Chapter 14
"What?" Jack exclaimed, immediately standing and taking a step back from the table.
"This has to be a mistake," Jackson said, rising with him. "Jack's been working with us this entire time."
Hank sighed. He'd realized before he'd reentered the briefing room that Jackson, and likely Jonas, would take the news hard, but he couldn't turn his back on the evidence that was presented to him. "I understand, Doctor Jackson. But we have to take every precaution."
"Precaution my ass." Jack pointed to the security guards, urging them to stay put. "Can't you see I'm being set up?"
"Jack, don't make this hard on yourself," Hank said. The last thing he wanted was to have to take Jack down by force.
"Maybe he's programmed to resist when discovered," Mitchell said, creeping closer to Jack.
"Wrong file," Jackson muttered. "Zatarc."
"Don't give him ideas!" Jack exclaimed.
Hank directed the guards to move toward Jack. In turn, Jack took another step back. Hank kept his face neutral, watching as Mitchell continued to approach from behind. Jackson and Quinn just stared on dumbfounded, but the clone…
"Hey!" the younger Jack shouted, jumping onto the briefing room table to slide in front of Mitchell. "I don't think so. I may not like myself, but there is now way in hell I – him, whatever – would turn on the SGC."
"I can vouch for General O'Neill," Jonas Quinn added. "Not that my opinion matters much."
Jack glared at him. "Thank you, Jonas. How very helpful of you."
"Look, Jack, I know this is an awkward situation, but I have a job to do. And right now, I have evidence that shows a connection between you and this conspiracy." Hank kept his gaze level. "You know you would do the same if our positions were reversed. I'm doing what you or General Hammond would do."
His reasoning seemed to bring Jack's anger down…a notch. "What exactly do you have for proof?" Jack asked. "I want to see it myself."
"All in due time."
Jack scowled. "That's not good enough, Hank. Tell me. I'm the one being arrested here."
"Agent Barrett has uncovered documentation that shows you've been in contact with Joseph Owens. Email, phone calls."
The rest of them looked shocked. Jack looked pissed.
"I don't know even know a Joseph Owens! Well, aside from today." He held up his finger again, signaling the airmen to wait. "Look, I would not do this. You know I wouldn't."
"If you're under the influence of nishta, you could be possible of anything," Mitchell said. "You could have been playing us from the start." He shook his head. "All that talk at the palace…
"Oh, listen to yourself. Do you know how crazy you sound?" The anger in Jack's face increased ten-fold.
"There's no need to get paranoid," Quinn said. Hank had to admire his persistence. But the fact remained. Right now he was holding evidence that implicated Jack in this mess.
"You have taken an interest in the Nishta Project and our efforts to provide a cure," Hank said, playing devil's advocate. "How can we know that you aren't following our leads so you can sabotage the project?"
"Because it's my job!"
"The truth is you have direct access to the SGC, the F303's, the Antarctic Post and any other Homeworld Security related issues. You report directly to the President and the Joint Chiefs. Above all, you are in the position to orchestrate and execute any plan of attack against the SGC, whether it's of your own volition or not. You told me yourself that Ba'al had no way of knowing about your meeting with the IOA." Hank set his jaw as he approached Jack. "Not unless you told him."
Jack took the challenge and stepped up to Hank, the venom in his eyes blazing. "I would never turn on the SGC and I would never ever align myself with Ba'al. Do I make myself clear?"
"Okay, okay, okay. This is getting out of hand," Jackson said, walking between the guards, Hank, and Jack. "We're falling apart. That's exactly what they want. Obviously, there has been a mistake." He turned to Jack and pressed his hand against his chest. "Jack, you should go with them for now. We'll take care of this."
Jack's gaze fell to the guards who had now drawn their weapons. "It doesn't look like I have a choice."
"No, you don't," Jackson said. "But let us figure something out."
"Fine," Jack said, turning around so that the guards could cuff him. He held his head high as they restrained him, not saying another word of protest as the guards started to guide him toward the door. He did, however, give one last hard look at Hank before he was escorted away.
