Chapter Three
Dressed in a pair of white scrubs Daniel, or at least his physical self, sat cross-legged on the floor of the VIP observation quarters in front of the locked door. Sam watched him through the one way mirror. He looked absolutely dejected, clearly miserable being locked up alone. As if to further illustrate this point he whimpered pitifully.
He finally gave up on the door and started exploring his new surroundings. Sam turned her attention away when Jack stepped into the observation room. He walked up to the mirror and stared down at the wolf in Daniel's clothing.
"Has Teal'c had any luck?" Sam asked nervously.
"None."
"If anyone can find him, Teal'c can." Sam said confidently.
"What is Daniel doing?" Jack asked suddenly.
Sam looked back through the mirror and had to bite her lip to keep from chuckling.
"I...uh...think he's thirsty, Sir."
"Gross...I hope someone's cleaned that toilet sometime in recent history."
Having satisfied his thirst he rubbed his face on his shoulder and looked around again. He decided to jump up on the bed. On his hands and knees he turned several tight circles before laying down and quickly falling asleep.
"Seeing Daniel like this is just...creepy." Jack muttered.
"We probably shouldn't be calling him 'Daniel', Sir. I mean clearly it isn't him."
"And yet 'Fido' seems so inappropriate." Jack mused.
"As much as Daniel probably wouldn't want to hear it, 'Jackson' is a good dog name."
"Then Jackson it is."
Jack forced a smile and dragged his hands through his silver hair. The newly named Jackson started kicking his foot as he chased something in a dream.
"Whatever this animal is, it must be domesticated." Sam noted.
"Not 'domestic' enough for my taste."
"I just meant he's not a wild animal, he has no fear of humans. Or even of being human."
"He does seem content." Jack agreed.
Jackson rolled over onto his back and stretched out before continuing to chase imaginary prey. The phone on the wall rang harshly and Jack picked it up. He listened for a moment and then thanked the caller. Sam looked at Jack questioningly.
"That was...uh...Animal Control returning my call. They've picked up four strays today."
"Any of them look like 'Daniel'?"
"We won't know until we get there."
"Where?"
"El Paso County Animal Shelter."
They contacted Teal'c by radio and picked him up on the way to the Shelter where Animal Control surrendered the strays they captured. Stepping into the Shelter Sam hoped for a moment that Daniel wasn't here. She was nervous being here herself and she didn't have to worry about anyone trying to force her into cage.
There was incessant barking coming from behind a set of double doors off to the left. Straight ahead was a check in counter with a volunteer receptionist sitting behind it. She smiled brightly at them as they approached.
"Good Afternoon, can I help you?"
"I certainly hope so." Jack said honestly. "We've...um...lost a friend of ours."
"Cat or dog?"
"Dog."
"Name?"
"Uh...Daniel." Jack answered, feeling more than a little silly.
"No, the dog's name, please." The receptionist corrected.
"That is his name." Teal'c replied.
"Oh...okay." The receptionist smiled and clicked the information into the computer. "Male?"
"Yes."
"Age?"
"Thirty-six." Jack replied without thinking.
"In people years," Sam corrected quickly "he's around five."
"Breed?"
"Mutt, a big one, sort of wolf like." Jack answered.
"He's not a wolf-hybrid is he?" The receptionist asked.
"I...uh...I don't know. Why?"
"Animal Control brought us a wolf-hybrid about an hour ago. But...um..."
"You haven't neutered him have you?" Jack asked. "He'll never forgive me if you have."
"I'm afraid that he's actually been set to be destroyed."
"Destroyed?!" Sam gasped.
"What?!" Jack exclaimed.
"Wolf-hybrids are not like domestic dogs and high percentage of wolf blood can make them very dangerous animals."
"He is not dangerous." Teal'c said sternly.
"The Vet disagrees, the animal has been frantic and violent. We're just lucky he hasn't bitten anyone."
"He's probably terrified." Sam said defensively.
"Look," Jack sighed "let us see him. We can calm him down."
"I will need proof of ownership." The receptionist stated in a business like manner.
"Proof? Like what?"
"A vaccine record will do."
"Oh...um...right." Jack patted his breast pockets. "I must have left it in my other shirt."
"I can just call your Vet, what clinic do you take him to?"
"I don't remember the clinic name." Jack lied.
"Vet's name?"
"Uh...Dr. Frasier."
"Ah yes, Dr. Adam Frasier, Pine View Animal Hospital. I can call him for you."
Jack and Sam exchanged a nervous glance as the receptionist started to call the Vet. This was not going to work. Before any of them could think of what to do next there came a horrible cry from behind the double doors that rose above the general din of the other dogs.
The team spun around and stared at the doors in horror. Even the receptionist dropped the phone in shock. The noise repeated itself this time with a more frantic edge to it. It sounded like someone feeding a cat through a shredder tail first.
"Daniel!"
Sam and Teal'c followed Jack through the double doors leaving the protesting receptionist behind. The other dogs in the Shelter had suddenly gone eerily quiet as the animalistic wail of terror sliced through the air once more. There were two human voices as well, trying to sooth their victim with soft words.
Half way down the corridor they turned right into a large room lined with kennels. One of the shelter workers fought to control the animal that had previously escaped the SGC with a rabies poll. The long metal stick had a loop at one end that was around the wolfdog's powerful neck and a pull cord at the other end to tighten it with.
The Vet held a short poll with a syringe of bright pink fluid on the end of it and was trying to get close enough to jab him with it. However he was not about to go down without a fight. He thrashed and snapped his toothy jaw that was dripping in drool and blood.
"Daniel?" Sam asked in shock.
Any doubt in the teams mind that Daniel was indeed trapped in this unusual form was instantly removed. Daniel cried out to them, even without words his plea for help was crystal clear. He redoubled his efforts to free himself from the cord around his neck. The Vet turned on the intruders angrily.
"Get out!" She demanded.
"Let him go!" Jack demanded in return.
"This animal is dangerous, possibly even rabid." The Vet said icily. "For your own safety please leave."
"For your own safety," Jack snarled "let him go."
The Vet dropped the syringe in shock as Jack pulled out his sidearm and aimed it dangerously at her. Sam could see that the safety was still on, but that wouldn't be something the Vet would know. The assistant was so focused on keeping Daniel contained that he didn't see the drama unfolding.
"I'm not going to say it again." Jack hissed.
"I...I can't just release him," the Vet protested shakily with her hands raised "he'll attack anyone who gets between him and an escape route. Look I'm sorry about your dog...but he can't be helped."
"Carter, get that thing off his neck." Jack ordered.
"Please, don't touch him!" The Vet pleaded.
The assistant jolted as Sam came up behind him and took the rabies poll away from him. He looked to the Vet and she motioned for him to move out of the way. Putting down the stick Sam knelt in front of Daniel and pulled the rope off.
Trembling violently he threw his paws around Sam's neck in an awkward hug. He yapped a few times, but as he realized that he couldn't be understood he whimpered in defeat. She put her arms around him and stroked his soft fur.
"It's alright, Daniel." Sam said softly. "We're sorry, we didn't know."
"Okay, Kids, let's get out of here." Jack said as he holstered his weapon once more.
Sam nodded and stood up. Daniel tried to get to his four feet as well. However with his adrenaline fading he failed and collapsed to the cold concrete floor. Teal'c came up and gently gathered him in his arms and lifted him. Daniel remaind calm as a puppy. The assistant and Vet stared after them in shock as they carried the wolf-mutt out the door. The Vet looked to her coworker and furrowed her brow.
"Who names a dog 'Daniel'?"