TITLE: If Lines Must Be Crossed
AUTHOR: Lara aka Lara_SGC
RATING: R-rated for a lot of swearing and bloody scenes
CONTENT WARNINGS: Swearing so be warned.
PAIRING: Sam/Jack and other/other
SUMMARY: Sam and Jack must team up with a group of merchants to save their lives as survival brings them closer together.
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp, Double Secret Productions and Showtime. I created this story for my pleasure and for the pleasure of others.
~ Part 1 ~
Sam carefully opened her eyes, closing them when a headache kicked in. After the nagging of the headache subsided a bit, she took a second try to open her eyes to look at her surroundings. It was dark, one light brightened the corner of-. Yeah where the Hell was she? She carefully tried to sit up to take notice of her surroundings but a sudden weight forced her on her back again; the room started spinning.
"What should I do with her, Tom?"
When her spinning stopped, Sam noticed she was locked up in a dark cell. She glared at the man pressing a black military boot on her right shoulder. He couldn't be older than thirty. He had bright painted red hair and blue eyes. Guessing, she thought him to be about her height. Letting her eyes travel over his body, she noticed that he was carrying a P-90, a Magnum and two Uzi's. Whomever they were, they weren't guys to mess with.
"Let her sit up, for Christ sake, she's not going to jump us."
Whomever the other man was, she silently thanked him. Catching her breath, she sat up and leaned heavily against the wall but kept her facial expression under control. She had better days but the headache was slowly fading away and it made her feel a lot better. Stronger and ready to put up a fight if needed.
Her eyes drifted from Redhead towards the other man that had ordered Redhead to back off. He was leaning against a steel table, his hands resting around his P-90. Sam speculated him to be around his mid-thirties. Dark brown eyes were checking her over as he ruffled his brown hair. He had to be as tall as Jack.
Sam felt a slight panic crash through her body. Jack. Shit. Where the hell was he? She frantically looked around but couldn't see him.
"You looking for someone, missy? He ain't here."
She glanced back at the one named Tom; the younger version of Jack. So he was around here somewhere.
Redhead walked over to the door and stood guard against it. "We know you were with someone else here. We're tracking him so we can lock him up together with you." He ended his sentence with a snicker.
Sam cleared her throat. Thank, God. Jack was still alive. She turned her head to the man at the door, the nameless one. "Who are you? NID?" Although they didn't seem like NID guys, it seemed the most logical.
"You don't actually think I would work for such a lame-ass organization? Not me, missy, I'm in for the big stuff."
"Enough." The calming but stern voice traveled over the room and left a certain warning echo. Tom was looking pissed; the man was not a happy camper.
"You got a problem, Lady? Then here's the face to talk to, understood?"
She nodded but couldn't help to stop glaring at the man. "Why are you treating me this way?"
Tom pushed himself away from the table and stretched his back then looked her straight in the eyes. "Well listen closely. We're on a high-classified mission and you're in the way. Clear enough answer for you?"
"I guess." Not daring to ask more, she just rested the back of her head against the concrete wall behind her. Well, this sucked. She wondered where Jack was.
"Ouch, wench!"
When you speak –think- of the devil he shows his tail, Sam thought as she heard Jack's angry voice.
He walked in with a woman pointing a gun at his back, and he looked right at Sam. She could see the relieve on his face and at the same time the worry in his eyes.
"Hey, Carter. Friends of yours?"
Sam carefully watched the woman behind Jack; she was pushing him towards her direction and instructed him with her gun to take a seat next to Sam. Jack wanted to say something but the woman pushed him down with the butt of her P-90. With a satisfied grin, she turned and walked over to stand next to Tom.
Jack groaned as he massaged his hurt shoulder, batting away Sam's hand. "Are you assassins of some kind?"
Tom raised his eyebrows and looked him straight in the eye, daring Jack to look away. "No. But I have it listed on my résumé."
"Ah." Jack turned his head and looked at Sam in an okaaaaay-look. She just shrugged back at him.
"Well…it's been nice meeting you two but we have to finish a mission. Come on guys let's move." Tom ordered to the rest of his team and went over to the door.
"Hey, what about us?" Jack almost sneered.
Tom sighed and turned around. "Do I look like the person who remotely cares? I don't think so."
"Sir. We can't just leave them here." It was the woman that had entered with Jack. Her dark eyes were almost pleading at Tom but he didn't even look her in the eye.
"Our orders were specific; rescue the survivors and get the hell out." This time he looked her straight in the eye. He seemed to search hers. Sam could feel the chemistry between those two while the other man just watched from a distance clearly used to these situations.
The woman even took a step forward almost touching his body. "With all due respect, Sir. I believe taking them with us is under the rescue-order…Sir."
The commander seemed to be taking in this lot of information as he frowned. She seemed to be quite important enough for him to listen to her. Then he made up his mind. "This," he said gesturing at Sam and Jack, "you guard them. If they get in the way, I'm going to hold you personally responsible, understood?"
With a smile and a stern nod, the woman stepped back. "Yes, Sir."
"I'd say, we just leave her here with them before someone gets hurt and get this show on the road already!" Redhead at the door started to get impatient.
The woman turned and looked daringly at the man standing at the door. "Quitin? Kiss my military ass."
"I'll kiss your ass, you bitch. It's because of you we all got stuck in this god forsaken ugly place. I'll tell you what- you-"
Raising an eyebrow, she just looked at Quintin, daring another word from him while Tom sharply turned around. "Quintin, you're out of line. Get a grip! We need to find those plugs and shut down the main power."
Quintin immediately eased his temper and opened the door and stepped out.
Tom sighed and shook his head. He reached down and grabbed one of his Uzi's, gave it to the woman standing in front of him and lightly touched her cheek with his finger. "In case you run out of bullets. Dylan and J.D. should be on their way. Wait for them to get here. Inform them of our situation and get to the entrance of the basement level." With a last look at his teammate, he smiled, turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"Care to introduce yourself or do I have to take a guess?" Jack suddenly quipped.
The young woman looked to the ground and leaned back against the concrete wall in front of them. "I'm sorry. I truly am."
Sam frowned and watched the seemingly tired military woman in front of her. The bravado was gone. She didn't look like an assassin; she looked too much vulnerable for that. Even more now than before; it seemed like this girl saw everything that the darkness had hidden.
"Why?"
Jack being a gentleman.
With a sigh, she seemed to rearrange her composure and looked Jack straight in the eye. "Look, I'm sorry for getting you guys stuck in this room but you got to remember it was you guys who got yourself in trouble. So, don't go blaming everything on me."
She was right. Although Sam couldn't quite remember how they got stuck here in the first place. "Err…I guess you're right but I only remember waking up in this room but not how we got here."
Jack's eyes widened and he looked at Sam's head as if he was checking for severe bumps. "Carter, why didn't you tell me this before?"
Not really finding an immediate answer, she just shook her shoulders and shifted her gaze to the woman again whom cleared her throat.
"Do you remember your name?"
Sam nodded her head and leaned her weight against Jack feeling a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her. "Yes, everything up to getting into a chopper, then I've got big black hole until when I woke up here."
Okay so she made a mistake not telling Jack about her memory loss but she didn't want him to be worried about her. It didn't matter; it's probably just temporary…she hoped.
The girl sank to the floor and crossed her legs. "I don't know what you're doing here but I can tell you that over twenty hours this place is going to hell. Your memory loss is probably due to Quintin's art of hitting everything and everyone with the back of his P-90. You'll get better soon. You'll have to. If you're too weak to fight than I'm afraid I have to leave you here but I guess that won't happen. We'll just have to wait until my team mates get here."
