Just as Methos was pondering whether to actually take a nap while he waited for his captors to make up their minds, the heavy door slid open to readmit Daniel Jackson. "So," Methos drawled impudently as he leaned back as far as his chair would tilt without falling over, "what's the word from on high?"
The other man actually looked genuinely apologetic. That, at least, was a positive sign. "Well, we came to the conclusion that you aren't who we thought you were."
"I could've told you that. Oh, wait! I did tell you that!" Methos countered sarcastically.
A strange expression crossed Daniel's face for a moment, like he had been expecting an orange and bit into a lemon instead. "Yes, we're really, really sorry about the misunderstanding, Mr. Pierson. The man we mistook you for-"
"You mean this fellow 'Tanith,'" Methos interjected helpfully.
Daniel didn't quite succeed in suppressing the wince that followed, but it was a valiant effort nonetheless. "Yeah. The resemblance is..." He chuckled uncomfortably. "well, really very uncanny. He was a, ah... a very evil person. And I'm not just saying that."
Aha, so he didn't just happen to recognize Tanith. Oh, no; there was definitely something deeply personal about this, or Methos was the world's worst judge of people. Clear obvious understatement, the way his jaw flexed involuntarily like that, the tightness to his smile, that particular flickering look in his eyes.
However, under the circumstances Methos was not feeling all that inclined to being charitable to to the man who kidnapped him. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing you didn't just shoot me out of hand, then. Perhaps I should wear a sign that says 'I am not Tanith!' wherever I go from now on."
"Again, I'm very sorry about what happened," Daniel apologized again, his contrition apparently genuine at least so far as Methos was able to read in his voice and body language. Which was admittedly pretty far, unless Daniel was a much, much more devious and subtle man than he appeared.
"It's quite all right," remarked Methos, arching an eyebrow at the other man. "I don't mind being snatched out of my bed in the middle of the night by secret government agencies. All things considered, in fact, I'd say it's been a fun and informative experience!"
~o0o~
The sarcasm meter was off the charts.
Once again, minus the English accent, Pierson had managed to sound exactly like Jack O'Neill. Again. The comparison was like the universe was smacking Daniel on the head with a sledgehammer. Part of him wanted to shake his fist at the sky and shout Alright already, I get the idea!
"It's really unfortunate that we got off on the wrong foot, Mr. Pierson," he said instead, hoping maybe to salvage at least a small part of the situation.
"Oh, no, please, call me Adam, I insist," Tanith's doppelganger said, though Daniel's ears still detected more than a hint of mockery in his tone. It wasn't as if it wasn't well-deserved, at least. Though most people would probably be simply grateful to escape and be done with it. "You might as well. After all, you already know all there is to know about me, I'm sure."
"No, actually, there I'm pretty sure you're wrong," Daniel replied with a slight, wistful smile. "I'd say there's quite a lot we don't know about you."
"And here I know practically nothing about you, aside from your name and that you work for a part of the American government that has no problem snatching people out of bed in the middle of the night, of course," Pierson shrugged, still displaying a front of supreme unconcern about his situation, deflecting his discomfort with sarcasm. "So, are you going to let me go, then? Or are you just apologizing for the sake of your own peace of mind?"