A/N: Sorry it took me more than a month to update. I was ill and am still recovering from it. I am still coming back to the doctor for check ups. I know! I am so prone to illnesses that I think you guys may not believe me anymore. LOL! I had started work just last week, so imagine finding a ton of pending reports on my table! As for this fic, I will try to make this chapter a good one. Hope you like it!

O/T: Special thanks to Cleo the Muse – again, never in a million years had I expected something like that from someone – and to matute who never ceased to amaze me (you know the reason why, amiga!). To Pike2 for her concern. Simply and extremely flattered. I might as well say thank you to a bunch of people, too, while I am at it. Whoever Belle91 is, thank you for the review (if only I could send you a personal thank you email, I would). To memyselfandi89, thank you for reviewing Search Party. Forgetful me should've sent you my thanks asap as I am wont to do. To everyone out there who are still reading this (for I may never have the chance again): thank you, thank you and thank you!

21

"Which of you is Colonel O'Neill?"

"I'm Col. O'Neill," Jack replied as he stepped in front of the copper-haired man who called out his name. He turned to the rest of his men. "This is Col. Bennett and his team, SG-11: Maj. Stokes, Lt. Cummins and Dr. Ames."

"Rhess Adok," the red-headed man introduced, "chief of Council security. This way please."

The Tau'ris followed their Ynaean escorts to their vehicles. Jack fell in step with Adok. Bennett took position on the other.

"I wish we could have met on a more pleasanter circumstance, colonel." Adok told Jack with a hint of regret in his voice.

"Where's the rest of my people?"

"They are safe, colonel, I assure you," the middle-aged man said, raising a hand in placation. "I have my best men looking after them."

Jack nodded silently. Until he sees Teal'c and SG-3 himself, he only had the word of this man to hold on to that they were indeed safe.

Adok continued on. "Forgive our late arrival. We were held up by the unusual congestion of our main thoroughfares and had to take a more circuitous route to be here."

And I thought only us Earthlings get to use that kind of excuse, thought Jack.

"Unusual?" inquired Bennett.

The chief of security turned his attention on the Army colonel. "There is an important nationwide annual event happening this evening. Roadblocks had been put up on those that would be used for the festivities later."

Jack didn't like the sound of that. "So you mean it would take us a while before we get to where we're going?"

"I am afraid so, colonel."

Crap.

- - - o 0 o - - -

Stubborn. That's what he is.

An irritated Reynolds glanced back at the man limping a few steps behind him, a determined look on his face as he tried to keep up. Must be inherent with all members of SG-1.

Ambassador Jonas Quinn had gently refused his help, reasoning that he had managed to clamber up three flights of stairs without aid and that he could manage a few more. He further pointed out that the major needed an unobstructed view of their surroundings if they wanted not to get caught unawares by the enemy. Reynolds didn't like it but had to agree, however, grudgingly.

Everything went well for the first ten or so minutes as Reynolds led the way to the stairs he came from. Their means of escape was just a level above them. While keeping an eye out for their enemies and constantly monitoring Jonas' progress that was obviously lagging farther and farther behind him, the stairs came into view as he turned a corner.

He took a cautious peek up the floor above them. Seemed empty enough. Reynolds turned just in time to witness Jonas grimace in pain as he took a careful step with the injured ankle and it simply made the US Air Force major all that more annoyed at him.

The ambassador threw Reynolds a startled look as the Tau'ri firmly grasped the waistband of his pants and tightened the grip on his arm which was draped over the major's shoulders. He began to protest.

"Shut it, Jonas," the military man sternly said as he propelled the ambassador forward. "This isn't the time to be stubborn. Sometimes you have to acknowledge that you need help when you need one. Don't be too proud to ask." At that, the kid lapsed into silence as they ascended the stairs together.

They took a moment to catch their breaths upon reaching the top landing.

"I'm sorry, Major,"

"Forget it," Reynolds shook his head.

"No," Jonas insisted. "I do admit at being stubborn at times – "

"At times?" The officer found that hard to believe.

"Yes, at times." Jonas chuckled before turning all serious again. "But proud, I'm not. I just don't want to be a burden, that's all." He ended with a nervous smile, a crescent-shaped dimple making a sudden appearance on one side of his face, when the Tau'ri regarded him with surprise. "So, what is this place exactly?"

"An abandoned building of some sort inside an abandoned complex of sorts," the major replied.

"How many men in the building?" Jonas couldn't help asking.

"Fifteen, twenty … maybe more." was Reynolds' guess.

Jonas' next question was, "Got a plan on how to get out of here?"

"Through the front door," in his peripheral vision, Jonas cast him a bewildered glance. "Don't worry, there's only one person at the entrance. It'll be easy." He reassured.

"Have you heard anything else besides where to find me?"

