As usual, thanks to all who read, follow and, especially, review my story! I'll have to say it: it's just so interesting to see what you think of the story so far!
Beyond Reason
Chapter Seven – Triggering
Jack jolted awake, when another seizure took hold of his body. Oh, for cryin' out loud!
He clenched his teeth together, biting down hard on them, and pressed his chin against his chest to keep his head stable, while his body trembled and twitched wildly. Trying to distract himself, he counted the passing seconds in his head and cursed silently, when he realized the attacks were getting longer.
Jack could feel his body strain against the restraints and the unfamiliar material bite into his body with more and more force. By now he assumed he had some very interesting shaped bruises all over his body and was seriously amazed that his P90 hadn't even protested to the forces it was encompassed between.
Finally, after what seemed to be hours but were probably only minutes, Jack felt the seizure give, his body relaxing bit by bit. Greedily, he sucked in air, filling his lungs with the much needed oxygen. When he was sure that he was through the attack, he rested his head back against the stretcher beneath him and took a second to consciously calm himself down. He knew the seizures weren't a good sign. He only knew for his body to react in this way, when he'd been confronted with too much or too high charged electricity, but even then it usually were only quick twitches and it was mostly confined to a specific body part. For example once his hand had been suffering painful trembles when the SGC's main computer had erupted into shiny sparks beneath his fingers…
But yeah, the electric treatments here had stopped. For now. The moment they had hooked them up to those drugs. Given, Jack couldn't really be sure that they actually were drugs, but he assumed as much. Because what else would they be given, seeing that they were prisoners/lab-rats. Certainly not additional nutrition or some good ol' vitamins…
Exhaling, the Colonel opened his eyes once more and tried to estimate how much time had passed by the amount of soreness still lingering in his body. When the first seizures had hit, he had been exhausted then and had dozed off often enough, even had fallen asleep when the harder ones began to settle in. When he had woken up afterwards, he had been almost back to normal, but now that the attacks grew longer and harder every time, he was feeling the aftereffects more and more each time. His body was sore, tired and his muscles ached. It felt like the muscle ache he had had within the first weeks of going through field training for the Air Force Academy. Every limb ached even when he stayed still and he felt reluctant to move from all the pain. At first Jack had been able to guess the passed time by the amount of pain he was still in. The more time had passed, the more he had been able to recover and was subsequently feeling better. But now the seizures came more and more frequently, ripping him of the time he needed to recover completely. He was left in a state of never-dulling pain and could only differentiate by how bad it felt.
Jack slowly turned his head. It was about the only movement he still allowed himself and only because he needed to check on Carter. Whatever those drugs were they were being force-fed, she was suffering from them, too.
"Carter?" he asked, but didn't receive an answer. Which wasn't too uncommon anymore. Still, he cursed under his breath.
Shortly after his seizures had started, she had begun reacting to the drugs with bouts of fever. At the beginning, she had managed to recuperate, fighting back her body's reactions, but just like him, the effects on her had started to worsen. Her fever would stay longer, would go higher. Sometimes, she would come out of it and was coherent, talking with him, but those periods of times became shorter and shorter. Now she was unconscious most of the time, her face ghostly white with an unhealthy red blush spreading over her cheeks and her forehead, while her body hung limp in her restraints. Jack could hear her breath rattling in her chest, whenever he wasn't distracted by a seizure. He would still call out to her from time to time, trying to coax a reaction out of her, but most of the time she didn't even give any indication that she realized he was talking to her. Damn it all!
Jack knew that those were bad signs. If this was continuing, neither of them would be able to hold on any longer. Jack barely managed to stay conscious through his seizures and wasn't sure, how much longer he could. But he was pretty sure that the moment he would fall unconscious chances were high that he would suffocate during one of the seizures or hurt something important his body wouldn't be able to heal in time with the added strain. All in all, chances were good he didn't have much time anymore. And Sam wasn't faring any better. From the unhealthy look on her face and the sweat dripping from her nose and running down her temples, he could tell that the fever was bordering on a temperature that would cause lethal damage in her body. Neither of them had enough strength left to adequately fight their illnesses, they were barely hanging on. The strain of the imprisonment and the experiments they had had to go through had left their power resources drained.