Part of Hank felt guilty for having to place Jack on the spot. But if Jack was unwittingly part of a plan to undermine the government and the SGC, he had to make him an example and send a message that he meant business. Hopefully, Jack could prove him wrong.
Hank turned to the remaining people left in the room, catching the anxiety and anger in their eyes. "We have a lot to get done," he said. "Dismissed."
"You had him arrested?" Sam asked, stunned, as she and Teal'c marched into Malcolm Barrett's office.
"Colonel Carter," Malcolm said, standing. "I'm glad to see that you and Teal'c are okay."
"I'm not in the mood, Agent Barrett," she muttered. Sam slammed her hands down on his desk and glared at him. "Dammit, you know that General O'Neill had nothing to do with this!"
"Colonel, I have proof from my sources that connects him Joseph Owens."
"Then your sources are lying."
"Colonel…
"No, don't. You listen to me," she said. "General O'Neill has been working with us since the very beginning of this investigation. He is not involved with whoever is undermining the SGC."
Malcolm didn't move. He knew that trying to convince any of General O'Neill's old teammates would prove to be difficult, but he was confident that they would understand once they were privy to all the evidence. They had to listen to reason.
"The fact of the matter is General O'Neill is in the perfect position to carry out the entire attack on the SGC and the government," Malcolm said, his voice calm. "He has a direct link to the President. He is the one who authorized all of the civilians to be relocated here, where – coincidentally – he's calling the shots. He has access to all the key confidential material—"
"General O'Neill is trained to combat mind control techniques," she said, interrupting him. "He fought Hathor and he fought against Seth. You have the wrong man."
Malcolm sighed. "I know that you were close…"
"Colonel Carter is correct," Teal'c said, his tone low and threatening. "O'Neill would never do such a thing."
Malcolm pulled back his suit jacket and put his hands on his hips, taking a moment to study them both. They weren't going to break on this one.
"He's not capable of doing something like this," Sam said.
Malcolm watched Teal'c join her. "O'Neill would never jeopardize the SGC."
Unfortunately, some of Malcolm's patience had worn thin. He opened up his briefcase and withdrew a sheet of paper. "No?" Malcolm slammed down the paper and flung it towards Sam. "There's your proof."
Sam picked up the sheet of paper, reading the memo carefully. She fell silent as she passed it to Teal'c.
"That's a signed authorization from General O'Neill placing his approval behind the Nishta Project," Malcolm said.
"It's a fake," she said, her cheeks burning.
"I've authenticated it."
"It must be a lie." Teal'c handed the form back to Malcolm.
"I wish it was. But it's not. President Hayes wanted advice from General O'Neill on whether a nishta experiment was a doable plan and what applications it could be used for. O'Neill passed on his support and approval for the project." He held up the form. "And that's why you were consulted when you worked at R&D."
"He would have told me," Sam said.
"This does not prove that O'Neill has been compromised," Teal'c added.
"Not alone, no. But we also have the phone and email logs." He eased himself back into his seat. "Under nishta a person can do anything. General O'Neill could easily have been instructed to act like he always has. His questions and concern over the speed of the investigation could easily have been a way to fish for information. The link with Ba'al could be real or it could be a ruse to keep people distracted." Malcolm shook his head, easing as much sympathy into his voice as possible. "I'm sorry."
Sam shook her head and started to smile. It was one of those smiles Malcolm had come to recognize as an indication that she was onto something. "Then you're making my point," she said. "There are too many unknowns at this point. You haven't even looked at what General Clark has sent. And we haven't run a blood test on General O'Neill, yet."
"True," Malcolm said. "And I recognize that. But based on the information I had so far, I had to give my recommendation to General Landry. If General O'Neill has been compromised, we couldn't allow him to keep subverting the system."
"Did you even stop to think that maybe your sources are feeding you misinformation?" Sam asked.
"Or perhaps it is you who has been compromised and are feeding us misinformation," Teal'c said. A small, sly smile spread across his lips.
