Chapter 6

Flashback:

He left the old woman's lifeless corps. He had what he needed. He now knew where he was, Fair Isle off of Scotland. This colony had made its home here for almost a hundred and thirty years. But she had no knowledge of how he had come here. He headed back towards the beach. An island, how had he come to an island?

After much effort and a full night of labor he had managed to pry his sarcophagus from the ocean floor and start dragging it to shore. Finally back on dry ground he examined his instrument of rest. The stone had been eroded by the salt water and the currents but much was still intact. The seal had not been broken so he had been saved from the ocean but Scotland was thousands of miles from where he had laid himself to rest. If he had simply been discovered wouldn't he have been killed by those who stumbled upon his tomb? Of course who could get through his tomb and survive?

As he inspected his resting place over and over he cataloged everything in his mind that could give clues to how he had come here. It must have been soon after he laid himself down because of the erosion. A hundred years, no two hundred years, had passed. He had slept far longer than he was supposed to. A hundred years was the plan but perhaps this explained why his aides were not here to help him, they were all dead. Two hundred years was a long time to humans, and anything could have happened to destroy them before they could have come to awaken him. But as comforting at that idea was there was a gnawing fact that kept coming to the fore front of his mind. Only the seven, together could have gotten through his tomb unscathed. In case of enforceable their keys could have been passed to another trusted companion but all seven were needed to enter and leave without the many traps snatching the life from the intruders' bodies. It did not sit well in his hart but it was the only logical answer, both for his exceptional weakens upon awakening and the movement from his tomb to this island…he had been betrayed.

Present:

More teams had been dispatched to get medical attention to the wounded and continue the search for the wraith. Sheppard sat in the back of one of the trucks while a field medic checked out his shoulder, "OW…" Sheppard clinched his teeth as the young medic poked at the surrounded tissue.

"Okay, Colonel, you're going to need some surgery to make sure the bone is fine but other than that the tissue is just superficial. If it wasn't for your protective vest that thing would have cut your shoulder off."

"Well there's a comforting thought." Sheppard commented as the medic moved to one of the marines.

Dr. Jackson came from behind the truck. "Vala and I are heading back, you need a lift?"

"No I'll catch a ride with Ronan and McKay. How is McKay?"

"I didn't take a close look but the medic just brushed him off and moved on so I think he is going to be fine. Your man Ronan dislocated his shoulder and popped his knee which he tried to fix all on his one making it worse."

"That's Ronan for yah, he doesn't like to wait."

"Colonel, what happened?"

"Not sure really, one wraith, we had McKay on the portable scanner and Ronan taking point. The other teams were to the left and right of us. Some how he got the drop. I think he was in the trees."

"Can wraith do that, just move from tree to tree?"

"Hey, I've just seen them jump down from trees and buildings, never from one to another."

"Can I ask another question of you, Colonel?" Jackson looked grave.

"Yah, Doctor, sure."

"Did he say or do anything regarding Merlin or anything ancient as far as you know?"

"What?! No way, Doctor, he's a freaking wraith."

"Just checking."

The woods provided excellent cover from the helicopters that had been circling the woods. This wasn't the first time he had run through woods such as these. The last time he had been in the company of the Jicarilla of the Apache Nation. Ah those were the days.

He kept moving at an even pace never maintain a straight line but large arks. If any trackers were on his trail they would fallow the curves and not realize his ultimate destination. The second truck waited for him at the edge of the clearing. It was all black, an exact replica of what he had observed the government use in his scouting and preparation. He ran up to it making sure 'no eye in the sky' was fallowing him and entered the back seat.

"I thought you had a motor cycle, Boss." The driver was African American, and looked back with no surprise as to the passengers features.

"Things change." The wraith seated himself and buckled his seat belt. "Drive back to the warehouse."

"Okay, Boss Man." The driver started the car and drove.

As they made a series of turns the cell phone in the wraith's hip pocket buzzed. The wraith looked down and fished it out. That was so…coo he thought to himself. To have a voice travel for miles at the use of any individual in the palm of your hand. He looked it over and couldn't remember if it was the green or red button to answer. "Erik, how do I answer this thing again?"

"Yo, man, just push the green button with the telephone on it."

