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Chapter 3: Colonel Jack O'Neill
I am not a happy camper.
Something is so not right, I can feel it right down to my bones..
I'm about as useful here as a vintage DC-9.at least it would have had more to show for two weeks of so-called work. I look at files and talk to these hotshots who think they've got the world by the tail, but would probably lose more than their breakfast just looking at a wormhole. God, I was never that young..
I talked to Carter last night, she and Teal'c are feeling about as necessary as I am while getting the royal run-a-round at the five-sided fun house. The hell of it is none of us has been able to reach Daniel. Not that it's very easy to phone home to Area 51, but I do have certain connections, not to mention the rank, to get a message through. He's never at the hotel he's supposedly checked in to. Even Maybourne isn't that much of a slave driver.
Maybourne.
Colonel Harry Maybourne would need to climb a ladder to get to the bottom of my shit list most of the time, but he did come through for us during that Foothold situation. Even so, I get a little queasy when I think of Daniel being exposed to Harry's less than tender mercies for too long a stretch. Harry's still got a slow burn going over that Tollan thing.
But what the hell..
Maybe I need to have a little colonel to colonel chat with Harry.make sure he's taking care of Daniel. I think Harry knows me well enough to realize he'd better be.
I didn't like this whole plan from the beginning, but my team was tired.bone tired and more than a little stressed. Daniel's headaches actually had me a little scared. Janet swears it's just stress and maybe some residual effects from Amaunet's attempt to fry Daniel's brain. Maybe. I just know I'm not going to feel any better until I hear Daniel's voice, then I'll know he's okay.
I have to go through three Airmen and an officious-sounding lieutenant to get to Harry, but finally I hear those clipped, nasal tones in my ear.
"Colonel O'Neill. What can I do for you?"
I just can't help myself when it comes to Harry. "Hey, Harry, dissected any good aliens today?"
I hear him sputter a bit. "What do you want, O'Neill?"
*O'Neill, hunh? It's just too damn easy to bait you, Harry.*
"I want to know why you're keeping my archaeologist so busy he can't take a damn phone call?"
The silence on the other end is just a hair too long. "I don't know what you're talking about, O'Neill. Everyone on my team works hard, but I'm no slave driver."
That little silence helps me decide a little brown-nosing might be in order. "C'mon, Harry.I just want to make sure the kid's okay. He wasn't feeling too well the last time I saw him."
Harry sighs loudly.too loudly. "Jack, I haven't seen Dr. Jackson.today. You know these scientists, they get so wrapped up in their work you hardly know they're around."
Uh hunh.
"I'm familiar with the feeling, Harry. Could you let him know I called.when you see him?" I can almost hear the smile on the other end of the line.message received.
"I'll do that, Jack."
"I owe you one, Harry." *Boy, that hurts to say.*
"I'll remember that."
He clicks off on that and I'm left wondering why I never seem to learn to listen to my gut. Carter and Teal'c are where they're supposed to be, I'm stuck here at Anderson like I'm supposed to be.Why in the hell isn't Daniel in Nevada where he's supposed to be?
Remembering Daniel's headache the day before we left, I wonder if maybe he got too sick to ship out. I dial his apartment, but the machine picks up. From the length of the tone it's obvious that Daniel hasn't picked up his messages for several days at least. Just to be on the safe side I call Daniel's neighbor, Mrs. Ellis. Mrs. Ellis is a lovely old widow who picks up Daniel's mail and feeds his fish when he's away.not to mention supplying him with actual home-cooked food on a semi-regular basis. *We're not the only ones who think the kid forgets to eat.* I try to keep my voice calm when I talk to her, but she's already upset. Seems Daniel was expected back a few days ago and didn't he seem awfully tired before he left? I agree with her, but try to make light of it, reminding her that yes, Daniel is such a sweet boy, but he does tend to get wrapped up in his work. Before I hang up, I have her laughing and making plans to fix us both a nice dinner when Daniel does get home.
This is getting seriously weird.
We were all sent off on these assignments with the understanding that they'd last the better part of a month. Okay. So why did Daniel tell Mrs. Ellis that he'd be back in less than two weeks? He'd go out of his way not to worry her. Harry hasn't seen Daniel at all. Where the hell is he?
I have one more call to make; I just hope I can catch him at home.
"H'lo?"
"Ferretti?"
I don't even have to identify myself, Ferretti's two jumps ahead of me.
"Where the hell are you man? I've been trying to reach you for days."
That sends a chill through me. "Why? Where's Daniel, Lou?"
I hear him take a deep breath, it doesn't help my state of mind.
"Jack.he's missing."
"I know he's not at Groom Lake, Ferretti. Just tell me."
Feretti gets agitated easily at the best of times, but he's nearly hyperventilating now. "No, Jack. He didn't go to Area 51, he went through the gate.and he's three days overdue."
The chill I felt earlier is quickly displaced by a heat I hardly know how to control. I manage to keep my voice steady as I ask Ferretti to slow down and give me everything from the beginning. One thing's for sure.if I have to walk, I'm heading back to Colorado.
Tonight.