And there was still no sign of any S&R team coming for them. Jack was unsure how much time had actually passed while they'd been here, but he guessed they had crossed the standard times for S&R missions already. Oh, the SGC would still be on the lookout for them, but they would have stopped actively searching, following SOP. So nobody would come for them.
Jack hated the thought with all the strength he still had left, but he saw no way out anymore. Neither he nor Sam were in any condition to free themselves and reinforcements were unlikely to come. And their circumstances were getting worse with every passing second. So by now, Jack really wasn't sure anymore, if they would get out of this here. Maybe this was finally the point where their good luck had abandoned them. Maybe they had finally run out of the luck SG-1 was known for and were paying the price. Maybe they would lastly die, here.
Jack looked over to Sam, roaming his eyes over her face. Again, he became aware how much he had denied himself to look at her in the last time. He had put so much distance between them that it was bordering on avoidance. And, honestly? If he'd known, it was to end here, he wouldn't have struggled so much. Hell, he would've screwed the regs and not only metaphorically!
Now, and only now, Jack felt how much he had really missed her. They had seen each other daily at work, much like before, and yet it had been so different. It just hadn't been the same without their usual interaction. It wasn't enough for him to just stand next to her, he wanted to stand this tiny bit closer to her that no one else did. It wasn't just enough for him to let his eyes graze over her face, he wanted to look gazes with her and see that sudden mischievous spark that would glitter in her eyes, when he prompted her. It wasn't just enough for him to laugh alongside her at some antics Daniel had shown, he wanted to get her to show that megawatt smile she reserved for him.
All in all, he just wanted Carter back. But yeah, guess like always in his life, he had just missed the chance. He had let himself get held back by outer circumstances and had missed his chance with her. And now, he probably wouldn't even get to apologize to her, let alone say goodbye…
Another seizure took hold of his body and he felt nearly crushed by the immense pain. Before Jack could react properly, his head snapped back and banged painfully against the metal stretcher. He could feel his muscles strain in a desperate attempt to accommodate to the exceptional circumstances and his blood pounded in his ears, rushing through his body way too fast. He could actually feel something rip within his body and the pain that erupted pressed all air from his lungs, leaving him gasping for breath. Black dots began to swim in his vision and despite his best efforts, Jack could feel himself lose ground. He was fast sucked into unconsciousness, not able to get the control back over his body or his senses.
With his last strength he turned his aching head towards Carter and tried to burn her features into his memory. If this was the last time he got to see her, then he wanted to remember her for eternity.
"Sam…!" he croaked, before he finally couldn't take it anymore and fell unconscious.
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJ
When the wormhole behind them disengaged, Daniel was left with the familiar feeling of silence he affiliated P3T-643 with. Immediately, Teal'c started checking out the perimeters, but Daniel thought the planet to be as deserted as all the other days and weeks they had spent here.
"So this is it," Jacob said and Daniel was surprised when he was obviously confronted with Selmak.
"Yes," the archaeologist nodded. "We lost contact here with Jack and Sam on our initial mission."
"How long ago?" Selmak inquired toneless and Daniel seriously had to think about it.
"Um… we only were here for some hours. When we reported back, the SGC sent the obligatory UAV and then the S&R teams… We've got permission for an extended search from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, because of Jack's and Sam's sensible knowledge. And then the time in which we tried to convince them to not abandon the search…" Daniel trailed off, trying to do the math.
"I believe it to be three weeks and four days, Jacob Carter," Teal'c informed them from where he examined a rock formation.
"Almost four weeks?!" Jacob suddenly exploded, making Daniel next to him wince. "And you only thought of telling me now?!"
Daniel tried his best to look apologetic, but honestly? The archaeologist felt they had had more pressing problems during that time than thinking of bringing the Tok'ra on board, even if Jacob was Sam's dad.
"We understand," Selmak suddenly cut in, but by the conflicted look on his face, Daniel was pretty sure that Jacob did not and thus the Tok'ra had decided to take over, so they were actually getting things done.
"What happened?" Selmak inquired.
"Um… we don't know," Daniel admitted. "Sam and Jack were doing a perimeter scout, but they never came back. And when we couldn't reach them via radio, we went back to get the cavalry."