"Thank you." He pushed the button and raised the small object to his ear. "Ja… Wer fanden Sie?... Gut, bin ich dort bald habe ein Diagramm und reise vorhanden." He hung up the phone.

"Hey, Boss, what is that stuff you were talken?"

"German, Gregory has found someone for me."

"Cool…"

Chapter 7

Sheppard and his team sat around the conference table. Dr. Jackson was briefing Landry somewhere else on base. General O'Neil led the meeting. "So he tried to cut your arm off?"

"Yah, but the medic says it was because of my vest that he didn't get all the way through." Sheppard answered.

"What about any of you? Did he say anything or do anything that might tell us where he went or has been hiding?" O'Neil asked.

"Nope," McKay answered. "No," Ronan followed." "He said something about me being different and that I should think of how this could have gone." Teyla added in. "But as to his whereabouts I have no idea."

"Okay, well then all of you are going back to Atlantis."

"Sir," Sheppard interjected, "He got the drop on us one time…"

"Sheppard," O'Neil cut him off. "I know you did your best but the IOA isn't as impressed. As far as they are concerned you had your chance and besides Atlantis needs its head of military operations. Carter is already to go and you can get any further medical attention there."

Ronan looked especially pissed, but everyone looked defeated. "Don't worry, we have the entire SGC and we have had lots of experience with alien invaders. We will handle it and if we need your help again you're just a gate away."

"General," Teyla spoke up again. "May I stay behind? I may be able to connect with the wraith and try to find him. If anything I could only be an asset and as you said Atlantis is only a gate away."

O'Neil looked at Sheppard who nodded his head and then back at Teyla, "Okay, I'll pass that on to Landry. As for the rest of you back home, chop chop."

"Dr. Jackson, what are you looking for?" Landry watched as Daniel poured through books. Vala had just finished relaying how the wraith had changed the tire on Jackson's car and then joked with her about phrases and sayings. And then offered to buy any art of himself she may come across.

"I'm looking for any reference to Merlin and a monster or demon or even a wraith," he looked up, "I don't mean an alien wraith I mean a spirit or ghost maybe."

"You think that the wraith and Merlin worked to get or something?" Vala asked.

"You were there, Vala. He asked if Myrdden recognized him. Why would Myrdden have recognized him if they didn't know each other?"

"Good point." Vala agreed.

"Dr. Jackson, this seems a bit speculative," Landry pointed out. "The wraith and ancients were enemies, why would the wraith ask if the ancient knew him?"

"That was over 10,000 years ago and the artwork found on the web proves that he has been here all this time, maybe he made peace with the Ancients and they brought him back with them or something."

"Or maybe he was a prisoner and Merlin his guard," Vala suggested.

"I find that more likely," Landry added. "How else could the wraith have gotten to earth that long ago without the help of the ancients?"

"I don't know but…" Daniel furrowed his brow remembering how the wraith looked when he realized Merlin was not still a part of him. "He didn't look happy when he got his answer. He was almost sad, wistful."

"Alright, Dr. Jackson, you do what you need to do." Landry gave in and left the lab.

"So, can I ride the motorcycle?" Vala asked after the General left.

He left Eric with the truck and went into what once had been the administrative section of the warehouse. The place was empty except for the array of portable monitors and other high-tech equipment. On the far wall were an array of tools and weapons from automatic rifles to blades of many different styles and lengths.

"I found several people that fit the description you gave me." The older blond man said as he turned his computer chair around away from the large table with five monitors and on each some strange image that told some vastly incomprehensible jargon the wraith couldn't understand…yet. "Your parameters were highly specific but I think I have them."

"Zeigen Sie mich bitte." The wraith commanded, politely but a command none the less.

"Of course," Gregory turned back to his computers and types a few keys. "I'm pleased to hear someone speak my home language but it is not necessary. I do speak English, spent 3 years in England studying."

"I do not doubt your linguistic prowess, Gregory, but I have been recently betrayed and I would prefer if all information was compartmentalized. That is why you are also not being paid to take care of my vehicles. Also as long as we speak in a language that Eric or anyone else in my employ does not understand the chances of over hearing are significantly decreased." He came up and looked over the man's shoulder at the computer and then returned to German, "Denken Sie nicht an das sprechen von nichts, das wir hier mit Eric oder jedermann sonst tun." (Do not think of speaking of anything we do here with Eric or anyone else) Gregory's back become straight and nodded his head. The tone of voice said it all.