"They were expecting someone," Reynolds said, trying to remember snippets of conversations he overheard. They stopped at a corner wall, inspecting the intersecting corridors before them. "They never mentioned any names but from what I heard, this guy's loaded and willing to pay as long as they delivered you unharmed to God knows where."

Jonas shook his head. "You should've hu – "

He didn't get to finish his sentence as Reynolds pulled him suddenly out of the hallway they had just entered and was nearly slammed against the wall beside him. Jonas opened his mouth to say something but stopped as soon as he saw the man motioned for him to be silent.

Maj. Reynolds took one cautious peek out the connecting passageway and swore.

"What?" Jonas whispered as he snaked his way around the major and saw the reason for their retreat.

Two corridors down stood a handful of armed men, more than the two of them with only one weapon could overcome. Beyond them was the door that led outside the building. Their only means of escape.

Jonas eyed the major. "One person?"

"There was only one a while ago," Reynolds swore. "That was how I was able to easily get in."

"You think they found us out?"

Reynolds shook his head thoughtfully. "They'd be running around, arming their weapons and not stand there talking to each other. No. I think out mystery guy's coming any minute now," he guessed. "That's why they're beefing up security."

The Kelownan looked back the way they came from. "This place is big. There has to be another way out of here…"

Reynolds nodded grimly. To think that there were this close… "Let's start looking."

They roamed the rest of the unexplored corridors encountering a few obstacles in their way. They nearly crossed paths with the bad guys a handful of times but they were quick to escape detection. Reynolds kept a covert eye on Jonas, concerned with the way the civilian was panting a bit and his limp more pronounced than it was a few moments ago. It looked like the ankle was hurting more than ever from continued abuse but there was nothing they could do about it for now.

Twenty minutes into the search, they found it.

Another way out.

It wasn't a door. It wasn't even a window. It was more like a huge crack on the wall. Reynolds helped the ambassador out first, hands over the weapon to him before climbing out himself.

"What's that?" Maj. Reynolds asked as soon as he was clear of it. He dusted his hands and tunic as he stood beside the younger man.

"I said you were right, major," Jonas repeated. "We are still on Ynaea. See that?" he pointed out to one of the huge squat buildings in a distance at their ten. "It's Kelownan mixed with Ynaean architecture. And there's another but with the latter's style becoming more prominent – "

"I think we can skip the Architectural Digest's special Langaran edition, Jonas." The leader of SG-3 gently interrupted. "Right now, my immediate concern is to get as far away from this place as possible." He again supported most of the younger man's weight, shuffling a bit to get his balance. "We go around front, stay as low as we can. There's a main road that leads directly to a fenced gate but we're staying off of it in case someone's watching. We'll try to go around it instead."

Jonas wasn't one to argue. "Lead the way, major."

The duo cautiously made their way around and sought shelter within the shadows of the surrounding buildings. They could see the main road to their left but, as planned, took one of the smaller paths that ran parallel to it.

"You think they'll find us?" inquired Jonas in a low voice.

"Who?"

"Teal'c and the others,"

Reynolds shook his head once. "Much as I would like to, I don't think that's possible. I do not underestimate Teal'c's tracking abilities, Jonas, but I think we're all alone on this one."

Jonas nodded in understanding.

The uneven ground significantly slowed their progress. The air was starting to become a bit chillier which prompted Reynolds to study the sky above. From the looks of it, they only had three or four more hours of light before darkness descend upon them.

Reynolds looked this way and that, not entirely letting his guard down as he led the ambassador along the path they were on. "So, Kelownan, huh?" he asked out of the blue, wanting to distract not Jonas but himself.

"Didn't join the in-house tour?" the younger man teased.

Reynolds ignored the smile directed at him. "I never did like looking like a dumb tourist."

A cross between a laugh and a cough came out of Jonas' lips at the major's remark but he halted immediately, making Reynolds' senses alert and on full swing. "You hear that?" he whispered urgently.

Reynolds stopped to listen. He stared wide hazel eyes at his companion. "Is that music?" He never would've heard of it if Jonas hadn't brought his attention to it.

"Seems to be coming from somewhere up ahead," Jonas remarked.

They looked at one another. The sound was enough incentive for them to put a little more energy in their steps. Music meant there'd be people. And people meant help. They might get out of this unscathed after all.

They finally reached the last of the structures and were now facing an open field. Twenty meters beyond that was the gate Reynolds was talking about.

"A few steps more and we're outta here, Jonas."

But Major Reynolds of SG-3 spoke too soon as a spray of bullets rained around them.

"Shit!"

That was the second time he swore that day.

- - - o 0 o - - -

The dark alleyway abruptly ended to a high-fenced wire that had seen better days but still sturdy enough to keep people out. Cemented path met dry-cracked earth where knee-high, pale-yellowish grasses abound and where Teal'c's keen hunter's eye caught something out of the ordinary.