"I see," Selmak concluded. "And during your searches, did you find–?"
"Nothing!" Daniel and Teal'c exclaimed simultaneously.
The Tok'ra raised an eyebrow questioningly, prompting Daniel to explain: "We searched everywhere we could reach in the week we spent here, but as far as we have come, there is nothing here on this planet. We didn't even stumble upon a bird or a mouse!"
"No possibly hostile civilization?"
"No civilization whatsoever," Daniel corrected.
The Tok'ra seemed to think for a moment and then moved to pull a small, rectangular tool from his earthy-brown jacket. Curiously, Daniel looked over.
"It's a close-range scanner," the Tok'ra explained. "It will under no circumstances be able to cover the whole planet, but if there's anything in the near vicinity, then we'll know."
Teal'c stepped up to them, looking over Daniel's shoulder. "What are you thinking of, Selmak of the Tok'ra?" he asked.
The Tok'ra grinned. "Well, just because you didn't find anything doesn't mean there's nothing there."
"Oh!" Daniel exclaimed surprised. "You think they have somehow managed to hide their presence from us?"
"Maybe," Selmak concluded. "Soon, we'll know for sure."
The Tok'ra activated the device and rapid, humble beeping indicated it began working instantaneously. Daniel actually held his breath, hoping that the Tok'ra's advanced technology would get them farther than the SGC's scans had, until the small device finished with a final bleep.
"So?" Daniel urged impatiently.
Selmak frowned with a complicated expression on his face that made it hard for Daniel to read him. The archaeologist had to actively refrain from bouncing on his heels with nervousness. Then, suddenly, Daniel was presented with Jacob, when the older man clapped him on the back. "Good work in getting us," he praised.
"Why?" Daniel asked back confused.
Jacob turned to the two SG-1 men, showing them the scanner's display, but all Daniel could make out were lines going all over the small monitor.
"The scanner's showing underground facilities," Jacob explained.
"Oh," Daniel answered, squinting his eyes to decipher the picture the device showed them. But slowly the picture he was presented with began to make sense. From what the linguist could make out, the whole ground was undermined with structures indicating houses or halls. From where they stood at the Stargate to as far as the scanner could pick up. These weren't just underground facilities, this was an underground civilization! And all the time, they had practically been hopping over their roofs! Daniel paled upon thinking that. God, all the time while they had been searching unsuccessfully, they must have been aware of their presence! It was a miracle they hadn't even taken more of their men! Wait, why didn't they? Daniel was about to give himself a headache by worrying over this fact, when Jacob suddenly strode towards the DHD, punching in an unfamiliar address. Teal'c pulled the linguist aside, when the wormhole engaged.
"Um… Jacob?" Daniel asked worried.
But it was Selmak, who answered: "We must leave immediately. We have no means of knowing what this unknown civilization is capable of and I would rather not stay and wait, until we find out, if they have noticed my scanning."
Daniel understood that. Totally did. But still. "What about Jack and Sam?"
"We have to come for them another time. The three of us will not be sufficient to start a rescue mission," Selmak elaborated.
"Selmak is right," Teal'c agreed.
Daniel sighed defeated. He just hoped Jack and Sam were hanging in there. "So where we're going?"
Selmak stepped up to him. "To the current Tok'ra base."
Now the archaeologist almost choked. "To mount a rescue mission!?"
Selmak looked at him as if the reason had to be obvious. "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are in possession of sensitive information regarding the Tok'ra. It would not be in our best interests to leave them to an unknown enemy. So, now that the Tau'ri seem to have ceased all rescue measures, the Tok'ra will make sure that neither officer will be able to spill any information."
Daniel clearly heard the double meaning and tried not to bristle at that.
Then, Jacob took over once more, smiling reassuringly at Daniel. "Don't worry, Daniel," he said. "We'll get them out."
Daniel nodded back gratefully, thinking that this was probably the best he could hope for in this situation.
"It will take some time, because most of the Tok'ra are on missions, of course, but we'll use the time to send a ship with long-range scanners and get an overall vision of the underground structures on this planet," Jacob explained, obviously treading ideas with Selmak in his head.