The wraith turned his attention to the screen. Over twenty names and pictures were displayed. The wraith started to point to specific ones out of the line up, "Er... Sie... Er... Er... Sie... und Er." Gregory nodded his head and brought up a window to a travel reservation site.

The wraith seemed to contemplate for a moment and made his decision, "New York zuerst." (New York first.)

24 hours later:

Vala was sleeping face first in a book Daniel had given her when she heard the words, "I've Got it!" she shot up. "I wasn't sleeping…Oh what did you find?"

"This," Daniel carried a book to her and held it open to her. It was a image of an old man and before him was kneeling a black humanoid creature with spikes and bat wings. "This is a small legend, never got anywhere near as famous as the rest of the Arthurian legends but it came about the same time as the others. This is Merlin's Demon."

"Demon?" Vala repeated.

"Yes, in the story Merlin had a Demon that he could summon to do his bidding while the knights are away looking for the Holy Grail."

"But Merlin was off world at the time the San'grall was hidden."

"Yes, I know that is why most of these stories are just stories or badly translated stories that have been warped over the years from each telling. But the primary characters are the same. In this story Merlin is threatened by another wizard that wants his place in the court. Arthur can't just dismiss him without giving him a shot or else the nobles will go crazy so he asks for a contest. Summon the most powerful force you can to free some nobleman's wife from a powerful tyrant. Well the Wizard does this by summoning storms and pestilence but the warlord just keeps locked up in his castle. Finally he admits it can't be done without the will of a knight. Merlin tells Arthur not to worry and then in a great show of power calls up a monstrous creature in the shape of a man who then goes and breaks the walls down and carries the noble woman back to Camelot."

"Nice story but hardly seems logical that a wraith could knock a stone wall down."

"Vala it is only a story, probably never was a noble woman to begin with. But think about it. Merlin gets the wraith to do a job or two for him and the reputation is segmented. And a wraith would look like a demon to any peasant back then."

"Okay, you sold me. How does this help us find him?"

"Well it doesn't…not yet but it proves that he and Merlin knew each other."

"Somehow I don't think the Generals are going to like this."

The wraith sat on a bench across the street from the tall skyscraper. One of his betrayers was to be at the top of this tower. He was dressed in grey slacks and dark red colored shirt and an ash grey overcoat. His eyes where hidden behind a pair of 500 dolor sunglasses and his hair was tied back into a warrior's tail as he wore in Greece many years before, now it was called a ponytail named after the tail of a horse.

Under the coat he carried a new 45m pistol and a roman short sword. He had been sitting out here for hours contemplating his plans. Revenge was done out of passion, it was hot and demanded action in exchange for satisfaction. But that wasn't what he wanted, he wanted justice, and that was truly best served cold.

He wouldn't kill for revenge as long as he could help it. Revenge was reserved for God but even he was tempted from time to time. No, he would get justice for what happened to him, for the betrayal of those he trusted. First he wanted to hear what had happened, what went wrong.

Chapter 8

Flashback:

He looked out over the water resting his forearms on the railing as the boat carried him and many others to the mainland. He stretched out his right arm and observed his sleeve; he had sold his gold cufflink for the passage to the mainland. The price of his cufflink was far more than any mere boat ride but he was in desperation and the small pouch of coins he kept in his boot didn't seem appropriate currency for the times. Should have taken some pounds from one of the houses before I burned them, he thought to himself.

His coat was ruined from the years in his tomb and the abuse of being exposed to the elements in such a fragile state. His coffin had been opened and closed again, he knew it, and it was the only explanation for how his cloths got so dirty and deteriorated before he woke up.

He turned back to the sea. The smell was nice. He noticed the woman and her children looking at him a few feet down. One was a little boy; he wore colorful cloths with a small yellow thing on the front of his shirt. He smiled and turned away. Normally he could manipulate the perceptions of people around him so they ignore him but with the state of his cloths and his clear disorientation with all the sights and sounds of the modern vessel and the cloths and other oddities of its inhabitants he stood out like a sore thumb. When he reached England he would have to find a branch of one of the many law firms he had long standing accounts with.

