Sunday, December 03, 2006
When Fiction Meets Reality - Pt. 6
Jack left the technicians to their job and went back to the office Kiefer had taken him to earlier, finding three neat piles of folders waiting for him.
"These," Linda explained, pointing to the first pile, "are the threats issued against Kiefer, delivered to his home address. These, are the ones issued against Kiefer, but delivered here at the studios or to the Fox offices. And those are the ones issued against the network, all delivered here and to the offices."
Jack was impressed, he never would've thought everything would've been kept so neatly.
Each letter was in a transparent plastic pouch even though these were all copies and it didn't matter whose fingerprints got on it, they still kept them safely tucked away. On each pouch, a sticker had been applied with the date of delivery and the newest were filed in the back so one could get a clear vision of how the threats evolved.
"Thank you." Jack said, taking off his jacket and hanging it over the back of the chair.
"Is there anything you need? I could get you a sandwich or something to drink."
"No that's all right, thank you."
He sat down and pulled the first pile to the centre of the table, starting with the threats Kiefer had received at his home address. That was the largest pile anyway. The smallest was the last one, threats against the network. He started reading the first letter, it was basic, not much information, the simple 'stop what you're doing or you'll be sorry' type of letter. It didn't give him much to go on. But the tone got worse. And so did the content.
Anger and rage steadily took over, dominating the final three letters which was apparently why the network had decided to get more protection for Kiefer. The threats became more specific. At first they threatened to break his face, find him and beat him up. Then they got more menacing, threatening to break every bone in his body. At a certain point they threatened to poison his dog. In a different letter they threatened to smash his studio. In the next one they threatened to steal his guitars, smash them and send him the tape of them doing so.
When their demands weren't met, they threatened to kill him. Kill his daughter. Kill his entire family.It got uglier and uglier and Jack wondered how this man was able to still function the way he was with this burden on his shoulders. It had to be driving him insane to know someone was sick enough to threaten to kill his family because of his job. And yet, he kept going. Undeterred.
Jack was going through the second pile when Kiefer walked in and sat down across from him.
"I thought you wanted to go over that together?"
"That was before I knew everything was right here. I thought you had them at home."
"I don't keep any of them at home."
"To keep your daughter from finding them?"
"No, my daughter is staying over with her mother, I made arrangements with her to keep her away until this is over."
"Is she safe there?"
"I hope so. The police are keeping a close eye on them and I've hired two men to watch over her."
"Bodyguards?"
"Sort of. They're not with her at all times like a bodyguard would be, but they keep close tabs on her."
"That's good. Would you like me to assign a team to that?"
"Could you?" Kiefer asked, gratitude and relief in his eyes and voice.
"All you have to do is give me their address and I'll send a team over."
Kiefer gave him the address and Jack called Chapelle. "Mr. Chapelle, Jack Bauer. I need a team on Mr. Sutherland's daughter around the clock. The threats include her and I'd like to make sure nothing happens to her. Mr. Sutherland hired two men to keep an eye on her already, but I think it would be safer if we got a team out there too. ...
That's right sir. ...Absolutely."
Jack gave Chapelle the address and ended the conversation.
"Will he do it?"
"He'll be sending a team straight away." Jack replied, pocketing his cellphone again.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my daughter because of my job."
"We're heading out for lunch, do you want to join us?" Kiefer asked, changing the subject.
"No, I think I'll finish going over these and I have to check on the team working in your dressing room anyhow."
"You need to eat don't you?"
"Maybe later, I'm not hungry right now."
Kiefer closed the folder Jack was looking at. "You're supposed to be my bodyguard right?" he asked, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "These will still be here when we get back and those technicians can call you if they need anything. Right now, my body needs guarding."
"Okay, let's go." Jack replied, pushing up from the chair. He knew Kiefer had just given him a reason to take a break.
They went outside and Jack noticed a few people standing by his car. His hand instinctively lowered to his gun and he angled slightly in front of Kiefer, regardless of the fact they were still inside the compound. Kiefer's hand on his shoulder stopped him from drawing his gun.
"Don't you dare shoot my director." Kiefer chuckled, "I still need him around for a while."
Just then, one of the men turned around and Jack recognized him. His hand fell away from his gun and he relaxed somewhat.
"I hope you don't mind chauffeuring," Kiefer said, "it's a lot easier to go in one car."
"And since mine is probably the only bulletproof one, ..."
"Right you are." Kiefer chuckled as he got in.
Jon and the others climbed in the back and Jack got in behind the wheel.
He stopped at the main gate to pick up his badge and he was happy to find the men a lot more alert and professional this time around. They asked for his ID and checked it against the information they had, then asked him to sign for his badge before handing it to him. He would have to have it on him at all times when on the premises and any security agent was allowed to ask him for it. Apparently Lyland had spoken to his personnel in the meantime. He thanked the guards and climbed behind the wheel again.