Daniel sighed relieved, while walking towards the waiting event horizon with Jacob and Selmak.
"Oh, and Daniel?" Jacob asked sweetly.
"Yeah?" the archaeologist answered warily.
"Next time, come directly for my help!" the ex-General ordered.
Daniel looked confused. "You expect there to be a next time?"
The General's head snapped around. "There better be not!" he scowled.
Daniel raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Hey, I'm not the one, who went MIA. I'll leave that to the military part of our team!" he defended himself.
"Indeed," Teal'c nodded. "Daniel Jackson is more known for his presumed deaths."
"Hey!" the archaeologist shouted indignantly. "That was one time!"
Teal'c smiled knowingly at him and together all three men stepped through the event horizon, heading for the recent Tok'ra home world.
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJ
General Hammond had just been on his way back to his office after the debriefing with SG-18, when the alarms blared out. Sighing, the General turned back for the stairs, before Sergeant Harriman could even announce: "Unscheduled off-world activation!" over the PA system. The General had walked up to the Chief Master Sergeant, before he had ended his sentence and together they waited for any identification signal to arrive.
"From which planet are we being dialed up?" the General asked, his eyes smack on the screens in front of them.
Harriman checked something, before shaking his head. "Unknown, sir."
"So this planet's not in the Abydos' cartouche?" General Hammond concluded.
"No, sir," Harriman agreed.
"Then check the addresses we got from Colonel O'Neill," the General ordered, but before Sergeant Harriman could follow through with the command a familiar signal blinked up on the computer's monitors, making both men hold in.
"Um… receiving IDC, sir," Harriman reported. "It's… Doctor Jackson's code!"
General Hammond almost sighed with relief. Given, he was still furious with the archaeologist for his reckless, rash behavior, but he trusted the man enough so that he hadn't immediately alerted the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for this evident breach of security. Instead, he had decided to give him and Teal'c a day, before he would get Kinsey on the plan to get them locked out of the system, too. Okay, so two days had passed already, but commanding Cheyenne Mountain was a demanding job, so it could happen that such things were going under, couldn't it…?
General Hammond reached out for the intercom and ordered the security team on stand-by in the 'Gate room to be on the watch, observing them raise their personal defense weapons, safeties switched off in the split of a second in response to his order. The General wanted to just command the Chief Master Sergeant waiting next to him for his orders to open the iris, but the SOPs prevented that. Doctor Jackson and Teal'c had practically fled from the base, abandoned their posts and gone off-world without informing him of their goal and their intentions. General Hammond had no means of knowing where they had gone, what they had done or who they had stumbled upon. By all means, they could have gotten compromised or influenced by some foe and the General couldn't say if it was still safe to let them return to Cheyenne Mountain. But apparently, the archaeologist had borne in mind how their standard operation procedures worked, the General figured, when Sergeant Harriman announced: "We're receiving visual data."
"On the screen!" the General ordered immediately.
And with a click on the keyboard Daniel Jackson's head appeared on the monitors in the control room.
"General Hammond!" he greeted with the usual static that came from the transmission through the wormhole.
"Doctor Jackson?" General Hammond greeted back with all the irritation he felt present in his voice.
To his credit, the archaeologist winced visibly. "Ah, I can explain everything!" he promised instantly. "But right now we have more important problems! Teal'c and I are currently with the Tok'ra and we have located Sam and Jack! The Tok'ra are starting a rescue mission, but they need more manpower, so is there any chance we could get some SG teams for…"
This time, General Hammond really reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. Talk about great timing! While the General was glad beyond words that the Tok'ra had managed to locate his 2IC and their best astrophysicist, he had just been ordered to cease all rescue measures for the two officers gone MIA. Actually, General Hammond hadn't been willing to take the defeat with Kinsey and had tried pleading their cases once more, only for it to end in a base-wide order to abandon all means of help for these two officers. So he couldn't comply with Daniel Jackson's wishes without going against direct orders.
Harriman looked back at him, clearly aware of the dead end the General had maneuvered himself into. Still, General Hammond hadn't made it to a two-star with sucking up and complying to shit. Just like a certain Colonel he could really use back at his base, he had strayed from direct orders with creative ways when he felt he knew better than those higher-ups who weren't directly involved anyways. He had always ensured, however, that the results far outweighed his insubordination, so nobody had complained yet and he had made his way through the ranks steadily.