After the boat landed ashore he was pleased to notice that this was not a small port but a thriving town. Transportation should be easy enough to find. First some new attire. He moved through one of the more crowded streets where many, many shops occupied the sides. Some were rather large and all how large windows. Finally he found a window which showed male manikins in rather tasteful cloths he felt would fit him well.

There was a loud sound as he opened the door, but it was not that of a brass bell. He looked down and focused his eyes then let them fall back and relaxed. A small thin beam emanated across the door as his eyes started to see it. Some kind of trigger, when the beam was broken the sound must have been made.

"Excuse me, Sir," the voice of the proprietor, or some other functionary of the store interrupted him from his musings. "Can we help you, Sir?" His voice was very English; clearly he had been trained and groomed for servos.

"Yes, my good man, I am in need as you can see of a suit of clothes."

The Gentleman smiled, "Of course, Sir, we have been dressing men for well over 300 years. But ah," he looked up and down the wraith's cloths, "I'm not sure, Sir, that you can afford our price."

"That is quite alright," the wraith smiled, "Let us begin with the fitting." He stepped in further to the store. "I have a long way to travel and would like to begin as soon as possible."

"I'm not sure you understand, Sir, a suit can take up to seven or eight weeks."

The wraith stood next to the English man and had about 3 inches height on him. "I'm afraid the Gentleman, does understand," he reached up to his ear and pulled out his ear-ring and handed it to the older man, "and he would like a suit of clothes by four o'clock."

The older man looked at the ring and held it up to the light and his eyes went wide. He then looked at the wraith and snapped his fingers.

Within the hour he was being fitted and 3 different tailors were debating materials. A cobbler from another store even came to re-fit his boots and fit a new pair to him. After the fitting was done he was able to even experience a shower and a glass of Brandy. The liquor was well aged and perfect for someone who had been immobile for almost 200 years. Finally by four o'clock the wraith stood admiring himself in the mirror in a three piece, dark blue, light wool suit. He had a silk tie and instead of boots like he had worn before, new leather shoes that the cobbler had recommended. They were very comfortable. In fact everything was much more comfortable when you are clean. He made a slight bow to the tailors and smiled with gratitude.

"Our compliments, Sir," the older man, now named Nathanial Jerrers, complimented the wraith.

"Thank you very much." The wraith said and turned to head towards the door. "Wonderful work, I will be sure to remember this place next time I pass this way."

"Will you be needing a ride to the Airport, Sir?"

"Excuse me?"

"You said you had a long journey, flight is the fastest way."

The wraith smiled, "Yes, flying sounds like a good idea."

Now:

Daniel did show his discovery to General Landry and O'Neil but as Vala had predicted the Generals were less than ecstatic.

"SO WHAT!" Jack ranted to Daniel in Daniel's office. "So this wraith may or may not have worked for Merlin, why would that matter, Merlin is dead? And we have a life sucking alien running around doing only who knows what?"

"Jack, I know this doesn't help us catch him but maybe if we understand him we can…I don't know figure out what he is trying to do, maybe what he wants."

"I don't care what he wants…I want him off my planet or better yet on an autopsy table."

"JACK!"

"You know what I mean."

Meanwhile: in New York City

The wraith waited until the sun had begun to set behind the tall sky scrapers. This city had grown so much, the world had grown so much, he mused to himself. When did they get so energized and stop killing each other long enough to do these things. That is one of their specialties, once you think you've seen everything something new happens.

Finally done with his thoughts he got up off the bench and started to head for the office building he had been watching for the better part of a day and a half. He had observed from afar that Gregory was indeed correct about who worked here. The wraith had observed people go in and out but the one he wanted only came out once for an hour and then returned.

The years had been good to him it would seem. Patrick Clark had been one of the seven to be in his servos when he was to awaken. He had given the Clark family a title to lands that he knew would be valuable for both crops and development as the years progress and to be used in the family's best interest; this was in addition to a handsome sum arranged by his lawyers. The poor Scottish immigrant had been gone a long time.

