I apologize for the long wait between chapters. I will try to do better after I return from a trip next week.

Thank you for your interest and your patience!

XXXXX

Previously...

Abruptly Jack hauls her into his arms and holds her tight. Samantha gives a faint gasp of surprise, but then her arms are around him just as tightly. Her hands clutch his T-shirt and she can feel his warm ragged breath on her neck.

"You died..." he whispers hoarsely. "They killed you."

"No," she denies. "I'm fine. I'm right here." She pulls away enough to reach up and take his face between her hands. "Jack! I'm fine!" she whispers forcefully.

She leans in and kisses him gently, keeping her lips soft on his until she feels him respond. When he deepens the kiss, she opens to his tongue and allows her own out to explore carefully. She slides one arm around his neck and slips her fingertips down the back of his collar, tenderly stroking his warm skin.

A knock on the door drives them abruptly apart.

"Jack?" Dave Dixon's voice comes through the door.

Jack has to clear his throat to answer. "Yeah, Dave. I'm up. Thanks."

"Okay. Ten minutes." Footsteps retreat down the hallway.

They sit still, staring at one another for a few moments.

"What's happening?" Samantha asks finally.

"We're going to do some recon on the building where they're holding Hayes."

"Should I come?"

He shakes his head. "No. If we decide to send you in as a substitute later on we don't want you being recognized. They're holding him in a research facility on the hospital grounds. Not as many people work there. Somebody might notice."

"Okay." She strokes his cheek, allowing her hand to linger for a moment. "Be careful."

He catches her hand and kisses the knuckles. "I will."

XXXXXX

Chapter 9

~Cheyenne Mt., Friday, 1300 hours (Colorado Time). 3 days remaining~

Harriman appears in the open door between the briefing room and General Hammond's office. "Sir."

Hammond nods. "Come in, Walter. What have you got?"

"Sir, James Abbott, the man you asked about, is an attorney in Washington. He's the retired senior partner of Abbott, Lyon & Lee. From what I could find out he still controls the firm, from the sidelines, so to speak. I called Major Davis in D.C. He says Abbott now only represents a very select group of D.C. politicians. Vice President Kinsey is among them. Abbott's expertise is the Constitution."

"I see." Hammond replies. "Presumably, Director Niles is calling on him to try and break the Joint Decree regarding Stargate Command. Thank you, Walter."

~U.S. Military Medical Center Complex, Bethesda, Maryland. Friday, 1600 hours. 2 days, 23 hours remaining~

They don't park near the Geriatric Institute, instead Max drives on to another section of the huge medical complex. He points out their target as they drive past. Two blocks away he enters a large parking lot, with buildings on three sides, and parks the car near one of the exits.

O'Neill glances at his watch. "1606," he says. "I'll need about half an hour to get inside and take a look around. Vic, you take the outside of the place. Pay attention to the neighboring buildings, too. Look for places they might post guards, or anything that could help us. Watch yourself. If you think you've been spotted, leave the area."

Sharp nods. "Okay."

"The entrance to the patients' wing is at the west end of the building," O'Neill continues. "Once I get past the reception desk, the plans show a stairwell at the far end of the corridor, and it looks like there's access to the second floor where Hayes is being held."

"Unless they've blocked off the doors, there should be," Max agrees. "There will probably be guards in the stairwell, though."

"I'd expect so," Jack says. "But there's a side corridor that leads to the main research labs. If I can get to it, I may find a way in." He turns to Sharp. "We'll go separately. You go first, Vic. We'll meet back here between 1640 and 1700."

The other colonel nods and reaches for the door handle. "Good luck." He checks to make sure there is no one nearby, then climbs out and walks casually away from the car.

"I'll follow a few minutes behind you," Max says. "I may be able to distract the guards and give you a chance to investigate."

"All right. Just don't make it too obvious." Jack checks his disguise in the sunshade mirror, ruffling up the wig a bit, then takes a pair of dark-framed glasses from his pocket and puts them on. He looks out to make sure Vic is gone, then opens the door. "See you later."

Jack goes in a direction that will allow him to approach the Geriatric Institute from a different angle altogether. After walking between two buildings, he crosses another parking lot and heads for the entrance of the Institute. He walks with a seemingly reluctant slouch, keeping his gaze down toward the ground, but in his peripheral vision he is taking in details of the buildings and installations around him. There are several people in sight, in parked cars, standing casually near the building, or walking across the lot. Some of them are undoubtedly guarding the area.

