DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions.  This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it.  Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended.  Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.  Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).

Part Three: by PHO

Humphrey Bogart was annoying the hell out of Jack O'Neill. 'African Queen' he could've handled, but 'Casablanca'? GAD! What kind of idiot would let a woman like Ingrid Bergman disappear into the night, probably forever? The thought 'you let Sara go' raced unbidden and unwelcome through his mind. 'Don't go there, O'Neill!' At least Carter was having a good time. And Teal'c, well, it was kinda hard to tell, but the Jaffa appeared to also be taking an interest in the movie. Although, Jack suspected, he'd probably enjoy it more if the Major would stop 'explaining' things. The ringing phone pulled him out of his thoughts and he grabbed at the opportunity to escape the movie by rushing to his kitchen to answer it.

"I do not understand, Major Carter. Why must the woman leave? And the flying machine she leaves in, it does not appear to be safe."

Sam struggled to control her laughter. "Well, Teal'c that particular plane was state of the art back then, safe or not. As to her ... Colonel?"

Jack O'Neill clicked off the VCR and the television set with brutal force. "We're wanted back at the base. ... Now."

Sam and Teal'c rose quickly, concerned by the Colonel's mood. "Sir, what's happened?"

"He lost him. The son-of-a-bitch, God dammit, lost him."

Sam exchanged a confused look with Teal'c. "Sir, I, uh..."

"Daniel, Carter, Daniel. The ... the Marines couldn't keep up with one damn civilian archaeologist. Shit!"

'What the he... My head really hurts. What was that light?' The thoughts fell through Daniel's subconscious as he forced his eyes open. A pair of grayish-green eyes, too close together for the broad face they were in, stared down at him. "Hello, Dr. Daniel Jackson."

Long eyelashes blinked rapidly over blue eyes, as Daniel tried to think of something intelligent to say. He settled for a confused, "Hello. What happened?"

Thick red lips parted in uproarious laughter, obviously finding the simple wording amusing. "Wonderful. I admire your sense of humor, Dr. Jackson."

Not really seeing anything funny in his greeting, Daniel commented. "If you wouldn't mind sharing the joke?"

"Oh, it just strikes me as amusing that your first question is 'what happened' not 'where am I'."

"Would it make it less amusing if I said that was going to be my second question?"

The laughter only deepened. "Nope, actually, it was a bit of luck on my part that we're even meeting."

"Oh, good. Who are you?"

"Cantor Boch."

"Any relation to..."

"Aris Boch? Oh yeah, Dr. Jackson. Second cousin, once removed."

"Oh. Is he..."

"Alive? Yeah, I suppose so. Don't hear much about him since he screwed Sokar. Course with Sokar dead, he's pretty much in the clear."

"That's good. He's a good man at heart."

Cantor grinned broadly. "Yeah, generosity's always been one of his failings. You won't find it here." The grin turned from friendly to predatory in a matter of seconds.

Daniel gulped and for the first time noticed that he was on a bed, surrounded by metal walls. "Uh, where are we?"

"Well, I might as well answer your questions. I stunned you, and you're on my ship."

"Uh, Why? Where are we going?" Daniel's heart was doing somersaults in his chest as he spoke.

"Well, my destination is none of your business, and yours is out of your hands. As to why, well someone out there is willing to pay big bucks, I believe I have the idiom correct, for you."

Daniel gulped. "Special. Who?"

"Don't know, don't care. Now, relax, and enjoy the trip." Cantor patted Daniel's cheek roughly and left the room, locking it securely behind him.

Jack had fumed all the way back to the SGC. Sam and Teal'c had tightened their seat belts, and gripped the handholds in the jeep with renewed fervor as the irate Colonel drove up the mountain. Upon their arrival at the SGC, O'Neill's orders had been succinct. "Carter, Teal'c, find out what the search parties know." He left them standing concerned, as he marched off towards, Carter feared, General Hammond's office.

The knock on the door had not quite been answered when Jack stormed into General Hammond's office. The irate Air Force Colonel failed to acknowledge the General's presence as he forced the unfortunate Marine Colonel backward into a wall. "You sorry son-of-a-bitch. You lost him? How can you lose a 160 lb, 6 foot tall geek?"

Hammond decided to ignore the breach of protocol and simply watch the situation. Aware of O'Neill's overprotective tendencies toward the young scientist, the General knew that O'Neill would need to blow off steam, and he'd rather that happen here, in an environment where he had, he hoped, some modicum of control.

Makepeace pushed a single finger into Jack's chest. "I know where I left him, and he wasn't there when I got back."

"You left him alone? After our little chat about wandering archaeologists, you left him alone, unsupervised, unprotected."

"We'd already determined the area was secure. No sign of habitation, per Dr. Jackson, for at least two thousand years."

"Don't you research anything? Pyramids have booby-traps, hidden doorways, thin..."

"That Dr. Jackson is well aware of. He is the one with the degrees." Jack slammed the man back into the wall. "You were supposed to be taking care of him."

"We were taking care of him."

"Then what the hell were you doing leaving him, God dammit, alone?" Jack's voice revealed all the fury he felt.

"I WAS GETTING HIM HIS GOD DAMN DINNER!" Makepeace roared back.

The wind was suddenly sucked from Jack's sails. "D..Dinner?"

"YES! Your precious little geek wouldn't leave his rocks..."

"Artifacts." Jack replied, functioning now on auto-pilot.

"WHATEVER, long enough to come eat, so I went to get him food. When I got back, he was gone. Missing, without a trace, not even a footprint in the sand. ... I'm really sorry, Jack."

Jack rubbed nervous hands through his short hair, then sighed heavily. "No, I'm sorry, Robert. I should have known you wouldn't be careless."

"If you gentlemen are quite finished?" Hammond was struggling to keep his own annoyance in check.

Two wide-eyed Colonels suddenly remembered the presence of the ranking officer, in his own office. Turning to face him, both men came to attention. Twin voices responded. "Yes, sir. Quite, sir. Sorry, sir."

Hammond glared at the two men. "Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely, do not ever, for any reason, repeat this performance. And be grateful that I was the only witness. Have I made myself clear?"

Two voices again spoke as one. "YES, SIR!"

"Fine. Then you will forget about this little episode, and continue with your search for Dr. Jackson. But bear this in mind, Colonels, I will not forget this scene. Do not give me a reason to take disciplinary action. Dismissed."

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