Being a part of SG-1 again, the memories that were surfacing, it was like living a dream and a nightmare all at once, but one that he had no intention of waking up from. The excitement of learning, and of fighting for something he believed in was exhilarating. As Arrom, he would have never believed that this was the existence he really belonged to.
When a doctor from a research facility requested an interview, Daniel hadn't considered it to be out of the ordinary. At least, not until the questions started. "You are claiming to be Daniel Jackson."
Daniel sat in the lab across from Dr Herrosh, and regarded the man sceptically. "I never claimed to be Daniel Jackson. It's everyone else who insisted I was, they found me, not the other way around. And I am Daniel Jackson."
"Nonetheless, apparently your tests have returned inconclusive. If you wish to remain in the SGC, you will have to undergo further testing at Area 51."
"What is that?"
"A research facility."
"And it can't be done here?"
"No."
Daniel sighed. Though the memories were definitely in his head, they consisted mostly of disjointed images and incomplete events. He tried to concentrate on Area 51, to recall something about it, positive or negative. "So what happens if I fail somehow? What if, according to you, I'm not Daniel Jackson?"
Dr Herrosh smiled. "That wouldn't be fore me to decide, I'm just a scientist."
"But if, what do you think would happen?"
"The stargate program has been involved in the relocation of many refugees fleeing from Goauld rule. It is likely they would do the same for you."
Daniel considered that, it didn't sound so bad, but then none of the relocated refugees had fragmented memories about a top secret base on the protected ancient home world of human-kind. "And if I refuse to be tested?"
"The same I imagine."
Bull. He could remember enough about the military way of doing things that they didn't just set loose a possible intelligence threat out into a warzone, which is what most of the military considered the universe to be.
Jack might have something to say about it. Daniel wasn't sure. Samantha Carter and Teal'c were obviously rooting for him, but he doubted they had the sufficient seniority in the system to challenge a military order. What Jack would do, Daniel didn't know. He received mixed signals from Jack. Jack did a lot of staring at Daniel, and acted overly cheerful and supportive, but Daniel suspected that was mostly for his benefit. Daniel knew Jack had something to gain from Daniel being back and rejoining SG-1, he just wasn't sure what. What if Area 51 were to threaten that?
"I'd like to have Colonel O'Neill supervise the testing."
Dr Herrosh sighed. "I understand that O'Neill is involved in meetings for the next three days."
Daniel hadn't known that, and wasn't convinced it was true. "Then we'll wait."
"No we can't. Look, Daniel, it's a formality little else. The tests here were inconclusive not negative. All we need to do is some minor auxiliary testing with the equipment we have at our labs, and we're good to go, the paper work to reinstate your former clearance is already set to be filed. It would be a shame to have to recall it and make everyone involved resubmit."
If only there was something he could remember about area 51.
"The Colonel will be informed of your testing just as soon as he returns to his office and looks over his paperwork."
This was the organization he had chosen to work for, would he do so if they couldn't be trusted?
"No. Look, no offence, but I don't know you. I don't even know what Area 51 is. Unless a member of my team is able to accompany us, I'm not going anywhere."
Daniel reacted too late. He was taken off guard because it was supposed to be safe here, everyone was supposed to be on the same side. But apparently not. The Doctor snatched his arm, and before Daniel could fight back the contents of a syringe was injected into his forearm. He felt the effects immediately, dizziness, confusion, nausea. He suddenly couldn't remember who the man in front of him was or what he was doing there.
"Let's get you to the infirmary Dr Jackson." The man said kindly, and guided a newly submissive Daniel out the door.
Past the checkpoints on the surface, Dr Herrosh opened the side door of a white van and Daniel climbed in. It shut suddenly behind him, leaving him in a dim interior with wooden benches along the sides, no door handles, and a wire mesh separating the front from the back. Doctor Herrosh climbed in the passenger seat and smiled back at Daniel.
They drove only half an hour to an airfield, but within that time, Daniel started regaining lucidity, the door slid open and two airmen waited for him. They held handcuffs. The chances of outrunning the airmen in the middle of nowhere, with not help, no cover, and no idea where to go didn't look positive. Letting them put the handcuffs on him without resistance was even worse. Daniel twisted out of the grip of the man holding his arm and ran. He still felt slightly sick and unbalanced, and it didn't take long for one of the airmen to tackle him.
This time they held on tighter.
Dr Herrosh was already in the helicopter. Daniel caught the eye of the airmen and took a chance. "Please, contact Colonel O'Neill. Let him know about this."
"Yes sir." One whispered just before slipping a hood over his head. They led him onto a helicopter, maybe an hour or so later the copter landed and he was ushered into a building. The hood was removed, but the cuffs remained. The airmen from the mountain were replaced with some other kind of military personnel he didn't recognize.