"The ground has been disturbed," Teal'c gravely announced to his companion as he knelt on one knee, studying the depression – a mark of a heel most probably – in front of him. "These tracks are recent."

Beyond the gate lay an open field with the same sickly-colored grass. A couple of meters beyond stood a group of dark, forbidding structures.

"Gate's open," Rhougan Dubois calmly stated after pushing it open without difficulty, noticing the rusty chains dangling from an adjacent wire fence.

They looked at one another.

Rhougan gestured at the path before them. "After you."

Teal'c stood up, reaching for the remaining zat strapped in his thigh and handed it to the aide. "This is a zat'n'kitel. If we are separated, you will have a means of defending yourself." The man eyed the weapon on Teal'c's hand. "I will show you – "

"I will have no use for it," Rhougan softly interrupted. "There are other ways of overcoming one's enemies besides using a weapon."

Teal'c respected the Kelownan's decision, although it didn't sit well with him, and placed the weapon back in its holster. Rhougan once again gestured for Teal'c to enter the grounds before him.

They reached the structures without incident and followed the tracks as much as they could. Teal'c quickly took them off the main road, taking another path to their right that ran parallel to it as they approached the huddled group of buildings.

"The tracks went all the way through that building," the Jaffa stated, pointing at one of the smaller structures facing the main road.

"Let us go around it," Rhougan suggested. "We might be able to find another way in."

Just then a dozen men, weapons in hand, came running out the suspected building and towards the other side of the road. The two men looked at each other.

That's when they heard the first shots being fired.

- - - o 0 o - - -

Maj. Reynolds half-dragged the ambassador across the open field as another salvo of gunfire rained on them as they ran, or rather stumbled, – there was nothing for them to hide behind – towards the gate. He tightened his grip on Jonas who was now panting loudly beside him, biting his lower lip and looking at the ground in concentration, as he tried to keep pace with the major's brisk steps.

Miraculously, they reached the gate safely and as Jonas Quinn flung it wide open with his free hand, a shot hit the gate's frame inches away from his outstretched hand. He flinched, loosing his precarious balance thus causing the two of them to stumble forward and down on the ground.

Reynolds quickly made a grab for Jonas and hoisted the younger man back up. "Go!" he cried. "I'll try slowing them down." he said before returning fire for the very first time.

Jonas needed no further urging and began to limp away. The major noticed the chains nearby, returned fire once more before he began to try locking the gate.

Shots rang out but the Kelownan never broke stride nor turned to see if the major was okay. He ignored the pain and the considerable strain he was putting on his injured ankle, intent on reaching that bright light a hundred or so meters ahead. So focused was he that he never noticed the dark tunnel opening on the wall to his right.

He succeeded reaching that goal. Until he realized that he had stepped right into a very crowded flea market.

Hesitating, Jonas turned back around the alley and saw Maj. Reynolds running towards him – with a dozen or so armed men not far behind.

"Jonas, go!" cried Reynolds.

The young man plunged into the crowd, going this way and that, not really knowing where to go. He slowed his pace a bit so as not to attract any undue attention to himself.

The music they had heard earlier was coming from this place and was magnified ten times over by the overhead speakers installed outside the walls of the buildings surrounding the market. People in colorful dresses abound, all in a festive mood while little children played where they could amidst all this pandemonium. A pretty brunette cast dark blue eyes coyly at Jonas who couldn't help smiling in return. And that's when he saw it.

The crowd was quick to part to let the huge vehicle through. If the major could catch up, Jonas figured they might be able to hitch a ride back to the Council. He needed to tell Reynolds. He turned.

And that was his mistake.

- - - o 0 o - - -

The ambassador had quite a head start as Reynolds ran after him. He hoped the locked gate could buy the two of them enough time to be able to get as much distance as they could from their pursuers.

And just like Jonas Quinn before him, he never noticed the tunnel opening on the wall to his right where Teal'c and the aide Rhougan Dubois had emerged from.

He was almost at the mouth of the alley when a shot rang out behind him, making Reynolds flinch involuntarily. He turned and saw a dozen men after him. Seemed like the locked gate wasn't able to hold them longer than he expected.

He looked straight ahead and saw Jonas standing there, looking back at him. What's he waiting for? "Jonas, go!"

The Langaran ambassador disappeared. Reynolds reached the spot where the other man stood a while ago and understood Jonas' predicament. They were in some sort of a busy street market.

Reynolds looked around wildly, searching for some sign of the Kelownan when he saw the vehicle moving towards their general direction. If Jonas could reach it, they might be able to get a ride out of there.

He finally saw Jonas, fifteen feet away from him, also looking at the vehicle's direction and was probably thinking the same thing. The Kelownan began to turn. But something must've happened because Jonas lost his footing. He collided hard against the person nearest him, further causing him to lose his balance before staggering sideways.

And directly on the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Jonas froze.

Reynolds yelled.