Taking a moment to analyze what she just said, Sam let her shoulders slump and licked her lips. "Well, until then. Let's exchange information. "
When the dizziness subsided, Sam leaned forward, breaking the contact with Jack's body. Although she knew he wouldn't mind her taking comfort from him, it still felt awkward at times.
Jack looked at her, frowning as to figure out her sudden movement and then turned his attention back to the woman. "Yeah. What's your name? What are doing here? Who do you work for and what are your intentions toward us?" With raised eyebrows Jack waited for his victim to answer his questions.
To Sam's surprise, the woman actually started to laugh. "I like you. Well I might as well answer your questions. My name's Angelina and I work for Ghost Cooperation. Our mission was to find out what happened down here and to seal everything shut, rescuing what's left rescuing. As for my intentions…you'll have to ask my commanding officer who's in charge of this mission. What about you?"
Jack crossed his legs mimicking Angelina's. "My name's Jack O'Neill and this is my second in command Samantha Carter. We're both Air Force and serve to protect our nice green planet that is called Earth. We were send here to meet up with someone but we ended up being trapped and my intention is to get the hell out of here in one piece."
Angelina seemed to take all the information in while chewing her bottom lip. "Do you have a name of the person you should've met up with?"
Jack frowned; deciding if he should trust this person or not. "Nick Forester. Rings a bell?"
Angelina shook her head. "I'm sorry, haven't heard of that name. Actually I don't know anyone who works for Ghost with that name."
Suddenly Sam seemed to remember something. "That Ghost cooperation you're talking about…I take it Tom is the head of it?"
A smile crept on Angelina's face. "Yes. He's my commanding officer. He's also in charge of the Alpha team. You've met half of it."
"Alpha? You mean there are more teams?"
Stretching her legs, she gazed at something in the corner of the room and sighed. "No. Not anymore. When we started this mission we had three teams. Alpha, Bravo and Delta. We split up at the beginning of our mission…up until now we've crossed the bodies of the delta team members and two of the bravo team who were ahead of us. The other two of the bravo team joined my Alpha team."
"Who killed them?"
"I don't know. Something's definitely wrong, that's what I know. I hope I see everyone when they come charge in here. You two were alone here?"
"No. We had company but he chickened off…haven't seem him since he ran away. Anyway do you want to tell us more about your team? I mean we'll have to work together if we want to get out of here."
"You're right. So, you've met my commander, Tom and I'm his second in command. We both originally work for Ghost together with our computer expert Dylan who knows everything about computers and cracking them. J.D. is our head of security and stands by for our safety and is a master in bypassing security codes. Then we've got Fuse our medic and communications specialist Quintin who keeps in touch with the other teams and writes down notes and who's likely the first person to get us out of here but he's a major pain in the ass as you've noticed. Then the other two are bravo team's weapons specialist Chris and chemical specialist Ryan."
Jack and Sam just nodded, both knowing that they got themselves into something messy…and this time they were alone.
~ Part 2 ~
Sam stared up at the giant steal door. It was gigantic, clearly made to protect anything beyond this point or to keep everyone out. She looked next to her at J.D. connecting his laptop to the electric pad to find out how to bypass the code.
They had been here for four hours now getting to know the rest a lot better and in turn they got to know Sam and Jack better.
They had met up with J.D. and Dylan whom seemed to be much friendlier than their companions. Dylan reminded her so much of Daniel, he had glasses, wavy light brown hair and sad blue eyes. He was the smallest of them all. Even she and Angelina were taller.
J.D. was a kickassperson but with his heart on the right place. He had asked Fuse to give Sam something to get rid of her headache. He seemed genuinely worried. He was well build, had black hair and dark eyes and had a dark skin. He had an accent she couldn't place.
They had walked with Sam and Jack for hours to end up at this door. All the way Angelina had taken charge; how broken she had seemed only a few hours ago, how much of a strong fighter she showed now. Maybe one with a tormented soul.
Tom on the other hand hadn't changed a bit. He was still that arrogant nit since she met him though he seemed to soften toward her but to Jack he just kept being a total asshole.
Hearing the heavy thumping of feet behind them, Sam turned around and saw two men running towards the group. Their hands were covered in blood and their faces were in distress but when they slowed down and started walking, they seemed at ease.
Tom, as expected, turned to them and nodded towards them. "Glad you made it back, guys."
As he saw the frowns on their faces, Tom turned and introduced them. "Chris and Ryan…. These are Major Sam and Colonel Jack. We bumped into them while meeting up here."
Chris looked like the typical military guy. Trimmed hair, huge trained body, stern glare in his eyes and not a sense of him being happy to be alive. He straightened his shoulders and looked Sam and Jack up and down. "Nice cloths. US Army?"
"Air Force." Jack just said not caring to explain further.
Ryan shook his head and sighed. "At least they know how to fight. Sir, I hope they won't slow us down."
Tom walked over to look over the shoulder of J.D.; checking up on him. "They won't. And if they do you'll have my permission to shoot them." He gave both Sam and Jack a warning glare.
Chris came to stand in front of Jack. "Jack or Colonel?"
"I don't care if call me Jean-Luc Picard."
"Good. Because I don't care either." Chris gave him a sneer and turned to sit on one of the bags they carried.
Sam gave Chris a long last look and then slowly walked over to Angelina who sat far away from her team, like she was guarding them from a distance. Jack off course followed her close not letting her out of his sight. Sam didn't mind though. This time none of their military ranks mattered. They were just civilians.
When she neared Angelina, the woman looked up and her dark eyes smiled. From the beginning Sam and Jack had gotten off with Angelina and had started talking. She seemed to be at ease when she was with them but when she was with the team she kept an eye on them. Sam figured she did it because she was weary but now she knows Angelina does it to protect them.
Angelina moved over for Sam to sit next to her while Jack leaned against the wall behind them.
"How long have you known, Tom?" It had been bugging Sam since the moment she saw those two together. Not that she was a coupling person, she didn't have a normal relationship herself but it intrigued her because it reminded her of her relationship with Jack.
"Thirteen years now. Almost fourteen. Why?"
"I don't know. You seem to have a way with him."
"A way?" Angelina raised her eyebrows at Sam and smiled.
"That calms him down."
"He better. Let's just say we have a special relationship."
"Romantic one?" Jack quipped in, Sam didn't quite get why he joined in this type of conversation.
Angelina looked up to Jack behind her. "Sometimes. There's definitely a tension between us. I drive on that when I'm near him. But it doesn't beat the adrenaline."
"I can imagine. How did you end up at the Ghost cooperation?"
Sam also wanted to know the answer to that last question but Jack's response didn't go unnoticed by her. What exactly did he mean by spitting out he could imagine?
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
Sam leaned back and listened to Jack and Angelina.
"When they retrieved me, I suffered from a bad memory loss. Tom was the one who rescued me, he cured me, trained me and showed me that I had nothing left but the team."
"Nice. And how do you know he's not the one messing around with your mind?"
Sam had also considered that for a moment but giving it second thought realized that Tom may act like an asshole but protected Angelina and cared deeply for her.
"He doesn't let anyone touch me. He's very protective…. I can't really answer your question but I believe you feel the same thing. You're in a team…you just trust them. You don't question that, you don't betray them. Two major rules in the book."
Jack nodded, fully understanding her last statement. "Good. We read the same book."
"Guys, I've got the code!" J.D. yelled and closed his laptop while the gigantic door opened revealing a long bad-lit corridor.
Jack and Sam just looked at each other while Angelina smirked and took her P-90 secure in her hands. "Oh, Hell yeah man."
~ Part 3 ~
Two hours of walking through mud greased floors and blood splattered walls, Sam had about enough of this without having a gun to protect herself with. Somewhere in a corner in front of her, she could see the upper half of a human body.