Now it was time to collect back on that investment. He didn't go through the front door. He had learned much about the new ways he can be detected without the use of a spotter or the human eye. These cameras would be all over the front exit but the service door…

Yes, he smiled as he peaked through the open servos door, only one person on guard. And there was only one camera at the turn in the corridor. He smiled and stepped back out to take off his coat. He laid it behind a dumpster and turned to enter again. This time focusing all his mental powers on the human to create an illusion of something down the hall. The guard turned and left his desk to investigate. Then in a smooth but lighting fast movement the wraith propelled himself across the floor and beneath the camera. The then took out an instant camera of his own, newly purchased and took a snap shot from right under the camera. Then with a small mettle attachment he secured the photo in front of the camera's lens. He had gotten this idea from watching a TV show about a thief. It was his hope that as long as he was quick no one would notice and to his luck no one did. Then he went down the hall unworried to enter the employee's locker room.

20 minutes later a janitor pushing a mop and bucket on wheels exited the elevator on the top floor. He didn't clean anything however. He headed towards an office that he could sense was empty. With the inhuman strength his race possessed he forced the locked knob to turn and entered the darkened room. Checking the window he confirmed that he could indeed move across the ledge on the other side of the glass. He found the latch and easily opened the window and took his first step out onto the small ledge outside the window.

Wind billowed around him at this height but he didn't worry. He looked down, wow he was high. Then he started to cling to the side of the wall and slowly but surely crawled along the side and leap to the next ledge. This he repeated several times before he was crouching right outside the window of the President of Clark Ink. Stretching out his senses and mind he suggested to the man inside that he wanted to let some fresh air in. The man on the inside did in fact get up and open a window next to the one the wraith was resting on. He made his leap and then was inside, sliding in quietly as a mouse.

"Hello Mr. Clark…"

Chapter 9

The wraith saw Mr. Clark's face blanch. "How…" the president stammered out.

"You let me in through the window." He cut Mr. Clark off. He stepped further into the room and with his hand gestured for Mr. Clark to sit down. The man did, slowly but he complied none the less. He walked up to the small coffee table that rested between him and the man in the chair. "I didn't believe it. It can't be."

He looked Mr. Clark up and down. Nice suit, polished shoes, graying hair, well built; all these facts he observed. "I'm glad it is you." He finally spoke to the middle-aged man. "I was afraid that you might have died and your offspring would be carrying your name." He walked to the large desk that occupied the corner of the room with a nice view of the windows. "I would have had a moral dilemma of what I should do if your son was sitting in that chair." He then turned around to stand straight and tall letting the distance give Clark a small feeling of security. Fear is more manageable when the object of fear is farther away. "You must have believed on some level that I was alive or you wouldn't have begun trying to hide yourself from me."

"What do you mean?" Clark tried to look perplexed.

"I may not yet understand the computers and technology of this new age but there are those that do. I only supplied the dates, when I first appeared to Dr. Jackson, for example. You and the others started moving large amounts of funds, hiding records. It is a complex process but a young man in my employ was able to spot them. We only had to get more specific. Once I told him to look for people that would either have missing documentation, specifically about birth and family history the list only got smaller. The key to finding you was finding where that deed I gave you went. Who sold it, when, who it changed hands two and from there back track the names. And there is plenty of information about you on the internet."

"Please," Mr. Clark got his tongue, "It wasn't me…I didn't know…"

"You lost your accent," the wraith cut him off. He did not smile but kept his face neutral and blank. "I do not believe that you did not know what happened to me. For three reasons in particular; one you are still alive, and two it would have taken all seven of my aids to remove my coffin from the tomb. Finally, you suspected I was alive but instead of looking to help me you hid like you were guilty."

Clark kept his mouth shut and seemed to sink in the chair. Over 200 years and this is all the man is, the wraith thought to himself, pathetic. "I was nearly dead when I woke up. My coffin was off an island by Scotland. I was buried under the ocean's waters." The wraith then stopped talking and just stared at Clark.

"What…what are you going to do?" the man asked when he realized the wraith wasn't going to start talking again.

"I want to know what happened. Once I have the story I will then deliver the judgment of what would be justice in regards to you." His voice was cool and smooth. Each word was articulated and said slowly to make sure Clark understood everything.

"It…it wasn't my idea." Clark started to say, "After you gave me the deed and…and…"

"Renewed your life and Gilgamesh's herb," the wraith filled in for him.

