Chapter 6: INCOGNITA (Unknown)
Telum released him and backed up, making sure there was ample space between them. Then observed how he gazed behind her, marked the snarled expression on his face, and decided not to explain.
"Are those sand dunes?" Jack asked as he gazed at her.
She glanced over her shoulder before looking at him again. "Yes, it's where the ocean and river connect with one another."
He nodded, gazed at the serene surroundings, noticed the river gliding past them, and regarded the fishing boats going about their day. It was nice, but the visitation couldn't have come at a worse time.
"Where are we?" He raised an eyebrow, pondering if he should rectify the question. "When are we?"
"Same day different time zone."
"Before or after." Jack queried whilst burying his hands inside his pockets.
"Eight hours before."
"You'd have to excuse me, but ever since beaming tech came into effect I've been out of the whole zoning thing."
"Can't help you there, sorry."
Jack gave her a fierce look. "Okay, then we're done here. Take me back."
Telum stared at him with a vacant expression. Shook her head as 'no'.
"No? I was in the middle of something important before you snatched me away. Take me back. Now."
Still, she refused to comply, standing firm in the silent routine. Jack glared agitated, fuming inside.
"Sam was on the verge of identifying the right frequency. They can't stop the intruder without me, I need to go back."
"It's not up to you. Besides, they can take care of themselves."
"Why tempt the lion if you can give him the very thing he demands? Irene requested.
"Excuse me?" Jack thundered. "I don't have time for your cryptic messages. My family, our family's in danger. Do you get that? I order you to take me back Charlotte."
"Or you can tell him . . ."
"Or we can discuss the nightmares you've been having lately." Telum supplied. "I can see it in your eyes. The way you look at me. Something's haunting you."
"What?" He hissed. Bewildered as to how she knew.
"Two years, that's how long it's been since I've seen you. You should be thrilled instead, you are angry. Afraid."
"Fine time to . . ."
"How many times did you rehearse Malum's entrance, his exit, in your mind? His eyes; how they perceived your fear. His appearance; how it cracked through your irreverence. That split second you realised you couldn't protect me. That an A.I. your son sent from the future saved you from such a brutal creature."
"A bit far don't you think, Telum? Look at him, provoking him will only lead to more anger."
"If my family stayed put in the future like they were supposed to . . ." He paused, then gestured at her as he warned. "You're treading dangerous territory, Charlotte. You have no right to meddle with this timeline."
"See, I didn't need to read his micro expressions to know that." Irene declared. She ignored the A.I., reflecting the same fierce gaze as her grandfather.
"Enough with the psychology crap. Take me back, Charlotte. Now."
She lifted into the air without warning, feet dangling inches above the ground. Across from her, Jack's hand extended towards her, fingers positioned as if he was choking her. She grabbed at her neck, breathing thin as she kicked against the hold.
"Grand . . . dad." She managed, barely, when he realised what he was doing.
The Seeker fell down to one knee, breathing laboured as she gazed up at him.
"Been holding out on me Grandpa Jack."
O'Neill gazed in disbelief, hands on his head while he processed the event.
"He's not apologizing, Telum. You're risking your life for nothing."
"I can see that thank you Irene."
"Then again, you were testing him. It's only natural to receive punishment during an experiment."
"I get the point. You don't have to rub it in."
"Remember, I didn't help you to return here only to witness your death."
"Please, I only want to go back to the SGC and protect my family." He pleaded, avoiding eye contact as he did so. "You of all people should understand my frustration."
In the corner of his eye, Charlotte placed a finger to her temple, then directed the same finger towards the right side of his head. His hand raised for the area, fingers stroking over a circular device. A curse slipped past his lips, gaze focused on her as she stood to her feet.
"What you experienced was a dream provided by the memory device. You were asleep at your desk in Washington before I intervened."
"Why?" He muttered under his breath, embarrassed.
She gestured at the boats accumulating on the river to their right.
"To them tourists are like flowers in the field; they've blended in with the environment." She motioned at him. "But in this instance, you're like the queen bee. They're here because of you, not due to their love for fishing."
"What does it have to do with the thing implanted in my scalp?"
She winced at the irritated reply, disregarded it, and stated instead, "Give me an order by thinking not speaking."
Jack focussed on his granddaughter, puzzled by the request. He did as asked and watched how she knelt down; hands wrapped around her throat once more.
"How many times do you have to do this before you're convinced?"
"Leave 'I told you so' for later and block his telekinesis." Telum requested urgently.
"Perhaps I should make you suffer a bit more."
"Irene! I can't breathe."
The A.I. initiated the counter measures. She felt the hold release, then like a fish, gaped for much needed air. Jack however remained in a quiet state at a loss for words. Moreover, he felt no remorse for his actions.
"Was the command to bow down or to suffocate?" She breathed in deep, straightening her spine while she looked at him. "Or was it to bow down and suffocate?"