Angelina walked up to the corpse and halted. "That's sick." She kneeled down to take a closer look at the chopped up body. Its face, Sam could now see, was beyond recognition. Where there once was a nose, mouth and eyes was now one bloody mess. Like someone had a go with a meat mill.
Tom came to stand next to Angelina and Sam noticed how he gasped and looked down at his second in command.
Jack also noticed the change of behavior and Sam frowned at him. Those two knew something more about it that was for sure.
"Fuse, maybe you should take a look. I think this man's…well it's a man because I can still see the top of his you know what."
"Oh my god, Damn Angelina." Chris staggered towards the body and made a face. "I saw something like this in Vietnam. Still freaks me every time."
Dylan swallowed hard and looked over at Chris with a disgusted face. "It better. Other wise I'm gonna believe you really are a cold-blooded killer."
Chris just smirked and pointed his Magnum at Dylan making a 'bam' sound.
Sam saw Dylan getting goose bumps on his bare arms. He wasn't the only one getting spooked by that man. She was among those ones. And Ryan. Though Chris and Ryan were close teammates, Ryan seemed to try and keep a distance every time Chris got close. Strange, how they could work as a team was beyond Sam's understanding.
Then again, many people didn't understand that SG-1 was a team. They were all so much not alike. Or maybe they were, Sam mused. They all had one desire; to protect all the planets and get the Goa'uld. Yeah. But those were worries for later when they got back to the SGC. If they got back.
Fuse examined the man as best as he could.
"Take your time, Fuse. We all need a rest, you'll get yours later. I promise." Sometimes Tom wasn't that hard. He just pretended to be hard but he's got his heart in the right place. It suddenly struck Sam how much alike Jack and Tom were. Both commanding a team, both have a female second in command, both have a strange relationship with their SIC's, both were handsome and both were hard to figure out.
J.D. risked a peak at Fuse and gave his teammate a squeeze in the shoulder. "Shit happens man."
Shit happens. J.D. was right, Sam didn't want to know how Chris and Ryan got all that blood on their hands but she figured that they had both tried to save their comrades from death…without succeeding. They must be devastated by that, and yet they're fighting. Sam knew she would do the same. The more she thought about it, the more she found herself at ease with these people.
In the corner of her eyes, Sam noticed Jack walking up to Tom. He's trying to make friends with him or he's trying to mess up things again like always.
Sometimes that gray, good-looking man reminded her more of a young teenager. She shook her head and sat down on the floor next to Dylan whom turned to her and gave her an encouraging smile.
Sam kept a close eye on Jack as she saw Tom indicating for Jack to sit next to him. They started talking but she couldn't hear them but Jack would tell her anyway.
Jack looked the man up and down, not quite trusting him but he was getting quite a lot of brownie points for his commanding capabilities. "So what's Angelina's story?" It wasn't that he was interested in Angelina, she was a fine looking woman but he just needed to see if their stories fitted. He had to trust one of them to get safely out of here. He needed someone to watch his front while Carter watched his back though he'd trust his front more to Carter….
Jack frowned at his own musings but shook his head and looked back at Tom.
"What do you mean?"
Great, Jack thought, not one of the brightest crayons in the box. "Well, I figured you two go way back. She told me, you found her when she had a memory loss something?"
"I know what you're thinking. I'm not like that…I may work for the bad guys but I'm on the good side. Angelina's special. Special to me and special to mankind. When she was a kid, she had psychic abilities and the bad luck for growing up in Ghost."
Jack's eyes widened. "You assigned her when she was a kid?"
Now it was Tom's turn to look shocked. "No for Christ sake, of course not. Her parents worked for Ghost, they were pretty high up and so their job was dangerous. Angelina grew up between guns, scientists, experiments…. God knows what else she can't remember."
"Did they sexually abuse her?" Jack didn't like it but he had to ask.
"Thank God no. When her parents found out that she was a bit more unusual than other children they started testing her abilities. Soon, they had no shame and they put Angelina as one of their Ghost experiments. They never succeeded from what I heard. Angelina's abilities vanished when she was sixteen years old."
Jack stored all this information to tell Carter later. He quickly glanced over at her but she was talking with the young guy…the name escaped his mind but he looked like Daniel…too much like Daniel. As by feeling Jack's gaze, Dylan looked up and smiled at him. Jack just smiled back and glanced back at Carter, nodding to her, he returned his attention to Tom. "That still doesn't explain the memory loss."
Jack caught Tom gazing at Angelina. It seemed he was checking up on her. Reassuring himself that she was still with him and okay. Jack knew those two shared something out of the ordinary, something like he and Carter shared. Something. 'Something' was not dangerous, something was good. He snapped out of his thoughts when Tom started talking again.
"I can't answer that either, neither can she. I had worked for three years at Ghost, we had code red emergency. Gas leak in the laboratory…BOOM. Her parents died in that explosion together with thirty or so others. I found her in one the laboratories on the same floor."
Something in the features of his face changed. Jack wasn't really sure whether it was his imagination or Tom trying to hide a lie. Why would Tom be lying about something Angelina told him?
"She survived the blast?" Jack couldn't hide the disbelieve in his voice.
Tom's eyes turned sad. "Somewhat. She took a hard bang against the head. That explains the memory loss I guess. That's what the doctors told me."
"And what do you believe?" It was a simple question but it was that Jack wanted to hear. Tom was somewhat like him, he figured that as much. Carter would be proud of him. He'd tell her later.
"That an experiment went wrong, someone took charge and blew it up, some strange gas escaped and hit Angelina taking away her memory but being a young teenager fought trough it. You should've seen her. It's a miracle she survived that."
"Maybe her abilities didn't vanish, maybe she chose them to vanish."
"I think I'm starting to like you, Jack."
Jack raised his eyebrows. Well that came as a surprise. He wanted to ask him about that but Fuse interrupted them.
"Hey can someone of you read Latin?" He had pulled the body out of the corner and was now looking at something on the floor.
All of them except Dylan and Angelina came to stand around the body. Ryan kneeled down at the ground carefully not touching the corps. "Run away dog."
"Excuse me?" Tom asked matter of factly with raised eyebrows.
"Run away dog. That's what it says here." Ryan just shrugged and read it again. "Or it could be run away from dog."
Sam watched Tom closely and her intuition had been right. When hearing those words, Tom snapped his head up to look at Angelina. Sam couldn't see her face but she heard her walk to the group.
"Is that blood?" Angelina noticed rather surprisingly fast.
Tom looked back at the words. "Fuse, check for DNA-disorders."
Sam raised her eyebrows and watched curiously as Ryan, Fuse and J.D. started working with their laptops and other high-tech equipment. Sam found it so strange that even though she worked in a high-tech compound like Cheyenne Mountain, she'd never seen this kind of technology. Ghost? For whom do they work?
"Checking, Sir. It'll take a moment." Fuse reported and went back taking samples for J.D.'s computer.
Dylan stepped forward trying to get Tom's attention. "I don't wanna sound chicken but that guy left it there as a warning."
Tom frowned. "A warning for what?"
"Maybe giant butterflies…ooh." Chris quipped while making flapping movements with his arms.
Angelina glared at him, standing next to Dylan. "Remind me to laugh with it later."
"J.D. any result on the DNA?"
"Negative, Sir. Everything's okay. Accept that this blood is still fresh and warm. Couldn't have happened more than twenty minutes ago."
Angelina grabbed her Magnum in her left hand and her Uzi's in her right. "We're getting closer. I can feel it. I can see it." Her expression got haunted.
Tom swirled on his feet to look at Angelina. Dylan walked over to her and put his hand on her arm. "Angelina? What do you see?"