Malcolm leaned back in his chair and sighed. "It's out of my hands. Believe me, I didn't want it this way. If you were in my position, you would have done the same. Don't tell me you wouldn't have. This is a serious matter." When her face didn't break, he tossed his arms into the air and shrugged. "I'll keep digging. But you'll have to talk to General Landry for anything else."
"I will." She touched Teal'c's arm. "Let's go."
Sam and Teal'c headed for the exit to his makeshift office. He watched Teal'c disappear into the hallway, but he stood as Sam reached the doorway.
"Sam?
She stopped, her angry gaze burning a hole through his chest.
"I really am sorry."
She nodded, but didn't say anything as she walked out the door.
Sam didn't know where to start. Between the time it took her to fly from Nellis to Peterson, everything had gone to hell in a hand basket. She had gone from possibly cracking the nishta case to learning her former commanding officer had been arrested for crimes against the state.
"I'm sorry, Colonel," Landry said. "General O'Neill will remain under guard until we can determine his role in recent activities."
Sam shot a desperate look over to Teal'c. He knew as much as she did that General O'Neill would never put himself in a position where he would be compromised, especially not to the point of betraying the SGC.
The rational side of her tried to argue that Agent Barrett was right. If someone had gotten to General O'Neill, then there was no telling what his wield of influence could do. He had strong connections throughout the government and within the SGC. If Ba'al were involved somehow, then it would be the Goa'uld's ultimate revenge to have Jack O'Neill serve as his slave without being the wiser.
But then the other half of her just couldn't accept the facts and held onto the hope that her loyalty would prove them all wrong.
"Yes, sir," she finally said.
"Good. Because I have something else I need you to work on."
Sam frowned. "Sir?"
General Landry rose from the seat behind his desk and walked around to meet both her and Teal'c. "Before this whole fiasco with General O'Neill began, we had received a transmission from Ba'al stating he had some information on the Ori."
"Ba'al cannot be trusted," Teal'c said.
"No, I know. But with all this Doomsday talk, one can't be too careful." He walked past them and gazed out into the briefing room. "Now, some of our Tok'ra friends have also said they've noted some increased chatter through our end of the galaxy. I'd like you to check into it. See if there's anything new."
Sam nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."
Sam was on her way out the door when she heard overheard Landry detaining Teal'c. She slowed long enough to hear what they were saying.
"Teal'c, I want you to head down to holding and check on Doctor Jackson."
"Is there a problem?" Teal'c asked.
"No. He went down to see General O'Neill. I want to make sure everything is in order."
"I will do as you wish." Sam caught him give Landry a small bow before meeting her outside of his office.
"You're going to see General O'Neill?" she asked, even though she already knew. Something about asking Teal'c made her feel better.
"Indeed." He paused to study her face, before he lowered his voice. "Is there anything that you wish for me to tell him?"
She nodded, thankful for Teal'c's ever-present insight. "Just tell him we're doing everything we can for him." Sam placed her hand on the upper part of his arm, forcing a thin smile.
"That I will," he said, bowing to her. "Take heart, Colonel Carter. Our situation will improve and everything will be fine once again."
Sam smiled, a little more strongly this time. "I hope so. I really do hope so."
Daniel was pacing again. He kept walking back and forth in front of Jack's cell, one hand in his pocket, the other one dancing up and down, side to side, in little circular patterns as he spoke. It was driving Jack crazy.
"The way I see it, you could easily have been set up," Daniel said. He paced to the left and then to the right, accentuating his point with his open hand. "Unless, of course, you're hiding something." He started again.
"Can you stop that?" Jack asked.
Daniel stopped, frowning at Jack. "What?"
"That," he said, pointing to Daniel. "Stop it."
"Okay," Daniel said, lingering on the word, but did stop. He stood in front of the cell and shoved both of his hands into his pockets. "I'm just trying to help."
"Standing here talking isn't helping me. Go talk to Landry and get me out of here."
"Jack, you do realize you're in a difficult position, don't you?"
Jack eyed the bars that held him like a caged lion from top to bottom. "No, Daniel. The thought never occurred to me."
