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).
Sam was unusually quiet as she pulled into entrance circle of their hotel, but Jack was so lost in his own thoughts that he failed to notice her reticence. 'That son-of-a-bitch wants Daniel to lead him to the tomb, wherever the hell that might be. Shit, Jack, stupid, real stupid. Egypt. Where else would it be? All the pyramids are in that country. Well, all the Egyptian py... God, don't be anal, Jack. ... Country? Daniel. Parker could already have taken Daniel out of the country.'
The major trailed slightly behind her CO as they headed for their suite. He inserted his key card in the door, then cursed as he fumbled with the handle. "Not again!"
"Try it again, but pull the card out faster, sir. These damn things can be quite annoying at times."
Fuming silently, O'Neill did as she suggested, and was not surprised her directions worked. 'Much smarter than me.' Jack vented some of his pent up rage on the defenseless door as he kicked it all the way open and stormed into the room. A sharp crack behind him caused danger-honed senses to come alive, placing him in a defensive posture as he turned to see what had happened. To his surprise, the knob on the inside of the door was stuck in the wall and his second-in-command stood in the doorway, staring, bemused, at the damage. "Carter?"
Her face glowed beet-red as she looked at the stunned colonel. "I, uh, was hoping it would help, sir. It, uh, seems to work for you."
"Ya think?" He grinned broadly as she suddenly became absorbed in watching her shoes. Images of Daniel, alone, frightened and in great pain, buried his grin. "Wanta talk about it?"
"I'm sorry, sir. I know you're worried, but--"
"I don't have a patent on worry, Carter. It's okay that you're worried about him."
She yanked the door loose from the wall, and shrugged as she pushed it closed. "It's more than that, sir. I just keep thinking, what if they're torturing him right now. They could have broken his hands by now, sir, and..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You've been reading too many adventure novels, Carter. They want a map. His hands are probably the only part of him that's safe."
"Why don't I find that comforting, sir?"
He motioned her toward the sofa. "It wasn't meant to be, Carter. It's a statement of fact. Daniel's in trouble, and so far we haven't found anything that will help him."
Sam groaned softly as she sank into the sofa's cushions. "What if they took him out of the country?"
The phone rang as he searched for an answer. "O'Neill! ... Where? Carter, get me a map of the area." His fingers beat an impatient tune as he searched for a pencil in the desk drawer. Finding a barely usable stub with no eraser, he turned to inquire about the map just as it was plopped, unfolded, onto the desk. "Go ahead. ... Right. ... Got it!" Hanging up, he whirled to face Carter, a smile engulfing his face. "The highway patrol found the van."
Sam grabbed her small purse from the couch and fumbled for the keys as she headed for the door. "Where?"
"Virginia. Less than two hours drive from here."
"Wakey, wakey."
Daniel's head rocked with the not-so-mild slaps of his tormentors. "Wh..?" Heavy eyelids, refusing at first to cooperate, finally consenting to shift just a bit at the urging of a pain-driven brain. "I'm 'wake."
The slurred words were apparently not enough for the guards. Daniel gasped, then choked and coughed as a blast of cold water hit his face. "S..stop!"
"Don't think he likes it."
"Too bad." The smaller man knelt and unlatched the handcuffs from both wrists. Daniel barely suppressed a gasp of pain as his hands unexpectedly slammed into the floor. He slowly moved his arms forward, gingerly rolling his shoulders to relieve the shooting pains in his back. Strong hands grasped his biceps and jerked him to his feet. "The colonel wants to see you. Downstairs."
Daniel really hoped relief wasn't evident. With luck, those poker games with Jack had paid off.
"But he's wet."
'Well, duh...' Daniel rolled his eyes as he realized he'd been hanging out with Jack much too much.
"Well, duh. We just tossed water on him, you twit."
"I know that, but the rug in the study is really old. I don't think the colonel will want it to get wet. And he's dripping."
"Strip him?"
"Works for me."
A violent sneezing fit robbed Daniel of his speech as the larger of the guards twisted his hands behind his back. Simultaneously, the other man tore away the wet T-shirt with his bare hands. The black material fell in a soggy heap around his feet. Daniel cringed inwardly as he felt his sodden leather belt being tugged through its loops. A large knife was cold as ice against his skin as it slid effortlessly down the seams of his jeans. Soon, they too were in shreds around his ankles. His briefs followed quickly, leaving the young man shivering among the remnants of his clothing.
A not-so-gentle hand in the small of Daniel's back, urged him through the door, and back into the bedroom. The young prisoner protested irritably. "There's no need to shove."
Sam grinned in spite of herself as traffic slowed in response to the flashing lights ahead of them. The refrigerated van was definitely well-guarded.
"Something funny, Major?"
"Human nature, sir. Flashing lights ahead, and suddenly everyone's going the speed limit." She frowned as she glanced at the speedometer. "Or less."
"Go around."
"Sir, traffic's too heavy to pass on the left."
"Not on the right, it's not."
"Drive on the shoulder? But, but I'll get a ticket."
Jack simply looked at her.
Grumbling under her breath, she braked slightly to give her room to maneuver, then eased the large car onto the shoulder of the road. As she feared, they were soon stopped by a state trooper standing in front of them already writing on a pad. 'Great, just great.'
"Easy, Major. I'll handle this." Jack's no nonsense voice told Sam he had a plan.
"Ma'am, uh, Major, I'm sure you have a very good reason--"
"Excuse me, Officer, I hate to interrupt the standard ticket routine, but I'm Colonel O'Neill. Detective Carroll is expecting us."
"Oh, yes sir, Colonel. Keep on going on the shoulder, I'll let them know you're here."
The trooper hurried away as Sam turned to look at the colonel. She shook her head as she depressed the gas pedal. "Sweet."