"Yes, yes the herb and life, my youth." Clark looked at his hands, "I had all intentions of staying true to my word, you must believe that…" The wraith didn't say anything nor did his glare change, not one muscle moved. "It was after you went to rest and we ceiled up the tomb, years after actually. I was working the land you gave me when a letter had come…it was from Jonathan, you know your servant, he was summoning me to Philadelphia for a meeting."

The wraith waited for more, remaining silent. "We all came together and Jonathan gave us the proposition to dig you out before you woke up. You had another 30 years of sleep before we were to come. At first I didn't want to go along with it, after all why…Oh I'm sorry I skipped what Jonathan said. He was proposing that we dig you up early and take from you the life you gave to us. He had spent years working on a way to do this but he needed out help. At first we weren't going to do it but then Jonathan told us of what you do when you wake up. We had held hopes that you would have kept us in your servos but…you don't do that. Jonathan convinced us that it was better to take what we could and live as long as we could if we took both the herb you left us and the life from your veins. It was better than growing old after you take back what you gave."

Clark slumped into his chair; tiers were coming down his cheeks. He didn't want to die. The wraith looked at him and even stretched out his mind's eye to look deeper than eyes could see. Clark was crying but now out of regret for his life but regret at being caught.

"Is that it," the wraith finally asked. "Is that why you betrayed my trust and took more than the payment I offered, you wanted to live a little longer?" His voice never changed.

"Yes," Clark's voice was barley a whisper, "we wanted to live longer. Jonathan said you wouldn't give us more and that once the herb ran out that was it, that the life you gave us was also almost gone. If we didn't have more after you woke up we would get nothing and then what was left to us would be only a handful of years."

"Why didn't you finish me off in the tomb? Why was I moved to that island, to that colony of heathen witches?"

"I don't' know, I didn't have anything to do with that." That was the truth, he could tell.

"Is there anything else you wish to confess to me?" The wraith asked finally sitting down on the corner of the desk.

"No, no that is all…what are you going to do?" Clark's voice was tight and high like he couldn't get enough air.

"You tried to murder me in my sleep. You broke your word because all that I had given you wasn't enough; because of greed. You took from me what was not yours to take but mine to give." There was silence for the next few moments. "I believe you. You did not leave me in the waters around that island. And you spoke the truth to me this night even if it was only because I terrify you." Another moment of silence. "I am going to take back what you took from me and leave you the way you left me…but I will leave all that you have gained over the last two centuries. I do not need your wealth nor your life. After tonight our business is done." The wraith's judgment was stated without any emotion. It was cold and heartless. Clark had no time to object or do anything…

His face softened a bit and he appraised Patrick Clark one last time. "You are still younger than when we first met. Amazing."

The next day:

Daniel had fallen asleep over one of his books again when Mitchell ran in and shook his shoulders. Daniel's head shot up. "What…I'm up, I'm up."

"Come on, Jackson, we need to go!" Mitchell grabbed Daniel's jacket and tossed it to him.

"What, happened?" Daniel took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

"Our Wraith got some guy last night…"

The two of them ran out of the room and down the corridor to the elevators.

Hours later in New York City, Office where Patrick Clark was found:

Daniel, Vala, Teal'c, Mitchell and their tag along Teyla were allowed in past the police tape. A SGC liaison officer was already there with a clipboard, "Col. Mitchell," he straightened and saluted.

"At ease Captain, what happened here," Mitchell inquired as a forensics guy moved past their little group and out the door.

"Well, Sir, we don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know," Jackson looked around. Everyone here was military; the civilian police had been kept from investigating anything more after the initial discovery. "A wraith attack is pretty specific from what I've read."

"It is," Teyla agreed. She was wearing military fatigues and a long coat Teal'c had provided her. Her normal attire would not have been appropriate for out here.

"Ma'am that is just it." The officer addressed them all. "It was clearly a case of rapid aging. But…"

"Where is the body?" Teyla enquired.

"We had to remove him to the hospital…" The Captain explained.

"Wait, why did you take the body to the hospital?" Vala interrupted.

"Oh, I thought you knew" the captain was surprised; "The victim isn't dead."