"People running around, they're panicking. There's fire everywhere and children. Children screaming." Angelina dropped to the ground. She started rocking and breathing heavily.
Jack just raised his eyebrows and looked over at Sam. She shook her head and continued watching Angelina and Dylan.
"Make her stop, Dylan." Tom spoke utterly calm but stern.
Dylan crouched to the ground and grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Enough, Angelina."
She slapped his hands away and placed her hands before her face, tears streaming over it. Sam hadn't seen this one coming.
"Those poor children, they don't know what's happening."
Children? What would children been doing here?
"Snap out of it!" Dylan started yelling now, trying to get her hands away from her face.
"There's fire everywhere! It's so warm."
"God, dammit." Tom ran towards them and pushed Dylan out of the way whom stood up confused and shook his head.
"I don't understand it. She never had it that bad."
Angelina's body shook with every sob she let out. Once a strong military woman vanished in a form of a whimpering, hurting girl. She seemed so vulnerable. That's what Sam had seen when they first met. She knew Angelina was different then the others. Then all of them.
"It's so hot…Tom help me." She clanged to his vest as she buried her head in his shoulder.
"Angelina, I'm here now get out of it! Listen to me!" he screamed at her but it hurt him, that, Sam could see. Jack silently came to stand beside her, she could tell from his expression that he was utterly confused.
"No – get out of my mind!" Angelina was now screaming at the top of her lungs. Everybody just looked at them except Ryan and Chris whom both had the same expressions on their faces as Sam and Jack. Clearly they've never seen it either while the others had.
"Angel, come on. Don't do this me again! Come on, clear your mind."
Jack looked at her again. Yes, he had noticed it too. Tom's use of Angel seemed a bit out of line for a commanding officer to his second in command, even in this situation. And something else caught her attention.
He had said 'to me again' and not 'to us again'. It seemed that Tom and Angelina have been experiencing this episode numerous times. Weird that the others reacted somewhat shocked and surprised by this. Sam remembered Angelina cracking a joke that she couldn't be female because she was with the guys 24/7 throughout the year. Strange that they didn't see this one coming but probably not explainable.
Chris's mouth spread into a wide grin as he stepped next to Tom. "Maybe she just needs a bucket of water to cool off. I volunteer to throw it."
That moment, Angelina choose to snap out of whatever she was in and straightened herself. "Wow…Tom?"
Tom rubbed her back and smiled for a moment. "It's okay. Sit down…just a sec."
Tom stood up and turned to Chris who was still grinning like a madman until Tom punched him square in the face. Tom shook his hand and held his fist while Chris tumbled to the floor.
"Aah! Why did you do that for?"
Tom shook his fist one more time and looked down at Chris. Really looked down at him. "Sorry, 'I' volunteered to beat some sense in ya. Now, get that medic kit over here."
With a sneer, Chris, pushed himself on his feet and walked over to Fuse who quickly handed him the medic-kit. Chris glared at Tom and for a moment Sam thought those two would get into a fight but Tom didn't even as much look at Chris. He was standing above Angelina, and pulled her to her feet.
At this time he seemed quite distant to Angelina as in other times he tried very hard to be her over protective brother…or a loving partner.
Ryan crouched to the floor and started backing up all the equipment while J.D. loaded his guns.
"You know, I don't care what's out there…just promise me that all of you will watch my back all right?"
Dylan nodded towards J.D. and cooked his Magnum while Angelina and Tom did the same with theirs. They all knew something was coming. They knew that they would encounter something here that would need to be cleared with a gun. Then another subject came to mind.
Jack shuffled forward and cleared his throat to get Tom's attention. "Err…as much as you probably don't trust me, I'm prepared to watch your back like I'm sure you'll do the same but…don't you think it'll be a lot easier and safer for us to carry like maybe a gun to protect ourselves with?"
Tom seemed to think about Jack's question and pulled out a knife and gave it to Jack while he gave Sam one of his Uzi's. Sam tried to suppress a smile when looking over at Jack.
"That's err nice. Now I can scratch myself before they eat me." He mumbled something else that Sam didn't get but she saw how Angelina nudged Tom in the ribs. After what seemed like a small discussion, Jack was handed a Magnum.
"Okay, listen up. I don't know what's running around behind that door but let's stick together. At no time you'll separate yourself from the group…if you do…I can't afford to get back and save your sorry asses. I know that Sam and Jack are strangers but they're Air Force. They have their loyalties just like us. So watch each other's backs. No arguments from here all right? Okay anyone wants to add something?" Tom finished off and looked from Angelina to the rest of us.
Quintin snorted. "I've got nothing to say."
"Great! Anyone else pissed off at me?" Tom sneered and sighed.
Angelina stepped between Quintin and Tom. "Guys! Please, we're on a mission here not a day in the local zoo."
"I wish I was. This is getting freaky." Dylan admitted, being the youngest of the group, Sam understood his fear.
Tom walked over to the door and placed his hand of the huge steal handle. "Quintin, I need your support."
"Soldiers follow words not emotions. It's a law remember?" Quintin ruefully added.
"You sure? Is there something else I should know?"
Something got past Sam here, but it seemed that they had been in fights together.
"No, Sir. The urge to beat the living daylight out of you passed…Sir."
Tom firmly nodded. "Good. Now where was I?" With a hand on his P-90 pointing it to the door he looked behind him to see if everybody was ready.
Sam grabbed her own Uzi tightly and also pointed it towards the door, while Jack stood close behind her, his Magnum ready to fire. On her left, Dylan readied his weapons while Fuse pressed the medic-kit against his chest hiding behind J.D. who came to her right. Ryan and Chris stood in front of her closing the circle while Angelina stood next to her commander. With a single nod towards Tom, she answered his question.
Quick as lightning he pushed open the door and both he and Angelina jumped in, weapons searching through what seemed to be a bright-lit hallway. Sam peeked inside where she saw numerous laboratories at the end of that hallway.
They all entered the hallway. It was just wide enough for three people walking next to each other so they made a living shield. Tom, J.D. and Angelina up at front, Sam, Jack and Dylan in the middle and watching their backs, Ryan, Quintin and Chris closed the troop.
They almost crawled through the hallway, step by step, checking every inch on the floor or walls, even the ceiling.
The floor had a white colour, painted on it about every two meters was what seemed to be the Ghost symbol. It was a black circle with the figure of a red ghost within it. But not only that symbol was commonly seen in this hallway. On the walls, which were the same bright white as the floors, she saw a black circle with the red hazardous sign on it.
Strange sign to put on hospital walls, Sam wondered. The ceiling was one maze of electric wires and camera's. This place seemed highly secured for its purpose.
Tom, Angelina and J.D. halted at the first lab and quickly checked inside by the door and signalled to the others that it was safe to follow them.
Looking beside her, Sam gasped and backed against the wall. Before her in a water tank was a woman with her belly cut open, the little baby's heart was still pumping. It's little fingers kneaded in a little fist.
Jack's eyes were wide as he saw what Sam had been gasping about. He snorted while Sam heard someone behind them, trying very hard not to throw up.
"Medical experiments my ass."
Tom came to stand in front of the water tank and observed the baby. He didn't seem to look like someone who was even remotely struck by what he saw. "Poor bastard."
Angelina snorted and placed a hand against the glass, the little baby's hand reached out and touched hers. She closed her eyes and sucked in air.
Sam swallowed and tears welled up in her eyes. This was wrong, so wrong.
"Oh, man." Dylan groaned and bent down supporting himself with a hand against the other side of the hallway not looking at the baby.
Jack stepped back and stood beside Dylan, frowning at Angelina.
Sam on the other hand couldn't tear her gaze away. There was something wrong with that baby.