He approaches the steps several paces behind a middle-aged woman who is walking briskly. She pulls the door open without hesitation and steps inside. At the entrance Jack pauses, as if having second thoughts about going in. Through the glass doors he can see the reception desk, with a nurse seated behind it, speaking to the woman who has just entered. After a moment the woman walks past the desk and enters another door beyond. To the left of the door are two men seated on chairs against the wall. They appear to be reading magazines, but Jack can tell by the tilt of a head that at least one of them is keeping his eye on the room.

A uniformed security guard stationed at the door beyond the desk watches the red-headed man approach the entrance, looking as if he'd rather be any place besides here. A reluctant visitor, the guard thinks—one who hates hospitals. He observes the man as he pauses outside, his face drawn into a frown, then with a long sigh, he makes up his mind, and opens the door. Inside, he stops for a moment, looking around uncertainly. He shoves his hands in his pockets and slowly approaches the desk.

The nurse looks up. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, hi." The newcomer doesn't meet her eyes. "I'm... um... here to see my uncle?"

"Is your uncle a patient?" she asks.

"Yeah. He's... uh... this is the Geriatric place, right?"

"That's right. What's your uncle's name?"

"Granger. Wallace Granger. My cousin said he's in room 109, I think?"

"Yes." She picks up a pen and pad. "Have you visited before?"

He shakes his head. "No."

"Give me your name, please."

"Paul Harris."

She writes it down. "Mr. Granger's room is the next to last one on the left, down the corridor. Through there." She indicates the door behind her.

"Thanks," he says. "Um... is there a time limit for visits?"

"Visiting hours end at seven. Just don't tire the patient out."

"Thanks," he says again. He looks at the door and the guard blocking it. "Right through there?"

"That's right."

He nods and gives her a half smile, then moves cautiously toward door. The guard steps aside and pulls it open for him. At first the visitor appears confused, but then he thanks the other man and walks through into the corridor. He doesn't hear the door close behind him and glances back. The guard is standing there, watching him. He turns and keeps walking. After a moment, the door hisses shut.

The hallway is silent and deserted, but as Jack continues he can hear soft voices coming from the rooms he passes. He checks the room numbers, and almost at the end finds room 109. Opening the door, he steps in quickly.

There are two beds in the room, one of them is empty; an elderly man is lying in the second. He appears to be asleep. Jack remains beside the door for several moments, then pulls it open a crack and looks down the corridor. There is no one in sight except the guard's back in the window of the door at the end of the corridor. Jack is about to step out of the room when the man in the bed speaks.

"Who's there? Is that you, Billy?"

Jack stops. "Ahhh... no," he says without turning. "Sorry. I got the wrong room."

"Well, who are you?" the old man demands querulously. "What are you doing in here?"

Jack turns around. "I didn't mean to bother you, sir. I made a mistake."

"Why did they send you in here? I'm calling the nurse..."

"That's not necessary, sir," Jack says hastily. "I'll leave. I'm going." He opens the door wider and steps quickly into the hall.

"Don't come back!" the old man shouts behind him.

Jack hurriedly closes the door behind him and looks around. At the end of the corridor is the doorway into the stairwell. He quickly crosses to the door and opens it, stepping inside. If the old man calls the nurse, and complains, he knows he's in big trouble. For several minutes he waits, but there is no disturbance, no one approaches room 109. Finally he relaxes and turns to survey the stairs.

The steps are a typical switchback, and go up only one floor. There is a window at the landing. Under the upper flight is another door. Jack checks it quickly and finds a supply closet. He turns and heads quietly up the stairs. In the landing he pauses. From there he can see that the door to the second floor is closed, and through the inset window he sees the backs of at least two guards. No way in there. Silently he retraces his steps back to the main floor.

In the corridor are three people, walking in the direction of the exit. He waits until they have disappeared into the reception room. From the doorway he scans the corridor and locates what he thinks is the door into the side hall which leads to the labs.

He works his way along the hall toward the main part of the building without seeing anyone, until he finds himself in the large main labs of the facility. From the hallway he surveyed the labs. There are a dozen or so people working there, and he stays back out of sight. In a nearby closet he finds white coats like the scientists wear and grabs one and puts it on. When he emerges into the lab, no one pays him any attention at all. He moves around the perimeter of the lab, taking in the details of the layout, until he finds another stairwell, and carefully climbs to the second floor. Again there are guards at the upper doors.