"Can we drop the sarcasm for a minute?" Daniel asked with a scowl.
"Then, do something."
Daniel breathed out, loud enough for Jack to hear him. He took another step toward the bars, coming to study Jack face to face. "Is there anything – anything at all – that you can tell me that I can use to bargain for your release?"
"I didn't do it."
"Yeah, you know, I need something a little more substantial than that."
"What do you want me to tell you?' Jack asked him. "I don't know how the hell Barrett pinned this on me."
"He has proof," Daniel said.
"Well, he's wrong."
"So, you had nothing to do with Joseph Owens?" Daniel asked, his eyes shining as he eyed Jack up and down.
Daniel had that look. That look that meant he was digging deep into your insides somewhere and uncovering little bits of information that he shouldn't. Jack set his jaw and stared him down.
"Interrogation, Daniel? That's why you're really here?"
"No, of course not," Daniel said quietly. He wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on his upper lip. "I'm just looking for answers like you are."
Jack could see Daniel was digging deeper. "What?" he asked. Aggravated couldn't even begin to explain how he felt right now.
Daniel's eyes narrowed, his gaze still fixed on Jack, searching him. "You haven't been entirely honest with me."
"What?" Jack asked, annoyed. "You're a mind reader now?"
"No, there's something more. Something you won't tell me." Daniel's eyes narrowed further and his voice sounded distant, distracted. "Something you don't want to tell me. Or anyone else, for that matter."
"That's ridiculous," Jack muttered, breaking his gaze. Daniel was supposed to be helping him, not treating him like some kind of criminal. He was about to remind Daniel of all the times he'd pulled through for him, when he stopped, surprised, to find Teal'c appear at the door. "Teal'c," he said, knowing the hitch in his voice sounded lame.
"O'Neill."
"Come to break me out of here?" Jack asked hopefully.
"I am not," he said, coming to stand beside Daniel. He passed Daniel a wary look before facing Jack. "I am in agreement with Daniel Jackson."
"What?"
"You are indeed concealing something."
Jack sighed, now making sure he glared at both of them through the iron bars.
"Is it not true that you provided your approval for the Nishta Project?" Teal'c asked, clasping his hands behind his back.
Daniel shot a confused look over to Teal'c, before casting his suspicious glare back onto Jack.
Jack ignored him. "Where did you get that idea?"
Teal'c arched his eyebrow in that no nonsense way of his. "Agent Barrett holds in his possession documentation regarding your involvement with the Nishta Project."
Damn, Jack thought, tapping on the bars. That didn't sound good.
"Jack, tell me you didn't really approve any of this?"
"Of course not. I thought it was a bad idea from the start."
"Was a bad idea." Daniel's eyebrows shot down while his whole face tightened. "You knew?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "Daniel, you know just as well as anyone that politics isn't black and white. In the military, you take our orders and that's it. But all this political crap—"
"So, the document is true," Teal'c said. Jack thought he sounded genuinely surprised.
Jack gave them a half nod. "It's not fake."
"I can't believe this," Daniel muttered, walking away. Here came the pacing again. "Here I am trying to help you." He shook his head and turned to face Jack while crossing his arms over his chest. "Why did you do it?"
"Lots of reasons."
"Jack—"
"What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry?" Jack pressed against the bars, making sure he looked Daniel and Teal'c both in the eyes and made himself clear. "President Hayes wanted some kind of back-up plan in the event the Ori ever broke through our defenses. Matters just got worse after the plague hit." He shrugged "Area 51 already had our tissue samples and had been trying to turn the nishta around for medical purposes and some limited military applications."
"Like when Sam was there," Daniel said.
"Yeah." Jack wasn't about to say he'd "encouraged" the establishment to check with Carter on the nishta. "Well, obviously something went wrong between then and now since Hayes would never go after anyone involved or connected with the SGC. I mean we're talking children, for God's sake."
Daniel shook his head again, apparently still unimpressed. "I just can't believe you would support something like this."
"I didn't. Nevermind." Jack batted him away with the wave of his hand. "You wouldn't understand."