"Angelina…what's wrong?" She knew the question was quite stupid but she knew Angelina would understand her.
Leaning her forehead against the cold of the glass, Angelina sighed. "I grew up in these laboratories. These were the labs that exploded years ago…."
Tom turned around and placed a hand on Angelina's shoulder, squeezing it. "She's gone, Angelina. You can't help her."
Sam wanted to bang her head against something. This was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.
Angelina brushed his hand off her shoulder and turned to Sam. "That woman was the only family I had left."
"What about the baby? Can't we save it? I mean it's your family." Chris quipped stepping forward, his hands outstretched.
To Sam's surprise she saw the Alpha team members shake their heads. This was bizarre. What the hell was going on here? Sam crossed her arms in front of her chest looking at Angelina.
"No, Chris. It's not my family. Its not even human." Biting her under lip, Angelina gazed at Tom. Her face asking a question only he would understand.
Jack getting impatient turned to them and put his hands in his pockets. "Care to tell us what the hell's going on here? This isn't just a laboratory investigating cures for diseases is it?"
Angelina put a hand to her forehead and Sam could see her swallow.
Tom shot her a worried glance but straightened his shoulders and leaned against the wall, his hand resting on his P-90. "We knew what had happened down here. Our mission was to secure the building and blow it up; destroying the evidence.
Chris lunged forward, hands ready to grab Tom's neck. "Bastard! You lied to us!"
Fuse grabbed Chris' arm and threw him with all his might to the ground pointing his gun to Chris' chest. "Shut up and listen."
"Put the gun away, Fuse. We need the bullets."
Sam swallowed at the hardness in Tom's voice. She had been so wrong in judging him. In judging everyone. Instinctively she stepped back until she bumped into Jack, wanting to have someone she trusted near her.
Tom kneeled down to the ground but kept and close eye on Chris. "I didn't want to lie to you. I had my orders but you have to believe me when I say that I didn't want anyone to die. I had friends in the delta team too."
"But too bad for them, huh?" Chris furiously replied. Sam understood his anger. They were his teammates after all. She would react the exact same way.
Tom shook his head and slumped against the wall. "This wasn't supposed to happen. It just went wrong. I hadn't planned for this at all."
"You told us that we were here to rescue survivors and to contain the cause of this all. What really happened here, Tom?"
Angelina bit her lip again. "It isn't his fault, Chris. We're all at fault. We know by entering the Ghost cooperation that our lives could be in danger. We all know that we would have to make sacrifices some day. Fortunately that day has come."
"Bull shit, Angelina. I want to know what happened here. What is this place?" Chris seemed to calm down a bit but anger was still written on his face.
Sam saw Angelina's hands shaking like leaves in the wind.
"We all work for Ghost, we all know that Ghost is a medical research facility and we're their security. What you don't know is that below the levels we haveaccess to laboratories in hallways that go on forever. Those labs are high classified and were build to make experiments. Chemical and Viral. After the blast fourteen years ago, the laboratories were all but ashes and dust. Nothing survived and for years these labs weren't used until four years ago when my aunt gave the order to rebuild it all. They succeeded. New experiments were done…more viruses were created. All for one intention to use it as a biological weapon."
Sam's head spun. All the pieces of the puzzle came together. "But something went terribly wrong."
Angelina looked her way and nodded. "A dog that was injected with the virus, went crazy. The virus made him unstoppable."
Chris frowned. "Wow you're talking in riddles, man. That still doesn't explain this shit."
"It's quite easy. The dog got out, infected other dogs before we could contain it. We knew the only way to stop them was to fill this building with poisonous gas but that would kill everyone in this building. We never took those steps but by accident the maincomputer started his self-destruct. Meaning that if he as much registers that something is wrong, he shuts down all the power to the elevators, air-conditioning and sealing every electric door shut. No one down here would make a chance of survival. No one."
Fuse was now the one frowning. "I can't help but notice you keep saying 'we'. Something you need to tell us, Angelina? I mean we've been looking after your ass for four years now and we all knew…well the Alpha team…the exact same thing you've been telling Chris right now. Is their something you need to tell us?"
Angelina looked back at Tom, whom stood up and walked to stand beside her. "I should be the one to tell you. You all know Angelina and I go way back. I found her here…exactly in that laboratory over there. She wasn't the only one who grew up here. She wasn't the only who lost family here. I was raised within these laboratories, I partially kicked Ghost Security off the ground. 'We', Angelina and I, helped design the main computer on this level. We were its security until it went berserk. Because we invented the computer, we knew exactly how to get up to the surface."
This time it was Dylan shaking his head. "Can't believe it. I remember. The day we had code red, you two were nowhere to be found. Come to think off it…you two had long meetings together. Well…what can I say?" He trailed off, disbelieve written on his face.
"As much as I want to hit you, Tom….you still got my trust. I mean come on guys," J.D. turned around to look at his team mates, "surely they both hidden some things against us but it was their job. Wouldn't each and all of us do the same thing? I mean both Tom and Angelina saved our asses more than I can count. Why stop trusting them? They're both the same as before."
J.D. now turned to his commanders and rested his hand on his Magnum. "Whatever happens from now on…I'm glad you told us. It doesn't change a bit for me. I know you didn't want everyone to die…and that's why we're here. To take our revenge."
Angelina nodded again. "Thank you, J.D. This means more to us then you'll ever know. We knew everyone would be dead down here…our only mission was to destroy those virus carrying dogs, get the hell out and blow this all to hell. I'm sorry about your teammates, Chris. I really am. This wasn't supposed to happen."
Chris sighed and pushed himself off the ground, standing tall in front of her. "How many dogs?"
"Four."
Chris nodded and grabbed his P-90, taking a few steps to the next door. "Than let's get our revenge and get those bastards."
"Not so fast, Chris. There's something you need to know. All of you."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Something else?"
"About those dogs. Y'all know now that they carry a virus. What type, I don't know either. But don't let them get near you. One blast in the head would be enough to kill them but their body won't be dead after that."
Ryan, who had been very quiet during the conversation, seemed to kick in gear. "Like worms? Cut them in two and both ends live?"
"No. Like chickens. Cut the head off and the body keeps running. Same with the dogs. Another shot in the stomach or abdomen will kill it off."
"You said don't let it get near you. Why's that?" Sam asked, wondering and knowing the answer wouldn't be what she wanted to hear.
"One bite of those dogs can infect you. It's deadly."
"What does the virus do?" Ryan asked again, being the chemical specialist.
"It gets into your system. Travels through your veins, slowly poisoning your blood. When it reaches your brain or your heart…you'll feel extreme pain, your body will start to shake, your skin will itch like crazy if that alone doesn't kill you…the self destruct of the virus will. It's not made to live in a human body. It will know that it will die in there and will commit suicide…your body will literally explode."
"How come the other bodies didn't explode? They were attacked by those dogs. We all saw that." Ryan's enthusiasm didn't go unnoticed by several who raised their eyebrows.
"The virus doesn't self destruct immediately. It can be over fifteen minutes…one hour….a day, maybe a week." Angelina sighed. "Listen for their nails ticking on the floor. They're extremely intelligent. They learn from their mistakes. They're smarter than us in that way. Soon they'll learn that making noise will scare off their pray. Get it?"
Sam suddenly understood. As long as they could hear the ticking they were safe. Whenever they didn't hear it, it was watching them. Sam shivered wondering if one of those creatures was watching them right now. Trying to decide which to take first. "Good, God."
"Exactly. And I don't know about you, but I really don't feel like being their breakfast okay? Now let's move out." Tom ordered and led them through the first three laboratories ignoring every body they encountered.
Sam walked next to Jack and looked up at him. "What story do you believe?"