He was led down a neutral hallway, into a room accessible by a swipe card, and instructed to sit on a table. The lab looked similar to the room where Dr Fraser examined him at the SGC. At least at the SGC he wasn't restrained, and Jack was there. He was starting to wonder just how dependent he'd become on Jack, especially as he wasn't exactly certain of the man's motives.
A group of four scientists walked in. At least he assumed they were scientists. They all wore white gowns and paper face masks. Two guards stood around them, also wearing disposable paper face masks.
"Are you afraid that you'll catch something or that I'll recognize you later?"
They didn't answer.
Daniel bit his lip. "I am a member of the SG-1, Colonel O'Neill is my superior and I'm pretty sure you have no right detaining a member of his team without his authorization."
"Who do you think signed off on this operation?"
"How gullible do you think I am?" No. This was not an official operation. No way. They wouldn't have bothered drugging him and getting him out of the SGC quietly if this was official.
"You are a potential security threat to the safety of this planet. We couldn't take the risk of you contacting any allies."
"Then you would have done this long ago,"
"Your expertise in the Ancient language was necessary to the mission."
Daniel felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Yes, he knew he'd been useful, and if not for his knowledge of the Ancient language there was no way they'd have allowed him to join the mission against Anubis. He remembered real events, things that made him trust his team, and gave him faith in the people around him. But what was behind Jack's odd behaviour? He'd been studying him, was it because he was trying to see any proof of duplicity?
"Change into this." A woman placed a paper gown on the table.
Daniel held up his wrists. "How exactly?"
The guards stepped forward and unbound his wrists. Daniel reluctantly changed while everyone watched closely and dropped his clothing into the clear plastic bag provided. "Now what?"
"Lie down." She said.
"You aren't going to dissect me or anything are you?" And oh how he hoped they'd find that funny.
They looked at each other quickly and Daniel did not feel reassured.
"Why don't you take off the masks?" He asked.
"You should consider the masks reassuring. Only tests will be done. There would be no point in covering our faces if we thought you couldn't recognize us after, correct?"
Still not very reassuring. "What are you going to do?"
"Just tests Doctor Jackson. Please lie down and let us continue with our jobs."
"Uh, no. How about I don't."
Why did it look like none of them were surprised he wasn't cooperating? Maybe the same reason they were covering their faces. "This would be much easier if you just do as we request."
"Not until you take those masks off, and tell me what the hell is really going on here."
The guards stepped forward and Daniel retreated, hands non-threateningly in the air. "We can discuss this right? I'm not asking that much. Just tell me what you're doing."
He backed up against the wall and the guards grabbed his arms. They pulled him back towards the table, and Daniel didn't struggle until he saw the scientists preparing straps on the table. "Wait, wait, wait. Okay, just wait. This isn't necessary. I'll cooperate."
They didn't listen. They pushed him down on the table, and held him steady while his wrists were buckled into leather straps, and then his ankles, holding him in place.
"Please calm yourself Doctor Jackson. Our tests require you to be conscious; needing to put you under sedation would simply waste our time and your own."
Daniel didn't see how that was supposed to keep him calm. He was already strapped down, what more kind of participation did they need? If he could delay them, what good would that do? Was SG-1 looking for him? Or were they part of this?
Of course he should have realised there would be more questions about who he was and where he came from. For someone claiming to be the long lost team member amnesia is pretty convenient, right? They'd run into duplicate SG-1 teams before. The androids, and then the holographic invasion. So really, a fake Daniel Jackson wasn't that far out in impossible-land.
They would have said something, given him warning or something though. SG-1 was going to find out he was missing and come and stop this. Any minute.
Just because they weren't around when he was taken from the base wasn't any reason to be suspicious of their loyalty. Conveniently unavailable for him to run to for help?
They couldn't really be intent on dissecting him or anything, right? They wouldn't bother with masks if they didn't think he'd be alive to identify them, and if they were worried about being identified then obviously they were worried about getting in trouble for what they were doing, and so he felt fairly confident that Jack and the SGC probably weren't cooperating with this. But if the tests were innocent, why bother with the masks? No, he didn't not want to be sedated, nor for this to take any longer than necessary, but on the other hand he didn't want to make it any easier for them either.
Two 'doctors' stood on either side. He saw a flash of scissors, and the front of his paper gown was cut open. He focused on the parts of faces that he could see. Bushy brown eyebrows wore a stethoscope and listened to his heart. Black Pony tail guy pulled a tray closer with various supplies on it, including an IV stand.
"Hold your arm still."
"What's in the IV?"
They didn't answer, but a guard did come close and hold his arm in place while the IV was inserted.
To be continued...