"Well, try me!" he exclaimed, on the verge of going all twitchy.
"There is more that you are not telling us," Teal'c said.
Jack sighed. Teal'c always had been sharp. "No. Look, I made a deal with Hayes. He needed my support to sway others in his administration that this could work. In return, I got some extra funding for the SGC."
"You did this to keep the SGC running?" Daniel asked.
"Best line of defense," Jack said proudly. "And it's not like you were much help bringing Bigmouth to the Appropriations Committee. Funding had to come from somewhere."
He saw the discomfort fill Daniel's face and felt mildly satisfied over the fact. Served Daniel right for doubting him.
"Then what of Joseph Owens and the attack on the others?"
"No clue," Jack told Teal'c. "But from what I hear, he wasn't exactly working there legally, on the preliminary project or otherwise." Jack shrugged. "I still say Ba'al infiltrated the government. Not sure how or when, but he's involved somehow."
"Why didn't you just tell us that from the start?" Daniel asked, sounding slightly exasperated.
"It's not going to clear me. Barrett claims I've had correspondence with a man I've never met. Besides, it's not like I feel the need to publicize all my decisions."
"Sometimes you have to make the wrong decision to do the right thing," Daniel said, his voice just above a whisper.
Jack glared at him, starting to feel uneasy with Daniel's sudden shift in mood. "Okay, I wouldn't put it that way, but yeah."
Daniel nodded, solemn. "I'm going to check in with Sam and Cassie." He glanced down at his watch. "They should be with Janet right now." He forced a smile and approached the bars for one last time. "Teal'c and I will tell General Landry what you told us. Maybe we can find something to get you out of there."
He walked away from the cell quietly and left the room, his escort in tow. Jack's gaze lingered on the door as he considered Daniel's behavior and everything that had gone on over the past day or so. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but the idea that Daniel, Mitchell, or Jonas had walked away from this encounter scot-free didn't make sense.
Jack turned to Teal'c. "Okay, that was weird even for him."
"Indeed."
"Landry's sure the Prior didn't do anything to him?" Jack asked.
Teal'c inclined his head, but Jack didn't miss the caution in his eyes. "According to Doctor Lam, Daniel Jackson, Colonel Mitchell, and Jonas Quinn are in perfect health."
"You're not convinced."
"I am not."
Jack beckoned Teal'c closer with the curl of his fingers, dipping his head low so that the guard wouldn't catch the brunt of the conversation. "Keep on eye on them."
Teal'c eyed him carefully, keeping his voice low and even. "You are concerned for them."
"Of course I am." He groaned. "Teal'c, I'm not under the influence of nishta."
Teal'c paused and seemed to consider what he'd said. "You have found it necessary to make decisions that you did not favor for the good of your friends."
Jack stared at him and searched his face. He realized Teal'c understood. Of course, Teal'c would understand. Right from the start, he and Teal'c always had a lot in common, and while Jack thought Teal'c could sometimes take the whole revenge bit a little too far, he knew what it felt like. They weren't scientists. They were soldiers, soldiers thrust into the gray world of politics.
"I knew you would get it," he said.
"Indeed." The corners of Teal'c's mouth curved into a smile. It only lasted for a second. "However, I must return to General Landry to inform him of our conversation. Colonel Carter wished for me to tell you she is investigating the matter."
"Excellent," Jack said with a nod. He flicked his wrist, motioning for Teal'c to go. The sooner that Jack could clear his name, the better. They were wasting time they didn't have.
Sam led Cassie into the holding area, carefully guiding her as she approached her mother. Sam watched Janet's every move and reaction, all the while keeping her supportive hand on Cassie's back. She could feel Cassie trembling.
"Mom?" she asked as she took slow, unsteady steps toward Janet.
"Cassandra." Janet's voice broke; she was nearly in tears. She slid her fingers through the bars and reached out to touch Cassie's hand. "Sweetie, I've wanted to see you for so long."
"Mom."