Jack looked down at her and shrugged, starting to whisper. "I don't know what to believe anymore but I guess Tom and Angelina both spoke the truth. Both times. The only thing they're still lying about is the feelings they have for each other."
Bumping into him, she sighed. "You noticed that to huh?"
Behind them, they heard a creaking sound.
"Ignore it, it's the water tanks cracking open. Don't worry. Just keep following." Tom called to them, noticing their freaked expressions.
Jack raised his eyebrows and leaned into her. "You know, Carter. I promise if we get out of here, I'll never bother you again with the fishing."
Sam smiled up at him and rolled her eyes. "I don't mind. It's nice as a distraction."
"Oh, is that what I am to you? A distraction, nice to know miss Carter. If you need any of my other services I'll be happy to help you. Though the sarcasm is a free service I offer." With a wink, he softly pushed his body into hers, nudging her but he then tightening his grip on his Magnum; his face blank. Back to business.
They all walked further in silence, though Tom and Angelina had hushed conversations…they seemed to argue about something. Sam couldn't hear them, she was too far behind.
With a flash, she felt the lab's floor shake violently. Bad enough for he to fall to the flour, everything seemed to blow up around them. Jack grabbed her elbow and pulled her up while ducking for pieces of ceiling that came raining down on them.
"Tom, hold on! I've got you!"
Sam and Jack frowned at each other and raced over to see what was going on. The tremor had ripped the floor and Tom had fallen in, Angelina had caught Tom just in time and pulled him up and placed him onto his back.
"Enjoying your nap?" Angelina started grinning while looking down at Tom.
"Don't start."
Sam observed the other second in command closely but when she looked in the corner of her eyes she noticed that she wasn't the only one.
Both Chris and Ryan were watching Angelina and Tom closely. Sam understood why they were suspicious all of a sudden. It was a shame, they were all great team members.
Angelina reached down to take Tom's hand and pulled him up to his feet.
"Thanks."
Angelina turned around. "What?"
Tom cleared his throat, hiding his face from the group so Sam couldn't see the emotions on it. "Thank you."
"Anytime, Sir." With a nod, she lowered her gaze to the floor and sighed.
Sam noticed the tension building in the air between those two.
*tick* *tick* *tick*
Everybody fell to the ground, pointing their guns at the incoming sound.
*tick* *tick*
It was scary. The sound was so soft yet so frightening. It was like Angelina said, it was a dog walking towards their direction. But it wasn't running like a normal dog would be. It was carefully taking steps forward…maybe even searching for soft spots to cover up the ticking of its claws.
*tick*
Only one tick. Or he moved one claw, or he found a way to come to them without being heard. Damn. This was freaky.
Sam held her breath and waited for another tick but it never came. The dog seemed to give up its hunt. Strange. If it were cold-blooded killing creatures, why stop when they were so close?
Sam dared to look around. Everybody was facing the door that was half open…they were all waiting for the dog to push its head through the door opening it further.
They waited, and waited. No sound was heard in the lab, no one even dared to breath out loud. Where was it? Why wasn't it here already?
Sam's heart skipped a beat, and her lunges started to hurt because she wasn't inhaling regularly.
*tick* *tick* *tick* *tick**tick* *tick**tick* *tick*
They turned around to look over their backs to see the dog in midair lunging itself at Dylan. It had tricked them! Sam didn't know when, but within seconds they were all shooting at the creature.
Sam could only see a black shadow on top of Dylan whom screamed like hell.
The dog growled and jumped off Dylan, running back out of the laboratory.
That wasn't possible! It had to take at least about twenty bullets in its body. This wasn't real, Sam screamed in her head. Everybody looked bewildered. Heavy breathing and cursing was heard before everybody seemed to get in motion.
Angelina was the first to recover and threw her body over to Dylan, making use of the slippery ground to glide over to him, Tom right behind her watching her back while J.D., Chris and Ryan made a run for the door and shield it shut.
Fuse ran over to them and immediately checked for a pulse. "God, his heart is racing."
Jack stood and watched Sam's back as she crawled over to Dylan feeling like a big sister who needed to be with her little hurt brother. She only knew Dylan about ten hours but it felt like a real friend. Maybe because he looked so much like Daniel.
Sam grabbed one of Dylan's hands as her eyes nervously looked around.
Dylan's face was contorted from pain as he grunted in pain. "Aah, I guess….we're too late."
Angelina grabbed Dylan's other hand with both of hers and leaned in close to talk to him while Tom threw a needle to Fuse.
"This is the antidote. Inject it to him through his neck so it can interrupt the virus from going to his brain."
Angelina worriedly looked over Dylan's body and squeezed his hands more tightly. "Dylan it's a really powerful shot, your body is going to feel a jolt."
Tom came to stand behind Angelina watching them while Fuse injected it in his neck. "Hold his body down."
Tom pushed in between Angelina and Fuse and pressed his hands on Dylan's chest to hold him down, Jack crouched down to grab a hold onto Dylan's kicking legs.
Dylan started throwing up while his body shook horribly.
"Shit. Is this supposed to happen, Angelina?"
With a hand on the side of his face, Angelina's eyes shot up. "How the hell am I supposed to know, for Christ sake, I'm not a medic."
Dylan's body kept convulsing tremendously.
Angelina hadn't told them about the antidote. Sam made a mental note to ask about it later now she just concentrated on brushing Dylan softly on his cheek, giving the bit reassurance she could give.
Dylan arched his back and fell silent to the floor. Everybody held his breath.
"Angelina?" Dylan asked weakly.
"I'm here, don't worry you'll be fine." She smiled down at him putting a finger on his mouth to quiet him.
Seeing the look in Angelina's eyes it became clear to Sam that Angelina was like a big sister to all of them.
Dylan's breathing became normal.
"I think he made it. Thank God he made it." Angelina cheered and patted Dylan on the shoulder.
"Good job." Tom nodded towards Angelina whom only nodded back with a stern face. This was not the moment to get all giddy. With a serious look on her face, she watched the couple on the ground before her. There was something about those two.
Everybody came to kneel down next to Dylan to try and get him up to his feet, laughing together with him glad they didn't lose their little brother.
Angelina stood up and brushed the sweat of her forehead and leaned against Tom, laughing in his chest. Then she hugged J.D. and stepped back taking the band out of her hair letting it fall down.
Sam could only stare at Angelina. She was even more beautiful than she thought. Inwardly she felt jealous as she saw Jack looking at her.
Angelina grinned, winked and turned around making her long hair swirl around her slim body.
It was strange to see that kick-ass military woman turn into such a glossy girl. For a moment a vision of Lara Croft crossed Sam's mind as she smirked.
Sam kept smirking but her smile faded when she saw Jack's expression. He had a stern expression and grabbed his gun. When he felt Sam's gaze on him, he walked over to her and leaned in.
"This is all nice to see everyone being happy for the kid but that creature is still walking around."
Sam nodded and looked over at the door the dog ran through. Ryan, Quintin and Chris were still guarding it so no worry about that but Jack was right.
It was time to move on again.
"Hey!" Tom stepped forward and waited with his hands on his P-90 for Angelina to turn around.
Making her hair swirl again, she only looked back not turning and kept walking. Her eyes were not smiling anymore as her body seemed to freeze. Her head slowly turned to look next to her.
"Shit."
With a snarl, a dog covered in slime and blood jumped up and plunged himself at Angelina, grinding his teeth in her upper arm.
Sam jumped back and pointed her gun at the dog but Angelina was in the way. Now she understood what Angelina meant. It's scary to hear the ticking of the claws but it's even scarier to not hear them.