At the hospital:

Teyla insisted on going with Mitchell and Daniel to the Hospital. It was agreed that Vala and Teal'c would stay back and see what they could get from the crime-scene.

Daniel looked through the door at the old man lying in bed with the mask over his nose and mouth. "Oh my…" he stepped back out. Memories of when Machellow had switched bodies with him surfaced. He had once been like that. So this was what wraith did to people.

"It is alright Dr. Jackson," Teyla squeezed his shoulder, "It is hard for anyone to see the wraths' aftermath and not be affected."

Mitchell went in first, "The Doctor said we can talk to him." They entered. "Mr. Clark," Mitchell said snapping the old man out of his dais. "Can we talk to you about what happened?"

"I…have nothing to say to…you."

"We know that what did this to you was not a man," Teyla spoke up. "We will believe what you tell us."

"Young Lady…" Clark's face squinted in pain and he gasped in more air, "I don't doubt…you think…you know what…happened…but I assure you…you…you don't."

"What did happen, Mr. Clark," Daniel asked. "Explain it to us so that we can understand. Were you attacked?"

"No…no I wasn't attacked. This is punishment…my punishment."

"For what," Daniel asked.

"I know… what you are doing." The old man's eyes focused on Daniel, "He made sure…my mind would be strong so…I could finish my affairs…No one should die…less than a man."

"Sir," Mitchell addressed Clark again, "You knew the 'man' that did this to you didn't you?"

Clark smiled, "Yes, Colonel, I knew him…"

"Why won't you help us? He did this to you. I've seen your picture; he took years from your life, left you like this."

"You don't know…anything. He…was merciful. The others…won't have it…so good. I can finish…my life decent. Good day."

The three of them left Mr. Clark when his lawyers came in to make up his will. "I don't understand," Teyla started talking. "He knew the wraith and still he defends it. I thought your people were beyond worshiping the Wraith!"

"Keep that down," Mitchell said and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Let's get into the car and then talk."

They all got into the car and then they started talking. "Forget the part about him defending the wraith," Mitchell started. "He said others. This wraith is going to go after others. We know this is specific, he didn't just pick Mr. Clark off the street."

"So what, we look for what Clark as in common with…who?"

"I don't know, Jackson, let's see what Teal'c and Vala came up with."

"This is a strange wraith," Teyla said to herself as they drove on.

Chapter 10

Daniel sat at home. It had been a long day. The TV was on but it wasn't showing anything important. "RRRRING" the phone started to ring again. Daniel reached over and picked up the phone, "Yes, Vala,"

"Did the wraith show up yet?" Vala was way too excited.

"I am telling you Vala that if he shows up I'll hit the beeper again and besides after our last meeting I don't think he is going to show up."

"I don't know." Vala said in her normal playful tone.

"Vala, I need to relax, it has been a long day, and you calling to remind me that a life sucking alien knows where I live every ten minutes isn't helping."

"Okay, okay, have a good night."

"Good night, Vala." Daniel said.

Daniel hung up the phone. "RING" Daniel snatched it up, "VALA!"

"Dr. Jackson," a cool voice came over the other line. "I'm not your dark haired companion that finds amusement in being spontaneous."

Daniel was stunned. "Dr. Jackson, are you there?"

"Uh, yes, I'm here," Daniel was fumbling to get his beeper.

"Don't push the Button!"

Daniel paused, "What…what button."

"The button that you used to call your friends, the Marines and who ever that big fellow was that got way too close with his knives. Normally I like a good fight but that guy was just angry. I don't remember the last time a human hated me that much. Did I wrong him in another life?"

"No, not at all," Daniel looked around. His window had the blinds down. He took a breath and calmed down, "We saw your acutance, Mr. Clark."

"Oh, how is the old guy doing?" Daniel heard the mirth on the other end of the line.

"I don't suppose that if I did push the button you would still be on the line."

"No."

"Thought not." Daniel let out a breath of air. You have argued with aliens that crawl through your gut and take over your body and you have been on another plain of existence, talking with a life sucking alien isn't that new, Daniel thought to himself. "What do you want?"

"Very direct question," the wraith responded, "however at this moment in time all I want to do is talk. When I'm good and ready my primary objective will come into focus."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"What would you like to talk about?"

"Why do you keep coming to me?" Daniel really did want to know that answer.

