is, but we think he's dangerous."
"What's his beef?"
"He knows you don't eat chicken."
"I always knew Colonel Sanders was a racist."
Monday. 10:00 AM.A car pulls into the Sonic in Dubuque, Iowa. Inside is a woman named Bridgit. She orders a Breakfast Toaster sandwich and a large coffee. Then asks if they have whole wheat bread and turbinado sugar. When her order comes she pays with a $20 dollar bill, says "Merry Christmas! Keep the change." to the young carhop, then rolls up the window. Her cells phone rings.
"You got it?"
Bridget opens the Sonic bag and looks inside. "Got it."
Tuesday. 11:00 A.M.Hillary Clinton, wearing a green pantsuit stands on a makeshift stage constructed of hay bales and some old John Deere signs. There are combines parked strategically to her left and right and in the cabin of one sits a Secret Service agent and in the other, Tony Almeda. They are furtively scanning the crowd. It's a brisk fall day, perfect for football, so even though the man they are looking for stands out amid the Carharts and seed caps, most in the crowd don't bother to look his way. However, pay give much thought although one farmer nudges his wife when the man in the raccoon coat and coonskin hat brushes past them and says, "Look Merle, I bet that's one of those Times writers".
Tuesday. 11:02 P.M.Tony Almeda says into his lapel. "Nina, he's behind you, 5-O'clock."
Nina turns and moves toward the man. He's approaching the stage both hands in his pockets. Nina abruptly slams into the side of him, knocking him to the ground. She falls on top of him. She pulls the man to his feet by the lapels holding them so he can't raise his arms. "I'm so sorry. Clumsy me." she says to the perplexed onlookers. To the man she whispers, "See those guys in the combines. One wrong move and they'll blow your fucking brains out. Now turn around and come with me."
The man opens his coat and tries to put his hand inside. Nina grabs his wrist, there is audible 'crack', the man winches but does not cry out.
Wednesday. 3:06 A.M.Tony Almeda walks out of the interrogation room, sweat runs down his forehead. CTU Director George Mason confronts him, "anything?"
"Nothing yet."
"Keep it up. We've got to get something, and soon. Obama is scheduled to make another appearance in a few hours."
Wednesday, 10:45 A.M.Mason looks over Nina's shoulder as she works on a computer, "what have you got on this guy we picked up yesterday?"
"Jason Park, former envoy to South Korea under the Carter Administration. Hasn't worked in politics since. Spent some time on K-street aftwards...pharmacueticals...tobacco industry...farm lobby, usual stuff. Grew up on a cattle ranch near Omaha. Disappeared for a few years in the early 90's though. That's all we got on him for now."
"Keep working. We've got to get something from him."
Wednesday, 5:15 P.M.Jack Bauer, sits in the canteen with his cellmate Vincent, they are eating dinner. An greasy Mexican, tattoos covering his neck, walks behind them. Jack pushes back from the table, knocking the man, causing him to spill the contents of his tray.
"You're going to lick those eggs off my boots Pussy, and then you're going to bring me your food. I like 2 sugars in my coffee." He smiles at Jack.
"I'm sorry," Jack says, turns away briefly then wheels and clocks the man.
A huge melee ensues. Guards quickly surround them, pull them apart, restrain them, the drag Jack away. "You're a dead man, Bauer!" the Mexican spits at him. Jack stares back.
Wednesday, 6:45 P.M.The door opens on a solitary cell. Jack Bauer, bruised and bleeding is drug into cell and dumped. He slowly opens his eyes, then reaches into his waistband and removes a cellphone.
Wednesday, 7:15 P.M.Nina's cell phone rings.
"Nina, it's Jack."
"OH My God! Jack!"
Thursday, 9:45 A.M.Nina, Tony, and Director Mason are looking through a see-through window onto an interrogation room. Inside a man, wearing a coonskin cap and raccoon coat is slumped over the desk.
Thursday, 10:00 A.M.Mason looks at Tony. "Are you sure about this? Is this legal?"
"Doesn't matter." Almeda replies, "The future of the Presidency may hang in the balance."
"This man is the key." Nina says to them both. "You have to do it. That's what Jack said."
Thursday, 11:00 A.M.The Obama entourage pulls into the parking lot of the Centerville High School. David Pouffe looks over at Obama. "You sure about this? We could cancel. Say you've got the flu."
Obama looks up from the latest issue of Maxim, "what, and have people say I'm black, AND a pussy? No way. I'm in this till the end."
A high school band begins to play, America the Beautiful, the bus doors open, and Obama smiling broadly steps into the crowd.
Thursday, 11:10 A.M.Eddie Salazaar stands beside his car on a gravel road, hood up, steam pouring from beneath the hood, talking into a cell phone. An elderly, farm couple driving a pick-up truck pulls up along side him asks if he needs help. The man goes into a long story, he's in town covering the primaries, has to be Centerville at 11 cover this event, he's already late, got lost, then his car overheats. Of all the luck. The couple says, "we're headed that way, we could give you a lift."
"Really? Folks in Iowa are so kind. Just let me get my camera gear." The man pops the trunk and pulls a heavy duffle bag and sets it on the ground. The farmer, steps from the truck, "here let me help you" and he moves toward the bag.
As the farmer approaches, Eddie Salazaar pulls a 45 with a silencer and shots the man in the forehead, then opens the passenger door and pulls the man's wife out. She screams at the sight of her husband laying face down, blood seeping into the gravel. "I'm not going to hurt you." Eddie says.
Eddie walks her to the shoulder. "Turn around. Get down on knees!" he shoves her toward the ditch.
She sobs, "don't shoot me. What do you want from us?"
The truck pulls away revealing two prone bodies.
Friday, 7:00 A.M.A man is strapped to board, his hands and feet bound, his face covered with a cloth. The table is slanted so the man's feet are above his head. The tail of a coonskin cap can be seen trailing off the table. Water is dripping from the end of the tail. The man is gasping is air.
Tony Almeda emerges from the room. CTU Director Mason confronts him. "Well? Did he talk?"
"Yeah, he talked. After he shat himself."
Saturday 5:00 P.M.A slot opens in the center of Jack Bauer's cell door. He slides his uneaten food back to the guard. "You gotta eat something" the guard says.
"Not hungry." Jack grunts. When the slot closes, Jack slides down into a fetal position, begins to sob. Then he takes out his cell phone, punches in some numbers. A woman answers.
"Kim?"
"Dad? is that you? Where are you?"
"Merry Christmas, baby, I love you."
see also:m.o.i.: 48 days, week 1m.o.i.: Damn it! I just can't do this anymore.
And then I remembered. I'd forgotten to participate in the free Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast from 6-10 am. Life if full of choices and sometimes we just can't get to them all, even if they are for everyone.