The two broke down into sobs, trying their best to touch, hold, and comfort each other through the firm metal bars. Sam held back, but remained by Cassie's side as she observed the reunion. She couldn't help but be protective. Sam scooted a little closer.
She'd warned Cassie. She'd tried her best to explain what was happening, without crushing Cassie's hopes. But at the same time, she had to make Cassie consciously aware that the woman they had in custody might not ever be the mother that she remembered.
But Sam was convinced that Janet was in there. Somewhere. She had to be. The Ori and the Priors couldn't destroy such a strong person. She kept trying to think that they all were stronger than that. But regardless, the woman who she saw now was not the woman she wanted anywhere near Cassie.
Sam took a step closer to Cassie, tugging at her sleeve to pull her back. The hurt expression on Janet's face was enough to make Sam want to cry.
"You're turning her against me," Janet said, the words harsh through her clenched teeth.
Sam rubbed Cassie's back, whispering soothing words to her. "Remember," she said. "They've conditioned her somehow."
Cassie was a strong girl. A young woman now. Sam knew she had her mother's fire. She could fight her way through this situation.
"Mom?" Cassie took a step back, moving closer to Sam. "Mom, how can you talk to Sam like that?"
"Because she is trying to tear us apart."
"Janet, listen to you," Sam said. "We're not your enemy."
"No, we're not enemies. We shouldn't be enemies." Janet shook her head. "Why won't you listen? Why won't you open yourselves to the teachings of the Ori?"
"The Ori pose as gods," Sam said, walking toward the cell, but motioning with her hands for Cassie to stay behind. "They believe they are gods, offering us salvation. Then, they usurp a person's power and life force only to use it to their own ends. They are worse than the Goa'uld, Janet. Orlin showed me—"
"So, you're believing an Ancient?" Janet snorted and shook her head, causing Sam's cheeks to flare with indignation. "Do you remember what they've done? Or, I should say haven't done?"
"The Ori sent a plague across the world, Mom," Cassie said, her face pinched with horror. "One of my best friends died. How-why would you condone something like that?"
Janet was silent. Sam could read the pain and conflict in her face. She gave a subtle nod for Cassie to continue.
"Nirrti sent a plague onto my planet and killed my family. How is that different?" She bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears. "Don't you even care?"
Janet opened her mouth to respond, but Cassie shook her head. "No, it's not different! It's not!"
"Cassandra!" Janet called out.
Cassandra turned her back, hugging herself as she moved to stand in the corner. Sam turned to Janet, wondering where the hell her friend was. Wondering if her friend was there at all.
Janet grabbed the bars, glowering at Sam. "Give me back my daughter!"
"That could have been her!" Sam yelled. "That could have been her that died!"
Janet brought up her hand, blocking Sam, before she turned around in her cell, showing her back to the rest of the room. She pushed them all away.
Part of Sam wanted to punch her for being so blind. The other part of Sam just wanted to sit down and cry over her loss.
"She's your daughter, Janet. All she wants is her mother back. We want you back."
Janet refused to speak with her. Sam just looked on as Janet continued to block them out, stuck in whatever world the Ori had made for her. Sighing, Sam turned her attention to Cassie.
She stopped, surprised to find Daniel by Cassie's side. Sam hadn't even heard him come inside the room. At first glance, it looked as if he were comforting her. But when Sam took a second look, she realized that Cassie's body language was closed, almost afraid. Whatever he was telling her, Cassie nodded anyway, but Sam knew it wasn't something Cassie was comfortable with. Sam had been caring for Cassie long enough to understand when she felt troubled.
"Daniel?" Sam asked, feeling her protective nature flare up again.
Daniel gave Cassie a pat on the shoulder, whispered something that Sam couldn't hear but which sounded comforting, before he started to walk toward her and the cell. He hesitated, passing Janet a pained glance before settling beside Sam.
"What was that?" Sam asked, nudging her chin in Cassie's direction.
"She's shook up," Daniel said. "I just wanted to see how she was doing."
Sam eyed him suspiciously. She chastised herself for still feeling tense around Daniel. Maybe it was all the stress from everything that had happened.