"Because Vala is staying inside a mountain, my attempt with Col. Mitchell ended so badly, and believe it or not, I rather like what I've read about you."

"You've read about me?"

"Oh, yes Dr. Jackson, I read a great deal. And fortunately enough for me there is nothing on earth it seems that money can't buy."

"You bought our files that is how you know about me and the SGC and Vala?""

"Yes. Anything else?"

"I found a story I think is about you."

"Oh, do tell. I'm one of my favorite topics."

"It has to do with you and Merlin." Daniel waited to see if he could hear anything that sounded important. There was a pause on the other end of the line.

"Okay, what did this story say?" The wraith's voice got very cautious. There was something here.

Daniel tried to play it as light as he could, "Oh, nothing much, it was very short, had to do with Merlin's demon and saving a maiden in distress."

"That is it. Just Merlin's demon rescuing a maiden?"

"There was a wizard trying to replace Merlin, but I guess you showed him." Daniel was waiting for something important, he didn't know what, but there was going to be something.

"HA, ha, ha, ha….ha, ha!" the wraith on the other end burst out laughing in hysterics. "That's it that is all you found. Ha, ha, ha…"

Daniel was completely baffled, "You are finding this funny?!"

"Yes…oh come on, Dr. Jackson…ha, ha, ha…you thought you had something on me, I was actually worried. Oh, my that was fun." The wraith chuckled some more. "I'm sorry Dr. Jackson that was rude of me. That story was just a tale told to ease Arthur's' worries whenever he saw me. I can be a bit intimidating, as you very well know."

"What?"

"It never really happened. Arthur was worried that I was going to destroy all he had created and Merlin just told him how I saved a maiden and then he was put at ease."

"I don't get it."

"Have you ever read any of Mark Twain?"

"Yes, everyone has." Daniel couldn't guess where this conversation was going.

"He wrote a book I just finished reading, it is about a modern man going through time and ending up in King Arthur's court. If you read how gullible everyone was then you would understand that he wasn't that far off the mark."

"You are saying the real King Arthur was drooped by a story to accepting you in Camelot?"

"Yes, oh Dr. Jackson, I must say, the dark ages were a wonderful time of ignorance, after Rome's fall I could go anywhere, do anything and say the complete opposite and people would believe it. People were saps back then. That is the right word, 'saps'?"

Daniel fell back into his chair. This was absurd; he was talking with a wraith about Mark Twain and what it was like to live in Camelot. "How old are you?"

"Just north of ten thousand or so. Truth be told I never really kept count."

"I don't believe it…"

"It is true."

"How did you come here?"

"I got on an airplane from England after a brief jaunt in Scotland. How else does one travel over the Atlantic these days?"

"That isn't what I meant." Daniel caught himself, for a moment he forgot who he was talking to.

"I know what you meant, Dr. Jackson." The wraith paused, "This was fun, wasn't it?"

"Yes, yes it was, not sure why though."

"I'm sure you don't get to talk history with someone who was there very often."

"No, no I don't."

"Well there you have it." The wraith was matter of fact. "I think I should go now, thank you for the distraction and bringing up those memories."

Daniel was silent. "I'm not a bad guy, Dr. Jackson. I'm just a man, no better or worse than anyone else."

"Waite," Daniel jumped in before the line could go dead.

"Yes, Dr. Jackson."

"Mr. Clark said something about punishment, you punished him. What for?"

"For betrayal, Dr. Jackson. He went back on his word and worst than simply running off with his payment he turned and was accomplice in my attempted murder."

"How…accomplice, there are going to be others?"

"I'm afraid yes, Dr. Jackson. There will be others whom the laws of men have no jurisdiction. I must make my own justice. But I assure you that I am not a creature of vengeance. Vengeance only belongs to one being and I am not He nor would I presume to claim his place. I shall deal with my betrayers as fairly as I am able."

"Please don't hang up…" the line went dead. Daniel got out of the chair and started dialing the SGC. A cold sweat had come over him during the final moments of the phone call, he hadn't noticed until just know. The way the wraith stated his intentions. There was something chilling and dispassionate about it that no Goa'uld could ever mimic.

Note: Again this is a compilation of chapters 6-10. It is to make the number of chapters less intimidating.