"A grey area, I suppose." He replied flippant. Afterward, gazed at the fishing boats as they moved up the river as if nothing happened.
"I might just mention the fact that if you keep probing his newfound abilities, like you are, it will be harder to convince him otherwise."
"What's Irene fussing about?" Jack asked, regarding the Seeker as she got to her feet. "Is she reminding you of the day you showed up at the SGC? The incident in the elevator where you lied to me, where you shot at your own flesh and blood."
"Wow that is indeed impressive, if he weren't under the influence." Irene mocked.
"Your son is alive." Telum confessed. "He's the one who implanted the Goa'uld device."
Jack glared, unaffected by the admission. "You said Malum killed him. That was the main reason you came here in the first place."
"I did what a Seeker is trained to do. I followed his orders."
"Followed his orders." Jack repeated in a snarl. He took a step forward, rage plain as day. "Since when does an O'Neill follow orders?"
"Since the day he realised he was the reason he'd lost his wife and father."
"And he thought by altering my memories he'd achieve what exactly? Justification? Mercy? What did he do that he had to come back and screw up my life?"
"You did it all on your own, granddad. The dream proved it. In fact, you were so focussed on the Captain's behaviour that you neglected the variance in your own behaviour. And to be frank, you still don't see it."
"What don't I see, Charlotte? Besides the obvious accusations and lies."
"You became him the day you defended me." She confessed.
"What!" He scowled at the absurdity. "Who's to say this isn't still a dream and that what you are is a part of the twisted concoction."
Telum raised an eyebrow signalling that he was grasping at straws.
"I'm nothing like him." Jack defended as he pointed at her. "I gazed into that maniac's eyes; death resided there. Even his face contorted like a dark abyss. If his attention wasn't so enthralled with you, you would be speaking to a dead man at present."
"'Taking this man's life would've been just as sweet.'" Telum repeated. "It's just what Malum did. All you had to do was raise your arm to deflect his sword. It could've been anyone, but that simple action sealed your fate."
"How could I have . . ." Jack's gaze lowered to the sand seemingly lost. "I did what comes naturally to me, to anyone in the military. We do it every day – place ourselves in harm's way to protect our fellow soldiers, our country." His eyes flitted to her. "Now I have to hear from the future, it's the very thing that did this to me. What was he? An alien entity? A parasite? Nanites."
"All of the above which interlaced with an A.I. created by my mother and your wife."
"Samantha." The whisper of her name echoed in his sphere, burst through the cloud drifting in his mind. "It's soothing to hear her name." He professed deep in thought as he lifted his hand. "The anger dissipates like a waterfall in the wind." His fingers mimicked that of a pianist before he lowered the hand. "Strange don't you think?"
"Could your grandmamma be the key?" Irene asked. "If you perceive the fascination lining his brow, there's emotion, whereas towards you he has shown nothing more than aggression."
"It could be but I doubt it. The dream revealed the truth about her presence, Irene. He acted in a conflicting manner."
"You should tell your A.I. to mind her own business." Jack advised, face snarled in annoyance, then relaxed as he noticed her stunned expression. "I can tell when she's being nosy."
His A.I. is active . . .
He gave Telum a playful look, afterward snorted. "Yes, he is, very much so. Since the moment you abducted me." His chest rattled with laughter. "Who have you been talking to all this time I wonder? Therein lies the rub, the wrinkle in time. Once again, why your father chose a mortal is beyond me. Your minds are so susceptible to influence. You blame abnormal behaviour on weariness, slight change in emotions, chemical imbalances. The list goes on when the answer is as clear as water. I am proof that it can be done. It's so . . ."
He paused, fingers resting beneath his chin whereas his other hand hugged his waist. Next, he sought after the proper description, then a malicious sneer curled his lips, stretched up to his eyes as he focussed on her.
"Easy. So easy to slither my way through a human's nervous system until I finally lodge in their minds. Granted, Grandeur made it so, by implanting the microchip retaining the temporary A.I. Furthermore, with only one touch from yours truly, your grandfather never stood a chance."
Malum threw his hands up in amusement. "I have an O'Neill for crying out loud." He laughed at the humour. "He's doing a great deal of that, more so than the previous host."
Telum regarded her grandfather with a sorrow-laced expression. Hearing a corrupted A.I. speak using someone she loved, it tore at her heart. She never wanted this to happen neither did her father. A person she last saw at Capitol Hill in the future.
Where was he? How could he leave her alone with Malum who occupied her grandfather's mind and body? Even Irene had left her in silence and solitude. And she wondered if the upgrade she'd received in 2006 would help her now, as it did when she'd defeated him. Her father had seen to it.
The real question was what this Malum knew of her newfound armour. If he knew about their battle over Colorado Springs still to take place years from now. Did she have the upper hand? Even more so, could she fight against the very person she strived to be?
In prospect, her hero was now her enemy.