Turning back to the anxiously awaiting archaeologist, the General said: "Doctor Jackson, you know as well as we do that all search and rescue measures for Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter have been ceased!"
The linguist opened his mouth immediately, undoubtedly to plead his case, but General Hammond was faster. "But if I understand you correctly, you're requesting backup for a Tok'ra undercover mission?"
Daniel's mouth snapped shut with a clap that the General imagined he could hear over the transmission covering millions of light years. Then the linguist began nodding furiously, having caught on to the General's implied meaning.
"Alright," General Hammond smiled. "Of course we'll support our longest allies. How many teams do you need?"
Daniel beamed, practically lighting up like a christmas tree. "Thank you!" he said sincerely. "I think four or five teams would be sufficient."
The General inclined his head. "We'll see what we can manage. I'll have them geared up in two hours and send them through to you."
"Thank you," Daniel repeated earnestly. "I'll send our coordinates and the planet's address."
Almost immediately, Harriman confirmed: "Data received."
General Hammond nodded in the same moment the wormhole disengaged and the transmission ended abruptly.
"Alright Sergeant, page SG's 8, 15 and 21. Briefing in half an hour," the General ordered.
"Yes, sir. Um… sir?"
General Hammond nodded for the Chief Master Sergeant to continue.
"Not to sound presumptuous, sir, but I really think Colonel Reynolds would want to be present for this mission…" the Sergeant trailed off, unsure if he had overstepped his boundaries.
"Probably," the General agreed, knowing as well as the faithful Sergeant how very much personal the Colonel had taken it that his S&R mission to find Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter had been rudely interrupted, before he could bring his friends back.
The General thought for a moment. "SG-3's on P8S-76L, right?"
"Yes, sir," Harriman confirmed innocently. "Doctor Balinsky is studying the ruins Doctor Holland from SG-20 was pestering you about…"
The General remembered the lively outburst the temperamental woman on SG-20 had had in the middle of the control room, when he had given the mission to SG-3.
"Alright Sergeant, get SG-3 back here and SG-20 geared up. They're taking over on P8S-76L."
"On it, sir," the Sergeant nodded, while dialing up the aforementioned planet.
As soon as the wormhole had engaged, the Sergeant was broadcasting. "SG-3-niner, this is Stargate Command. Can you hear me?"
It took only a moment for Reynolds to answer and Harriman almost chuckled at the relaxed voice the Colonel used. He hadn't been there himself, but from what he'd heard about the planet it had to be a tropical paradise.
"SG-3, you are to return to the base, as soon as SG-20 has taken over your job," Harriman reported and upon Reynolds' grumbling, added: "You're in for a mission you surely don't want to miss!"
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJ
Jack came to, when the strangest noises reached him. For a moment, he was unsure, if he'd dreamed it up, because his head was coming up with the weirdest things nowadays. Sluggishly, he tried to lift his head, tried to look around, but his body failed him. He felt weak, as if his whole strength had left him. At the same time, he could feel that his body was tense, strained beyond his limits so that it wasn't merely uncomfortable, but painful. His muscles still twitched, although he didn't have a seizure and from the way he wasn't getting air into his lungs he knew that his body revolted against his restraints.
Jack pried his eyes open with an effort that was just unfair. The picture he was presented with swam and swayed and he could only make out colorful dots. Wait a minute? Colorful? Hadn't his cell been dark the last time he'd checked?
Jack squinted his eyes, trying to get a clear vision. Okay, the dark green and brown he could explain. That were his camouflage BDUs he was staring at. But the rest? Jack blinked rapidly, until the picture finally cleared in front of his eyes. He saw the green alien working with another light green one on the computers and the red one standing behind them, seemingly barking out orders. Yellow and light gray aliens were running back and forth. Jack stared at them amused. He'd never seen these aliens so… uncomposed. Was that actually a word? But yeah, it fitted. He had never seen them so… hectic and chaotic, so… reacting.