"You're brainwashing her," Janet said, her back still to them.
Sam scowled, struggling to keep her anger in check. She felt Daniel's hand on her shoulder, warm and comforting. "We've told her the truth," she said tersely.
Janet didn't respond.
"Sam, Cassie's pretty shaken. I'll see if I can make any headway here."
Sam hesitated, her gaze shifting between all three of them. She glanced down at her watch. She'd already left a message with the Tok'ra High Council about Ba'al and had yet to receive a reply. General O'Neill was arrested and likely facing charges of treason. She was still worried about Daniel, Cameron and Jonas. She wasn't sure what kind of support she could give Cassie right now.
Dammit, she hated when she felt emotionally unbalanced.
"It'll be okay in the end."
"I hope so," Sam said, casting an anxious look in Janet's direction. "You'll be okay?"
Daniel nodded. "Call me if anything new develops."
"I will." She forced a small smile and rubbed his back. "Take care and be careful."
Daniel nodded again. He knew that she wasn't talking about Janet.
With reluctance, she left Daniel and approached Cassie, urging her to come with her to the commissary. At least Sam had a little practice over the past couple of years, learning what could help ease Cassie's pain, and in turn, Sam's as well.
Quietly, the two of them left Daniel and Janet alone. Sam hoped she was doing the right thing.
As Sam and Cassie left, Daniel turned his attention to Janet. She pivoted to face him, smiling, her gaze focused on the door, watching as Sam and Cassie disappeared into the hallway.
"The Prior has opened your mind, Daniel. How long to do you think you can keep it hidden from everyone?"
"What?" he asked, his voice sounding dead and flat even to his own ears. He glanced over his shoulder, trying to see if anyone was around to hear what she'd said. He saw his escort, but he didn't seem at all fazed by their conversation.
"Don't play dumb," she said, drawing Daniel back to the conversation. "You know it. I know it. The Prior on Langara," she continued. "He's opened your mind to the Ori."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Daniel said, frowning. He crossed his arms, taking another quick glance back at the guard. "Besides, this isn't about me."
"You keep turning the conversation around."
Daniel scowled. He was becoming frustrated in his inability to break through to Janet. He didn't know what else he could say or do to snap her out of her thinking.
It had occurred to him that maybe she really wasn't brainwashed. Maybe she truly felt the Ori were her saviors. In fact, he supposed it could be argued that was true. The Ori had saved her, resurrected her, if he were to believe her story. But he didn't want to believe that were true. Because if the Ori could turn Janet, then they could turn anyone. They could turn Sam or Jack. Cameron. Teal'c. Jonas. Even him.
He remembered the dream given to him by Shifu. While he knew that Shifu had been trying to show him that no one could resist the evil encoded in Goa'uld knowledge and genetic memory, sometimes he faltered and wondered if he were capable of what he saw in his dream. If given the chance, could he be that evil?
Daniel didn't want to ever find out.
"It's not that I like what we've become," Daniel said quietly, unfolding his arms as he took another step forward. "There are times I wish I could go back to the person I used to be. But I can't." He explored her face, searching for any kind of understanding. "But I'm still me, deep inside. I think you are, too."
Janet met him at the bars. "I love Cassandra," she said. "I would never hurt her. I would never let anyone hurt her."
I know, he wanted to say. But he didn't.
"Well, you could have fooled me."
She sighed, pressing her forehead on the bars. "I didn't want it to be this way."
"It doesn't have to," he said.
She tilted her chin and looked up at him. He started, alarmed to find fear lurking inside her eyes. "It may be too late," she said.
That caught Daniel's attention. He crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"
"You're becoming like them."
Daniel shifted his weight, feeling uncomfortable about the certainty he heard in her voice. "I'll die before I become like one of the Priors."
"I'm not talking about the Priors, Daniel."
He paled, realizing the implication of her statement. Shaken, he turned away from her and headed for the door, surprising his escort, who quickly moved to catch up with him.
Daniel wasn't going to let it happen. He wasn't going to lose himself. Janet was wrong. He would just have to prove it.