Angelina fell with an icy scream to the ground while Ryan, Quintin and Chris pumped the dog with lead. Ten – twenty rounds plunged into the dog's flesh but he kept biting Angelina. Figuring that guns didn't seem to work and getting desperate, Chris and Ryan lunged themselves on top of the dog, fighting like morons with their hands and kicking the dog in the head and stomach.
J.D. grabbed Dylan while Tom and Quintin grabbed Angelina from underneath the dog as they bolted to the next room getting them to safety.
"Dammit." Jack growled as he tried to get a lock on the dog but couldn't because of Ryan and Chris.
Sam heard a crack and saw the cause of it. She swallowed hard, trying not to throw up as her legs started to shake while she desperately tried to keep her hands still not that her Uzi would make any difference anymore.
Jack got a sorrowful expression on his face as he saw the dog bite through Chris' spinal column. He was gone. There was no way Ryan could kill that dog. Looking around in the lab he found a needle with a substance in it. It looked grouse but he didn't care, he slowly stepped sideways and reached out for the needle as he was to late to see the dog's mouth and nose rib through Ryan's ribcage and tearing his heart out.
Jack's fingers closed around the needle and what he saw in the corner of his eyes…his heart stopped.
The dog's head covered in blood snapped up and glared at Sam. She pointed her gun bravely at the dog's head but Jack knew that wouldn't help. Tom and J.D. entered back in the room and started shooting at the dog to distract it and get it's attention away from Sam but it didn't even flinch at the bullets tearing through its body.
With all his might, with all the power he had in himself, he jumped forward to Sam and smashed hard into her. Sam flew over one of the hospital beds as Jack banged against it but he didn't see the dog coming.
Its teeth flashed in front of Jack's face as they lunged into his shoulder. The pain was indescribable but Jack fought for his life, for his being and for Sam. With a bow, he trusted the needle deep into the dog's neck until he heard the cracking of its spinal column. The dog fell lifeless on top of him.
The last thing Jack heard was Sam's voice. At least she had survived.
"Hold on…here…"
Tom tugged Jack by his legs forward over the concrete floor to the room where the rest were waiting.
Sam saw Angelina on the other side gritting her teeth. Her body sacked against the wall like a potato sack. They may want to serve Ghost but it was Ghost's creatures that were killing them.
Something that sounded like a sob came out of Sam's mouth as she sank to her hands and knees next to Jack. Tom was checking Angelina, his hands worriedly patting all over her body. Sam noticed how he was speaking softly to her, the concern and pain clearly in his voice. He sounded desperate.
The relationship that those two shared was something like she and Jack had. Both serving under each other's command and both were having dangerous feelings for the other companion.
"Sam?" Jack moaned.
Sam winced, her face showing the pain Jack felt inside his tormented body.
"I'm here, Jack." She tried to smile but it was hard. Fighting against upcoming tears. This wasn't supposed to happen. What she wouldn't give to be at the Cheyenne Mountain listening to Daniel babbling along about his artifacts or watching Teal'c flipping to every goddamn music channel.
Jack coughed badly and his body shook tremendously. With her hand on his chest she tried to push him down to the ground, sparing his back. "Easy. Try and rest. Tom only had one antidote with him. Fuse and J.D. left to get more from the bags they were carrying. They will be here in no time."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one feeling like someone who's been run over by a train and survived it." Another cough but this time he suppressed the shaking of his body.
She reached up and let her hand travel over his forehead, her fingers combing his hair and kept repeating the gently gesture.
Sam knew he was strong. She knew he would survive this, they only needed Fuse to get back with the antidote. Whenever that would be. She hoped they would arrive…soon.
"Listen, Angelina, you're in no condition to move."
Soon will have to be real soon, Sam thought. She turned her head to watch Tom and Angelina. She was trying to get up. Sam knew how much pain she was going through and still that woman was trying to stand.
She was like a top brick stone in a crumbling wall. That woman was amazing. Strange, she's even stronger than Jack whom was always the strongest person Sam had met in her entire life. There was something…yeah…strange…with Angelina.
Fighting like a tiger, Angelina's eyes went dark and rolled back in her head.
"Ah. Fuck it." With a groan she fell against the wall again.
"Dammit, Angelina. Listen to me for Christ sake! You're going to kill yourself."
Her long hair went all the way to the floor, wrapping around her upper body.
Jack suddenly grabbed her sleeve, trying to pull himself up. "Carter, I'm getting cramps in my butt lying here. How long until they get here?"
"Sir, look-"
He cut her off. "No, you look here. You got to get out of here. Look around Carter and tell me what you see." He released her sleeves and plunged back against the floor catching his breath.
His hand came to rest on her leg.
He was right. When Sam looked around all she could see was pain and death. She knew sacrifices would be made but she hadn't expected that Jack would be one of them or Angelina.
She looked over at Tom, who had Angelina's body pressed against his. Sam could see tears rolling down his cheeks. Tom caught her gaze and looked at her with empty eyes.
All Sam could do was look away to the floor and swallow…hard.
~ Part 4 ~
Fuse and J.D. had gotten back and Fuse had injected both Jack and Angelina whom were now fighting against the virus. Because both of them gotten the virus longer in their system than Dylan, Tom thought that it would take longer for them to recover.
They had heard the ticking again. J.D. had told them that he had seen another dog eating at a body about two labs back.
"Sam?"
Taking her eyes off Jack she looked over at Tom. "If you say no I understand but there's a dog walking around not far away from here. Both Jack and Angelina are to weak to walk and Dylan is to weak to fight. What if J.D., Quintin and Fuse stay behind to watch over them, what do you say if we check in the labs to see if we can find another way out of here?"
It was a simple question but it was hard for Sam. She looked from Tom to Jack and saw how he was fighting. How his face was ash-grey, his teeth gritted and his rolled into the back of his head. It was bad. But that wasn't what concerned her. Jack had continuously searched for her hand, held onto it and she had given the forbidden comfort. That gesture said enough. He was really bad. Jack would have wanted her to go with Tom to find a way to get the hell out of here. Her decision was made.
"Let's go."
After a last glance at Jack and Angelina, Tom and Sam walked out of the room and turned left into the next laboratory. Nothing but shattered equipment and broken pieces of glass. The next one was darker then the other labs because most of the lights were out.
Sam walked in the room until she was sure that nothing was in there luring for them, she sucked in air when she felt a presence in the room.
She had stopped so abruptly that Tom had bumped into her, her back against him, she could feel the hammering of his heart.
"Sam? Fuck." Tom's voice snapped her back to reality. Leaning back to glance at him, she felt his muscles tense against her back. This was not good. This was so not good.
Not good at all. She swallowed and looked ahead of her again. Trying hard to control her fear. "It's behind us, isn't it?"
His shallow breathing was the first answer she got. "Don't move, lean against me, I'll take your gun."
Feeling a bit strange, Sam was surprised she even felt some guilt towards Jack. It utterly fooled her because she didn't know why. She leaned back against Tom's broad chest; his arms immediately went around her waist and his hands sneaked to clasp her, and pried the gun from her hands.
Behind her Sam finally heard the clicking of its claws on the floor. Closing her eyes, she tried to brace herself against a sudden attack of that crazed animal. It had noticed them…it had to.
Tom had his hand on her gun, she could feel his finger trying to reach the trigger. He slowly held it in front of them.
Then Sam heard a click.
"Shit."
"What?" She squeaked.
"No ammo." Tom's voice was calm…almost too calm to Sam's likening.
The Doberman walked past them almost touching their bodies until they could see it. Its skin was far from black, it was covered in blood and entrails…animal she hoped.
Its teeth were visible as it started growling at them. About four meters in front of them. Saliva dripped heavily from its mouth, checking upon his next meal.