"Better now?" Kiefer asked, referring to Jack's rant about sloppy guards being what might get him killed.
"Much. Where are we going?"
They directed him to a diner a few blocks down and Jack parked in the small parking lot. Kiefer explained it was only for 'regulars'and they came here often enough to be allowed to use it. The place looked clean and well kept, the personnel greeted the group, confirming to Jack they came here often but he didn't let them take the table they were shown to and pointed them to another one, closer to the back, but also closer to the emergency exit. He told Kiefer to sit near the isle with his back to the entrance, one person next to him in the booth so he could slide over. Jon and the other man, Eddy, sat next to Jack who had a clear view of the whole place. He would have to get up and out of the way if either of the men needed to use the bathroom, but that was only a minor inconvenience.
They ordered lunch and Kiefer insisted Jack order something as well, even though he claimed not to be hungry.
"Our day is long from being over," Kiefer said, "I don't want you passing out on me because you didn't eat all day."
They discussed work throughout lunch and Jack listened with half an ear. From the conversation, he understood Kiefer was closely involved in the production of the show instead of simply being an actor on it. It probably meant he pulled longer hours and harder days than anybody else.
It also explained why he was the one getting threatened. Not only did he play the leading part, which already made him a likely target, but he also had a thing or two to say behind the cameras.
On the way back from lunch, Jack thought he spotted a tail and he took a winding route to check if they were being followed or not. Either those following didn't want to get spotted, or they weren't being followed after all and he steered the car back to the studios without needing to explain anything. They understood what was going on the moment they saw him check his mirrors at short interval after having deviated from his route. At their arrival at the main gate, the guards checked all five badges, much to Jack's pleasure. He parked the car where it had been, noticing the technician's vehicle still there.
The fact they hadn't called in and were still working on the room made the hair at the back of his neck stand on end. "I'm going to check on the technicians in your dressing room." he said calmly, not letting any of the tension seep into his voice.
"Okay, I'm going back to make-up and I'll be in the studio after that." Kiefer replied, getting out of the car as well.
Everybody piled into the building and while Jon, Eddy and Dave went straight into the studio, Kiefer walked along. Make-up was a few doors down from his dressing room, so he needed to be there. Jack didn't like the feeling the situation was giving him. When he came up to the make-up room, he went in first, checking the area.
"What's wrong?" Kiefer asked, sensing Jack's stress.
"I don't know. Probably nothing." Jack replied, trying to keep his tone of voice light. He left but closed the door on his way out. Kiefer knew better than to open it again. Something told him to trust Jack's instincts.
"These," Linda explained, pointing to the first pile, "are the threats issued against Kiefer, delivered to his home address. These, are the ones issued against Kiefer, but delivered here at the studios or to the Fox offices. And those are the ones issued against the network, all delivered here and to the offices."
Jack was impressed, he never would've thought everything would've been kept so neatly.
Each letter was in a transparent plastic pouch even though these were all copies and it didn't matter whose fingerprints got on it, they still kept them safely tucked away. On each pouch, a sticker had been applied with the date of delivery and the newest were filed in the back so one could get a clear vision of how the threats evolved.
"Thank you." Jack said, taking off his jacket and hanging it over the back of the chair.
"Is there anything you need? I could get you a sandwich or something to drink."
"No that's all right, thank you."
He sat down and pulled the first pile to the centre of the table, starting with the threats Kiefer had received at his home address. That was the largest pile anyway. The smallest was the last one, threats against the network. He started reading the first letter, it was basic, not much information, the simple 'stop what you're doing or you'll be sorry' type of letter. It didn't give him much to go on. But the tone got worse. And so did the content.
Anger and rage steadily took over, dominating the final three letters which was apparently why the network had decided to get more protection for Kiefer. The threats became more specific. At first they threatened to break his face, find him and beat him up. Then they got more menacing, threatening to break every bone in his body. At a certain point they threatened to poison his dog. In a different letter they threatened to smash his studio. In the next one they threatened to steal his guitars, smash them and send him the tape of them doing so.
When their demands weren't met, they threatened to kill him. Kill his daughter. Kill his entire family.It got uglier and uglier and Jack wondered how this man was able to still function the way he was with this burden on his shoulders. It had to be driving him insane to know someone was sick enough to threaten to kill his family because of his job. And yet, he kept going. Undeterred.
Jack was going through the second pile when Kiefer walked in and sat down across from him.
"I thought you wanted to go over that together?"
"That was before I knew everything was right here. I thought you had them at home."
"I don't keep any of them at home."
"To keep your daughter from finding them?"
"No, my daughter is staying over with her mother, I made arrangements with her to keep her away until this is over."
"Is she safe there?"
"I hope so. The police are keeping a close eye on them and I've hired two men to watch over her."
"Bodyguards?"
"Sort of. They're not with her at all times like a bodyguard would be, but they keep close tabs on her."
"That's good. Would you like me to assign a team to that?"