Okay, he thinks. So we can be pretty sure that's where they're holding the President. Once more he retreats quietly to the ground floor... and then stops short. A woman is standing in the doorway to the stairwell. She is in her thirties, with dark hair pulled back in a loose knot and dark brown eyes. She's wearing a lab coat, like the one he has on.

"Who are you?" she demands in low voice.

"Um..." he begins.

She points to the name tag on his coat. "I know you're not Dr. Solomon."

"No... I'm not. Miss...?"

"I'm Dr. Rae Brenner. I work here. Now who are you?"

"Name's Harris. I was called in to cover for somebody who's sick."

Her eyes narrow. "Dr. Solomon isn't sick. I'm his associate—he'd have let me know."

"I didn't realize I'd grabbed a coat with a name tag."

Brenner appears supremely unconvinced. "Are you one of them?" she accused.

"Them?"

Her eyes flick toward the stairs. "The men upstairs. The ones that came in yesterday."

"No," he says quickly. "No, I'm not. I was just curious about what's going on."

She still looks suspicious, and starts to say something more, when they are distracted by the sound of a door opening above them.

Jack moves quickly to put himself between Brenner and the stairs, as a man appears on the landing. He's dressed in a suit, and has a gun in his hand. "What are you doing there?" the man demands.

Jack grasps Brenner's arm and moves her farther away. "Just taking a break," he says.

The man regards the two of them, how close they are standing, Jack's hand on her arm, and a knowing smirk grows on his face. His gaze lingers on Brenner's face and figure. The gun lowers. "Take your breaks somewhere else."

"Yes, sir," Jack replies.

The man turns and disappears up the stairs.

Jack urges Brenner out the stairwell door and around the corner away from the lab area. He stands still and listens.

"He had a gun," she gasps, shocked.

"Yeah, he did."

"You're really not one of them," she says in a whisper.

"Told you I wasn't." He's still holding on to her upper arms, and he looks down at her for a minute. "I'm leaving now. Don't say anything to anybody."

"Okay," she agrees.

"Get away from here as soon as you can, Brenner," he advises.

She draws a sharp breath. "What..."

"Don't ask questions. Just go."

She nods, staring into his eyes. "Okay."

He releases her, and she turns and flees, walking quickly around the corner back to the lab.

Jack waits for a count of ten, and then moves cautiously to the corner and looks around. The lab is quiet, with the white-coated people going about their business. He sees Brenner heading for a door marked 'Lockers.'

He works his way back around the perimeter of the labs, shedding the white coat as he nears the exit. A few moments later he is back at the door into the geriatric corridor. He opens it carefully, and seeing no one, steps out into the corridor.

It is quiet. He heads for the main doors, adopting a slightly nervous attitude. The guard turns when he pushes open the doors into the reception room.

"Did you have a nice visit, Mr. Harris?" the nurse asks as he passes her desk.

Jack fidgets, looks down. "Um... er. He was sleeping. I think I scared him when he woke up, so I figured I'd better leave."

"We'll check on him," she says comfortingly. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Thanks," he mumbles, still staring at the floor, and makes a beeline for the exit.

He maintains his posture until he has the corner of a building between himself and the exit, then straightens and heads for the parking lot where he left Max. He did not see the agent inside the building, but he knows that doesn't mean he wasn't there.

Max is not at the car when he reaches it, but Vic Sharp is leaning against the back fender. "Any luck?" he asks as Jack joins him.

"Definitely something going on upstairs. Door are guarded. A man with a gun spotted me."

Sharp's eyebrows go up. "Trouble?"

"I think I took care of it." He describes what happened.

Vic chuckles. "Geez, Jack. Trust you to find the women!"

Jack rolls his eyes.

Max arrives a few minutes later and the three men climb into the car.

"The guard in the reception room was really curious about you," Max says. "He kept looking through the windows into the hall. I managed to distract him with questions. I now know more about the Geriatric Institute than I'll ever need."

"Anything useful?"

"Just general information."

"What about you, Vic?" Jack asks

"I found something interesting," Sharp tells them. "I went up to the fourth floor in one of the nearby buildings. There's a chopper pad on the roof of the Institute. That's probably how they brought Hayes in."

"And how they plan to move him," Jack guesses. "We might use that to our advantage."

"You mean take him out that way ourselves," Max says as he starts up the car. "It's definitely something to consider."

They pull out of the parking lot and head back toward the highway.

TBC