24: Suspicion (Book One)

11:00am-12:00pm

When I woke up this morning, I thought it was just going to be a normal day. Get up, get ready, drive to CTU, do my work, then go home, sleep, and repeat. But today was no normal day. Today would be the day that I go out to the field first time. Side by side with my dad. But of course, I didn't know that.

11:03:29 

I wake up and I feel like I've been sleeping for hours. Turns out I was only sleeping for three minutes. And I wasn't even sleeping. I was just given some heavy pain killers. I notice I'm wearing a hospital gown and my leg is propped up on a pillow.

When Dr. Masser sees that I have woken up, she comes in. "Infection started in your leg. We will have to operate to extract it from your system."

"What?" I say. "No. I don't have time to be operated on. I need to get back to work."

"Agent Bauer," she says. "I'm sorry, but we have to get rid of the infection before it gets worse. If it gets worse, it can cause you to become very ill, and then, possibly end in death. We will need to begin operating now."

"Is Gonzalez out of surgery?" I ask.

She nods. Just then, Tony walks into the room. "Doctor, I need a moment alone with her."

Dr. Masser looks from me to Tony, then back to me. "Fine, but don't take too long. If she wants to get back to work today, we will have to start operating very soon." She leaves the room.

Tony walks over so he's standing right next to the hospital bed. "Operation? Why?"

"There's an infection in my leg. It doesn't matter. What's up?"

"What should I do with your dad?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"He has to get back out there, or else he's going to raise suspicion with the rest of Gonzalez's men. If you go into surgery, it's going to be a long time until he's able to get back out there."

I think about it for a moment. "He can go. But make sure it's at least five minutes after I'm sedated and in the operation room. They're going to sedate me in here, and then they'll take me into the operating room. Understood?"

He nods. "Understood."

"And make sure he knows that I'm director of CTU, and when I wake up, he will have to obey my orders. If he does not comply, he will be taken in by CTU operatives and he will stay in custody until I say. While I'm being operated on, you are acting director. Got it?" He nods. "Good. Now go."

He leaves the room, and the doctor comes back in. "We're going to give you the anesthesia, and it will take a few minutes to go into effect."

I nod. She injects something into the IV, and I feel my entire body relax. I look out through the door and I see my dad coming toward me. He walks into the room. "Kim, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a little infection. It's nothing." I say.

My dad grabs my hand and holds it. I hold his hand too, although it takes up a lot of strength. "I'm sorry." He whispers just loud enough for me to hear.

"I forgive you." I stumble over my words as I'm pulled under by the firm grasp of the anesthesia.

11:11:54 (Jack's POV)

I watch as Kim slowly closes her eyes, going into a peaceful sleep. What was it that she said before she fell asleep? She forgives me. But why don't I forgive myself? If she forgives me, I should be able to forgive myself. But I can't. I let her be brought in by Jose's men just for the sake of the mission.