Sam saw the muscles in its body ripple underneath his fluid skin. God, she could actually see his muscles and up to his tailbone she could see the whiteness of the bones. This dog looked like it was attacked by several dogs that tried to eat him alive but he somehow survived.
Growling, he stepped closer and jumped to them. Sam closed her eyes and turned her head away from the creature against Tom's shoulder. She felt Tom's arms tighten around her, his muscles were trembling. Sam felt his heart racing against her back.
This was it. Sam's last thoughts went out to Jack. In her last thought she saw him lying in pain on the ground.
*BLAM*
Sam froze, stopped breathing and looked with bewildered eyes to the dog. The first round hit the dog in the side of its head. With a howl it fell to the ground.
Twirling her head to see their saviour, she saw Angelina with dark eyes and a Magnum pointing at the dog.
*BLAM* *BLAM*
Angelina's eyes didn't even blink. The next two rounds hit the dog in his abdomen and head, killing it instantly.
Sam released the breath she didn't knew she was holding. Tom released his grip around Sam's waist and went over to Angelina. "Are you okay?" He worriedly asked, touching her cheek with his hand.
Angelina turned her head the other way, anger written all over her face.
"I know the exit. Let's just run towards it and get the hell out of here. Screw our orders, Tom. I'll plant the bomb, you all get your butts out of here."
Tom frowned and stepped back. "You can't just cross the line." His eyes pleaded at Angelina.
"I can and I just did. I made up my mind."
"No. I don' believe it."
"You know me long enough to know that this – this is where I need to choose."
"Angelina we made it this far." His eyes were pleading, Sam swallowed hard.
"And what else Tom? You'll get killed? Or Dylan or J.D. or Fuse or Quintin? Or maybe all of us. What's against me huh? I don't have a life except my job which can't give me a normal life, no children, no lover, no husband, no family and uttermost no love. I may be a soldier Tom, but I'm also human. Maybe only human."
"No. You can't." He shook his head in disbelief.
"We crossed the lines more than once, Sir. One more jump wouldn't hurt."
"This could be your death." Sam watched a man being torn apart. She'd seen this expression of total loss. She'd seen it on Jack.
Angelina stepped away from Tom. "I know. It's better than the life I've got now. Remember you trained me to be loyal to you. To trust you, to have faith in you. But loyalty, trust and faith brought me here in this situation. I don't want to have faith anymore…I don't want to have faith in you anymore."
The pain that flashed through her features had to be like a knife in Tom's chest, but his chin remained tilted up in pride. Inside, though, he had to be breaking. This was a big risk he was taking.
"No. I need you, Angelina. I can live with the fact that you don't want to have faith in me anymore but please do it for Dylan. He'd be hurt beyond repair if he finds out that you're thinking about going to a suicide mission. Just…please, Angelina don't. I – I refuse to go on without you." Tom swallowed hard and Sam's eyes filled with tears.
She got a flashback where she saw herself pleading to Jack to get off the ship and leave her behind the force field. She knew what those two were going through. Recognized the feelings. Felt those feelings. She had to get away, back to Jack.
"You're right," Angelina breathed. "I can't be forsaken remember." She raised her eyebrows.
Tom seemed to understand what she was talking about and nodded. "Because you're not the only one."
Jack, supported by J.D. and Fuse walked in followed by Dylan and Quintin.
Sam had to refrain herself from running over to Jack but kept her emotions in check. Jack was frowning at her; he saw the emotions cross her face. She placed his arm over her shoulders, supporting him. Jack leaned back against the wall at their back and dragged Sam with him.
He leaned onto her though he was standing strong but surprised her by pulling her against his body with his arm. Holding her to him as he whispered a soft 'thank god'. And when she looked up into his eyes, she saw pure love. Regret, pain but so much love and it was directed at her.
Sam tore her gaze away and looked back at Angelina and Tom.
To Sam's surprise and to everybody else's surprise, Angelina threw her weapon to the ground and started crying. Tom shook his head and walked over to her to embrace her to him. They rocked each other back and forth and after a few dreadful moments, they stared into each other's eyes. They kissed. And again. It was a lover's kiss.
"Now, I'll be damned." Quintin laughed. "I've should've known. You little weasels."
Angelina grinned, closed her eyes and stuck up her middle finger.
Quintin snorted. "Yeah, you wish."
Sam quickly turned her head when Jack shook her rather hard. She followed his gaze and saw two dark shadows hovering next to the open door right behind Quintin.
Both dogs launched themselves onto Quintin and started eating away not caring if their pray was alive or not.
Tom tore himself from Angelina and spun around, pointing his gun at Quintin. There was no way they could help him now, he was being eaten alive. Tom couldn't risk it.
"Angelina you know the exit, run to it and place the bomb. Set it on a five-minute timer. J.D. follow Angelina with Dylan and Sam you take Jack and get the hell out of here. Fuse cover my back." Tom firmly yelled his orders, the dogs neither caring if someone was yelling behind them or not.
Being the last person out of the hallway, Sam looked back and saw Tom with tears in his eyes.
*blam*
He relieved Quintin from his burden. For a second he just stared but then ran towards the corridor with Fuse on his heels. The dogs didn't seem to care about the other meals running away. Maybe they weren't that smart.
Sam had lost time watching Tom and regretted it as she and Tom had to drag Jack through the hallways. He was coughing badly.
Light…Sam could see bright light. Ignoring the pains in her own body, she dragged Jack to the light and together with Fuse and Tom, they exited the compound in some kind of hidden exit in the middle of the forest. Angelina waited next to J.D. with the remote of the bomb in her hand.
"Tom, I'm not sure it's gonna take down the whole compound. Those dogs may still be alive after the blast."
Tom tried to catch his breath and spun around to the door. "They followed us! Hit the button Angelina and run."
Dylan started running on his own, while Tom, Fuse and J.D. helped Sam with dragging Jack's heavy body into the forest away from the compound.
Sam heard a bleep behind her and running footsteps as the bomb went off as she saw Angelina make a dive next to her, grabbing Tom while doing so.
J.D. and Fuse released Jack by the sudden blast and were thrown a few meters away while Sam held onto Jack like dear life. She felt the heat flush over them.
Sam and Jack continued rolling until they both were stopped by a trunk. Jack laid the back of his head against the hard ground as he gazed up at his second in command now sprawled on top of him.
Without warning, the events of the last twenty hours sank in, and Sam was overwhelmed by the fatigue. The previous events and emotions had exhausted her. She collapsed on top of Jack, taking comfort in his ragged breathing but steady thudding heart.
Behind her, she heard the heavy panting of those who made it out with them. She placed her cheek on Jack's chest so she could watch the people around her. Softly, barely she felt Jack's hand caressing her hair.
She felt the butterflies in her stomach and a tired but happy smile formed on her lips. Taking his other hand in hers, she brought it to her lips and softly kissed it. Her smile broadened as she heard Jack's heart race, beating faster then ever before.
Tom and Angelina were seated against a trunk, hands clasped together. They smiled and kissed.
J.D. and Fuse were coughing badly but they would get better for sure. Dylan raised himself on his elbows and gave her a tired smile before he flopped back onto the ground.
Seven people had made it. Only seven.
"Jack?" Sam whispered, afraid to break the silence of the forest.
His hand immediately fled from her hair and she let the other go, feeling utterly stupid. She was out of line.; using his first name and taking this comfort.
"Hmmm?" She heard him ask.
"We survived."
Without warning she felt his arms around her waist, pressing her to him. Caressing her back. She felt his need and his love. Yes sometimes lines must be crossed. And crossing they were and as she felt Jack press a tender kiss to her forehead, she knew that they'd be okay on the other side.
END thank you very much for reading!