For a second Jack only watched. Whatever had happened must have gotten them into a tight spot. They were desperate, Jack could see it. Amazing that they still managed to not make any sound. Jack frowned. Was that even true? They had to make sound, hadn't they? The red one appeared to be screaming…
Jack shook his head back and forth, as if trying to get water out of his ears. Slowly, the sounds came back. He could hear the screaming and it sounded even quite agitated. There was the stomping of light feet hurrying back and forth and the sound of clicks, when one of the green ones hit their computer's display too hard. And there was a rapid, frantic beeping overall that just wouldn't shut the hell up!
Jack looked around, trying to find out where the unfamiliar noise was coming from. And then his eyes fell upon her. Carter!
It wasn't a pretty sight, not at all. Her body was hanging sideways into the restraints, lifeless aside from the wriggling that overcame her much like his seizures. Her face was deathly pale with almost dark red patches on her cheeks and forehead that indicated that her fever had risen even more. Sweat was dropping from her nose and her chin, and her hair was slicked to her face, dark from the perspiration. Her clothes were glued to her body, drenched in sweat. Her mouth was opened, but try as he might, Jack couldn't see her breathe. She was dead to the world and whenever a series of twitches hit her body, she didn't react in any way.
Jack paled and suddenly was wide awake. His body still felt detached and heavy, but his mind was focused. On her and the rapid beeping that he assumed was an alarm. An alarm that probably told the aliens that her state had deteriorated enough to be worried. No, from the anxiety he witnessed, it was more than that. They were working too frantic, as if they were trying to rescue her, not trying to diminish her fever.
And suddenly, Jack knew exactly, what the rapid beeping in the background reminded him of. It was eerily similar to the Napoleonic power monger's EKG flat-lining…
Oh, no! No, no, no, no! She couldn't! He wouldn't allow her!
"Sam!" he called out, over the chaos exploding in their cell. "SAM!"
No response. No reaction. No whatsoever. For cryin' out loud!
"SAM!"
Nothing.
"Don't you dare give up on me now, Major! That's an order!"
He wasn't surprised however, when that got him just as much reaction as he'd received before: none.
God, he couldn't! He couldn't lose her! Not now. Not ever.
Jack had known that it was a possibility, had known that they were heading this way given their situation if nothing happened. He hadn't been prepared, though. Having to witness her dying was the worst torture he had been exposed to in his whole life. He had had to go through it before, had seen her flat-lining when Jolinar had died inside her and the entity had overtaken her, and it had been enough. He couldn't take any more. Sam wasn't supposed to die, she was supposed to live! She was young, she was beautiful, she was needed. So why her? Why couldn't it have been him instead? He would have taken her place in an instant!
One of the gray clad aliens stepped up to her, obscuring Jack's view on her. It began doing something, but Jack couldn't see what. Anger welled up in the Colonel upon seeing the alien touch her. They had no right to touch her. They had had no right to experiment on her. They were responsible for her state now!
Jack growled heatedly, a sound even he had never heard himself usher before. Anger raced through his body, burning hot and scorching everything that came into its way. They had hurt her. They had made her suffer. They had essentially killed her!
Suddenly, something inside Jack seemed to burst. The anger took over, turning into full-blown rage that consumed his whole body and strengthened it, making an unusual powerful feeling rush through him. Jack's whole senses centered on the sight of Sam, his complete attention glued to her.
Without him noticing, Jack's body leaned forwards, straining against his restraints. His muscles bulged, counteracting the restraints, fighting against them. Jack grunted from the effort, but he was barely aware. Another alarm began to rise and he felt his restraints dig harder into his body, working to pull him back. Jack almost felt himself explode at the realization. They would not hinder him from reaching her! He pushed harder, feeling the restraints bite into his body. His weapons and his clothes creaked and tore under the combined pressure, and here and there, the heavy bands nicked his skin, breaking through the surface and cut into his flesh, drawing blood, but Jack couldn't care less. Nothing mattered but her! He just had to reach her, had to see for himself how she was doing!
Jack groaned from the pain his abused, tense body was enduring, but he didn't let up. His muscles worked relentlessly, battling his restraints with as much strength and effort as he could muster. He was determined. With a firm goal set in mind, Jack worked; worked towards his goal, simply refusing to give up.