"Could you?" Kiefer asked, gratitude and relief in his eyes and voice.
"All you have to do is give me their address and I'll send a team over."
Kiefer gave him the address and Jack called Chapelle. "Mr. Chapelle, Jack Bauer. I need a team on Mr. Sutherland's daughter around the clock. The threats include her and I'd like to make sure nothing happens to her. Mr. Sutherland hired two men to keep an eye on her already, but I think it would be safer if we got a team out there too. ...
That's right sir. ...Absolutely."
Jack gave Chapelle the address and ended the conversation.
"Will he do it?"
"He'll be sending a team straight away." Jack replied, pocketing his cellphone again.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my daughter because of my job."
"We're heading out for lunch, do you want to join us?" Kiefer asked, changing the subject.
"No, I think I'll finish going over these and I have to check on the team working in your dressing room anyhow."
"You need to eat don't you?"
"Maybe later, I'm not hungry right now."
Kiefer closed the folder Jack was looking at. "You're supposed to be my bodyguard right?" he asked, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "These will still be here when we get back and those technicians can call you if they need anything. Right now, my body needs guarding."
"Okay, let's go." Jack replied, pushing up from the chair. He knew Kiefer had just given him a reason to take a break.
They went outside and Jack noticed a few people standing by his car. His hand instinctively lowered to his gun and he angled slightly in front of Kiefer, regardless of the fact they were still inside the compound. Kiefer's hand on his shoulder stopped him from drawing his gun.
"Don't you dare shoot my director." Kiefer chuckled, "I still need him around for a while."
Just then, one of the men turned around and Jack recognized him. His hand fell away from his gun and he relaxed somewhat.
"I hope you don't mind chauffeuring," Kiefer said, "it's a lot easier to go in one car."
"And since mine is probably the only bulletproof one, ..."
"Right you are." Kiefer chuckled as he got in.
Jon and the others climbed in the back and Jack got in behind the wheel.
He stopped at the main gate to pick up his badge and he was happy to find the men a lot more alert and professional this time around. They asked for his ID and checked it against the information they had, then asked him to sign for his badge before handing it to him. He would have to have it on him at all times when on the premises and any security agent was allowed to ask him for it. Apparently Lyland had spoken to his personnel in the meantime. He thanked the guards and climbed behind the wheel again.
"Better now?" Kiefer asked, referring to Jack's rant about sloppy guards being what might get him killed.
"Much. Where are we going?"
They directed him to a diner a few blocks down and Jack parked in the small parking lot. Kiefer explained it was only for 'regulars'and they came here often enough to be allowed to use it. The place looked clean and well kept, the personnel greeted the group, confirming to Jack they came here often but he didn't let them take the table they were shown to and pointed them to another one, closer to the back, but also closer to the emergency exit. He told Kiefer to sit near the isle with his back to the entrance, one person next to him in the booth so he could slide over. Jon and the other man, Eddy, sat next to Jack who had a clear view of the whole place. He would have to get up and out of the way if either of the men needed to use the bathroom, but that was only a minor inconvenience.
They ordered lunch and Kiefer insisted Jack order something as well, even though he claimed not to be hungry.
"Our day is long from being over," Kiefer said, "I don't want you passing out on me because you didn't eat all day."
They discussed work throughout lunch and Jack listened with half an ear. From the conversation, he understood Kiefer was closely involved in the production of the show instead of simply being an actor on it. It probably meant he pulled longer hours and harder days than anybody else.
It also explained why he was the one getting threatened. Not only did he play the leading part, which already made him a likely target, but he also had a thing or two to say behind the cameras.
On the way back from lunch, Jack thought he spotted a tail and he took a winding route to check if they were being followed or not. Either those following didn't want to get spotted, or they weren't being followed after all and he steered the car back to the studios without needing to explain anything. They understood what was going on the moment they saw him check his mirrors at short interval after having deviated from his route. At their arrival at the main gate, the guards checked all five badges, much to Jack's pleasure. He parked the car where it had been, noticing the technician's vehicle still there.
The fact they hadn't called in and were still working on the room made the hair at the back of his neck stand on end. "I'm going to check on the technicians in your dressing room." he said calmly, not letting any of the tension seep into his voice.
"Okay, I'm going back to make-up and I'll be in the studio after that." Kiefer replied, getting out of the car as well.
Everybody piled into the building and while Jon, Eddy and Dave went straight into the studio, Kiefer walked along. Make-up was a few doors down from his dressing room, so he needed to be there. Jack didn't like the feeling the situation was giving him. When he came up to the make-up room, he went in first, checking the area.
"What's wrong?" Kiefer asked, sensing Jack's stress.
"I don't know. Probably nothing." Jack replied, trying to keep his tone of voice light. He left but closed the door on his way out. Kiefer knew better than to open it again. Something told him to trust Jack's instincts.
Digg this | 
de.licio.us 
Fark it
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home