Chapter 1

It was a sweltering day in Washington DC. Jack wondered who was the genius who decided to build the nation's capital on a malarial swamp. He had set the AC so the house would be delightfully cool at his return tonight; he fondly hoped he would have some company. He had been incredibly busy at this post, incredibly bored but not a minute to himself, just enough time to be lonely.

In those few minutes it took for him to exit his townhouse and enter the frigid sleek black limo he could feel his starched collar wilt and uniform stick to his body. Actually it was a new uniform with all the brass polished and the ribbons neatly arranged. Today he dressed to impress; they wouldn't let him carry his P90 so ribbons and stars had to do the trick. It really was kind of silly, the woman he was trying to impress knew him all to well. Maybe that's why he was a little nervous. Now the sweat was turning to ice crystals.

"We have to make a bit of a detour, Sir." the chauffeur said as he slid into the drivers seat. "I was instructed to pick up a CIA agent, Ms Kerry Johnson, who is to brief you on the way to your meetings this morning. If that's alright with you, Sir?"

"It's fine."

Jack hadn't seen her in over six months, not since he had left the SGC. Sure he had read reports from the CIA liaison but she had walked out of his office that afternoon after giving him some sage advice and he never saw her again socially.

He remember Kerry getting in the car, she was a very attractive young woman, lovely smile. He had been fiddling with the folder with the mornings agenda. She immediately got down to business and asked the driver to raise the privacy window. Then after that things were a bit of a blur. She said something about an infiltration by Ba'al's operatives here on Earth, then the window and door locks retracted, the privacy partition lowered and shot rang out while the limo careened into oncoming traffic or was it a construction site.

God Almighty, he wished he could move his arm to loosen his damned tie. His head was throbbing and he hurt in more places than he could count. He remembered pushing Kerry down when he saw the truck; she must be wedged underneath him. If he could barely breathe, she must be crushed. Jack tried to push up with his back but couldn't budge the roof of the limo. He hadn't been this close to a woman in months and certainly didn't it want to be like this, no, not like this.

He thought 'I don't want to die like this. I thought today things might change. Today we might have a chance.'

His mind seemed to drift to the last time he was close to a woman, a very special woman, Carter. He was going to see her today. He knew she was presenting at a few of the meeting at the conference, all of which he planned to attend. Three days of meetings on the latest technological advances, oh shoot me now. No, no that's what just happened. Carter, he needed to see her. He didn't care if his brain oozed out of his ears listening to all that techno-babble as long as he could see her. He wished he had had the balls to fly out to Area 51 and see her but...

When the fishing trip was over and it was time for the four of them to go their separate way he had held her in his arms. He remembered soft the feel of her cheek under his fingers, the feel of her body so close to him. So close but they hadn't quite 'sealed the deal' as it were. He told her when ever she was ready he would be there for her. She had smiled that deadly smile, the one that made him forget to breathe. But she hadn't call or wrote or dropped him an e-mail but then again neither had he. It was an awkward thing to do. What do you say "Hi. How are you? And by the way I'm ready. Are you?"

He felt the sweat running down his spine and dripping from his temples; he hoped it was just sweat. He was bent like a pretzel and couldn't move. At least one of the windows of the limo was broken he could feel glass shards in his hair and between his collar and neck. He was sure if all the windows were intact they would die from the heat alone. He could hear the muffled sounds of people around the accident, sirens in the background and a soft moan. He wasn't sure if it was from the driver or Agent Johnson or himself.

Jack's mind slipped away from the pain back to more pleasant things. He was planning on asking Carter to dinner. He knew she would probably make shy excuses but with a little prodding she would acquiesce, give him that brilliant smile and he would know.

Oh Christ, the driver, it was the driver. He shot Kerry in the chest and turned the revolver on me. I've got to get to Carter. They'll go after her too. She'll know they're here. She can tell; she can feel them.

He drifted in and out of consciousness.

A moment later or was it hours he could hear shouts of command and the god awful sound of metal being ripped apart. The firemen using the Jaws of Life opened up the limo like a tin can to let the sun bake down on him directly. But the fresh air dispelled the smell of blood and spilt fuel and sweat.

He felt the fingers at his throat. "This one's got a pulse."

"The driver's toast."

"Christ, there's a woman under him. They both look bad. Call the EMT for the best way to extract them. Oh and put a call into the Air Force – it's one of their generals."