Then, suddenly, Jack felt his constraints give. With a ripping sound the bands across his chest and arms tore. Jack inhaled deeply now that he was finally able to, reveling in the oxygen that finally flowed back into his lungs. Immediately, he sat up, one of his hands instantly reaching for the combat knife attached to the belt at his hip. Within seconds he was completely free, his restraints hanging in limp, torn pieces. Jack slid from the metal stretcher, testing cautiously if his legs would hold him. Astonishingly, they did, even though all he'd done for weeks had been lying down.
New alarms joined the still ringing ones, but Jack only concentrated on the alarm he knew was connected to Sam. Still going. Shit.
Stashing the knife back, Jack reached up for the cuffs around his arms. Without a care for the damage he could do to himself, he ripped all tubes and cables from them. Immediately blood began to trickle down his arms when a few of the connecting needles were torn out by him, but the only thing Jack focused on was the brownish mud now spilling onto the cell's ground. Good, that was where it belonged.
Jack tried his cuffs, but couldn't get them loose. But he managed to force them down his arms, producing holes and tears in his flesh when the remaining needles within the cuffs ripped through his skin in the process. Jack grunted from the pain, but didn't pay it much attention. He just wanted to get rid of them, get finally freed! With a satisfying clank the cuffs fell to the ground. Jack didn't even wait to hear it, the moment he was unbound from all restrictions he bee-lined for Sam.
Jack had grabbed his knife and cut her free in one smooth movement, before he began ripping the tubes and cables from her. He managed to untangle her, but couldn't get the cuffs off of her. He tried to be gentle but seriously lacked the time and since she had smaller upper arms than he had, he couldn't get the cuffs loose enough to relieve her of them. Alright, then this would have to wait, he decided.
Then, almost dreadful, Jack reached up and searched for her pulse. He pressed his fingers into her throat, but couldn't find anything. Cursing, he tried to stay calm and form a plan what he could do. CPR wouldn't do in their situation. It would only allow their captors enough time to get him back under their control and then she would have no chance anymore. His best option was to get her to a doctor, as fast as possible. Maybe it wasn't too late. But that meant getting her back to the SGC, or at the very least out of this lab.
Jack knew that given their situation this was next to impossible, but nevertheless he straightened with resolve. She would have no other option, so he would do whatever he could. Either he would get her out of here, or he would die alongside her, trying.
His jaw set with determination. Reaching forwards, Jack unclipped Sam's P90 and let the gun fall to the ground, but didn't touch her other weapons. He might still need them. Then he hoisted her up, throwing her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. He was astonished how light she was. Considering her whole equipment, she should weigh more…
Grimly he realized that this was probably not a good sign.
Not giving himself the time to think, Jack turned, heading automatically for the direction he knew the doors were. He had barely made a few steps, when the red alien rushed into his way, barking something he couldn't understand anyways in a commanding voice. Jack shifted his grip, holding onto Sam with his left arm, while the right one went for his Berretta strapped to his thigh. He raised the weapon with used movements, but obviously the alien had no idea, what it was for, because it just kept on shouting, demanding.
"Out of my way!" Jack snarled, the rage still evident in his voice.
The alien didn't move. So Jack felled it. A single, accurate shot, striking the alien between its eyes. The alien fell, hitting the ground the moment Jack strode past.
Immediately, all alarms went still, before a new, almost deafening one blared up. Jack short-circuited the door's electronics with another well-placed shot, which thankfully made the door open up, and hurried through. He had been military long enough to know what this kind of alarm meant, even if he was on another, alien planet. It was a base-wide alarm, indicating that the prisoners had escaped. So now, wherever he was, all aliens present would be on their tails, trying to recapture them.
Jack began to hurry down hallways at a random. He had no idea, where he had to go. Everything was unfamiliar.
Almost instantly, he could feel his own exhaustion creep back into his limbs, while he staggered down unknown corridors, but pushed it back stubbornly. This was their only chance. On his shoulders he could feel the high body heat and the sweat coming from Sam soak into his BDUs and the hand that held her wrist to keep her stable while he sprinted down dark corridors with her told him clearly that she still had no pulse.
God, it would be a miracle, if he got them out of this! And even then, he knew, it wouldn't guarantee that it had still been in time for her…
