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 looked worriedly at her watch. It had been over six hours since she'd left the colonel at the house and so far she'd heard nothing. Granted it would be a little difficult to find her since she wasn't a patient, but the colonel had her beeper number. ... "Shit!" She yanked the little device from her belt. "Stupid, Sam, really stupid!" In all the confusion, she'd never replaced the battery.
A soft voice interrupted her quiet self-condemnation. "How's Daniel?"
"Holy Hannah!" Sam jumped as Jack entered the room. "Sorry, sir."
Jack moved quietly toward the bed, where Daniel was sleeping as peacefully as possible with the number of wires and tubes attached. "How's Daniel?"
"Let's talk outside, sir. I don't want to wake him."
Reluctantly, the colonel followed her through the wide door, pulling it shut behind him. "How's Daniel?"
"Dehydrated, pneumonia, and some rope burns. At first the doctors were worried about a broken rib or collarbone because of a pain Daniel mentioned he had in his shoulder area. The X-rays showed nothing broken, though. Turns out that pneumonia can cause pain in that area. But he'll be okay. On his back for a while, but he'll recover."
Jack frowned. "Nothing else? Even with that picture?"
"No, sir. The doctors were most concerned when I mentioned the possibility of assault, but didn't take long to determine that nothing happened. At least..." Her voice faded away.
"At least what, Major?"
"Nothing physical happened, but what if it was suggested? Combined with what we now know about his parents, how will Daniel handle that?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, Carter. Right now, there are three main items on the agenda. One, Daniel recovers. Two, Daniel is reunited with the stuff from the vault. And three, we find the Corpse."
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry, Carter. The man who was in the limo with me from Constitution Gardens to the house. Wore a dark three piece suit. Seemed to know Parker very well. I call him the Corpse."
"Oh. Looked kinda like a corpse, sir?"
Jack started to answer in the negative, then decided that she didn't really need to know the truth, that as far as Jack was concerned, the man was dead. "Yes, Carter. He kinda looked like a corpse."
"What is the condition of Daniel Jackson?" A deep voice startled both Jack and Sam.
"Teal'c?"
"Son of a ... When'd you get here?"
"I have only just arrived, O'Neill." The Jaffa looked slightly puzzled.
"No, I meant. Never mind." Jack suddenly realized that Teal'c was holding a small crate. "What do you have there?"
"Items Major Ferretti felt should be given to Daniel Jackson as soon as possible."
"Ferretti's here?"
"Yes, O'Neill. SG-2 was assigned to secure the items from the storage vault. I was told to inform you that a warehouse has been commandeered to house the items removed, and that they are available for Daniel Jackson's review as soon as he is able. What is the condition of Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked patiently.
Jack beat Sam to the punch. "Dehydrated, pneumonia, some rope burns, but he'll be okay."
Captain Arthur Benjamin was staring at the sketch done of Colonel O'Neill's kidnapper. The colonel's memory for detail astounded the young captain as he studied the face. O'Neill had even noticed a small tattoo on the back of the businessman's left hand. He shuddered at the image of a coiled snake, ready to strike.
"Art? The image of asshole number two has been faxed. Every major police department in the in the States has the sketch."
The other captain continued to stare at the sketch on the wall. "Fax it to Interpol and any contact we have in the Middle East."
"Art, he's probably still in DC. Security's been upped at all the DC airports looking for the 'terrorist'."
Benjamin turned to face Captain Murphy. "He's not in the States, Mike."
"How can you be so sure?"
He handed Murphy a sheet of paper. "Thirty minutes after we found the last damn tunnel, a private jet took off from a private airport. Destination Barbados."
"So?"
"Once out of US airspace, the jet changed course. Destination unknown, but radar tracking put it on a course over the Atlantic."
"Art, it could have been going anywhere. England, France, anywhere."
"You really believe that?"
"Uh, no." Murphy looked glum. "What do we tell O'Neill?"
"The truth. That we lost him. I'll tell him when I return Dr. Jackson's journals."
"Want company?"
Benjamin smiled grimly. "No thanks. Why should both of us die?"
Three out of four SG-1 members sat in the elevator area glumly thumbing through out-of-date magazines.
"How long?"
"Eighteen minutes, sir."
"His fever spiked really fast, don't ya think?"
"Yes, sir."
"But that's probably common with pneumonia, don't ya think?"
"Maybe, sir."
"When did Benjamin say he'd get here?"
"It should be within the next ten minutes, Colonel."
"How long has the doctor been with Daniel?"
"Twenty minutes, sir."
"Oh. Pneumonia's not usually fatal, is it Carter?"
"I don't think so, sir."
"You don't think so?"
"Sir, why don't we wait on the doctor?"
"How long?"
"It has now been twenty-two minutes, O'Neill. Does this ritual have a meaning?"
"Ritual?" Jack glanced confused at the Jaffa.
"The ritual of asking 'how long' and receiving an unsatisfactory answer."
"Oh. Well, uh, actually it can go on for hours."
"I see." The Jaffa fell silent as he pondered O'Neill's words.
"Twenty-two minutes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Too long."
"Yes, sir."
"I'll just go check."
"Yes, do that sir."
"O'Neill, I do not believe that is wise. Nurse Adams was quite emphatic about her orders to remain here."
"Teal'c, I'm a colonel in the Air Force. Only higher ranking officers give me orders." With that, Jack leaped to his feet and strode purposely into the hall, heading for Daniel's room. A few moments later he returned, followed by an irate fifty-something woman in a crisp white uniform.
"The doctor will be with you shortly, Colonel, and has asked that you remain here. Please don't make me tell you this again." With that, she turned and stalked toward the nurses' station.
Teal'c's eyebrow peaked in confusion, and Sam barely smothered a grin as O'Neill spoke dejectedly. "Okay, make that higher ranking officers, and retired master sergeants."
As the elevator pinged, all eyes turned toward the opening door. Captain Benjamin stepped out of the car, and froze in confusion. "Colonel, Major, what? I thought you'd be with Dr. Jackson."
"His fever spiked suddenly and they sent for cooling blankets. The doctor's with him now. We're supposed to know something, soon." Sam replied quickly.
"You got him?" O'Neill kept his vision focused on the young officer.
Benjamin gulped and replied weakly. "No, sir."
"Not 'no, sir, not yet' just 'no, sir.'?"
"Yes, sir." Benjamin braced for an explosion which never came.
Jack eyed the young officer sadly. "He's left the country, hasn't he?"
"I believe so, sir."
"Damn!" Jack suddenly punched the wall nearest him. "Dammit to hell!"
"Sir, I brought Dr. Jackson's journals. But if he's too ill..."
Sam smiled sadly. "We'll kept them for him, Captain. Thank you."
"Yes, Ma'am. If there's anything else you need..."
"Thank you, Captain."
He nodded and pressed the down button on the elevator. "I'd better be getting back."
"Captain!"
Benjamin cringed as he turned to face Jack, fully expecting a tirade on the inefficiencies of the NID.
"You and your people did good work today, Captain. Very good work. The schoolchildren ploy was very original and worked well. I'll be putting in recommendations for commendations for you and your team."
The elevator pinged open as a stunned Benjamin stuttered. "Th..thank you, sir. I..we appreciate that. And sir, we'll get him. It may take a while, but..."
Jack nodded as the younger man backed into the elevator. "I'll hold you to that, Captain."
As the elevator doors closed, a stern voice came from behind them. "Colonel, the doctor will see you ..." Nurse Adams gasped loudly as the trio rushed past her, "... now."