Chapter 21

Jonny was frustrated. He usually enjoyed his history assignments, but right now the Chesapeake-Leopard incident took a definite second place to learning Goa'uld and helping Daniel translate texts, or working with Sam on some alien technology. Race had been adamant, however, that Jonny return to his schoolwork, and everyone else agreed with him. Thus, Jonny was sitting alone in Dr. Jackson's office, reading about an irritating skirmish that helped to bring about the War of 1812.

He sighed. That Race would undoubtedly provide, at the end of this lesson, one of his impossible essay questions only added to his annoyance. He looked down at his book, then carefully put a marker in and closed it. Pulling his crutches to him, he got up and crossed over to Daniel's desk to peek at what he'd been working on until the meeting with SG-9 had called him away. What Race didn't know wouldn't hurt anybody.

Gazing at the translation Daniel had been working on, Jonny was struck by inspiration. He grabbed a piece of scratch paper and started scribbling. He'd just put his thoughts down on paper and was contemplating how to slip them to Daniel without Race noticing when he heard a footstep behind him. Hoping it was Daniel but fearing it was Race, he turned around.

"Good afternoon, Jonny," Colonel Simmons said with a smile that looked highly unfriendly.

"Dr. Jackson is in a meeting," Jonny said dutifully. "I don't think he's going to be back for awhile."

"Good," Simmons said, walking into the room. Jonny raised his eyebrows, not sure what that was supposed to mean. "Surely you're not supposed to be standing up like that."

Jonny shrugged and moved back to his chair. "I have homework," he said. "I'll tell Dr. Jackson that you came by."

"I didn't come to see Dr. Jackson," Simmons said, drawing a chair up to sit close by Jonny. "I came to see you."

"I don't really want to talk to you, Colonel Simmons," Jonny said uneasily. "In fact, I think –" He was reaching for his crutches as he spoke but Simmons put his hand on them.

"Don't be in such a hurry, Jonny," the colonel said.

Jonny sat back, crossing his arms. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I'm sure your father would not approve of you being so ungracious."

"You might be surprised what my dad approves of," Jonny replied. "But you didn't answer my question."

"I have a few questions I wanted to ask you about your experiences with Thoth."

Jonny bit his lip. "I'm sure General Hammond would let you read my report –"

"Your report!" Simmons repeated with a condescending chuckle. "How very grown up."

Jonny's eyes narrowed. "I'm sure General Hammond would let you read my report, assuming you have the right classification level. Since I have no way of knowing what your classification is, I really can't discuss anything."

Simmons pursed his lips. "I quite understand," he said. "So, since I know you're permitted to talk freely about your experiences with the Corporation, I have a few questions about that."

"I'm allowed to talk about it with anyone I want to talk to about it," Jonny said. "I don't want to talk to you about anything."

"I think that's a pretty clear statement." Jonny looked up, immeasurably relieved to see Race framed in the doorway. "Who in the hell are you?"

"This is Colonel Simmons," Jonny said. "You remember, the guy who came to talk to Dad while you were in South America with Jessie and Estella."

"Ahhh," Race said with a smile that reminded Jonny of a shark. "Colonel Simmons, surely you are aware that you can't talk to Jonny without the permission of his guardian."

Simmons rose to his feet, and he looked like he was experiencing a very unpleasant surprise. "You're not supposed to be here." Jonny felt a surge of anger that he controlled with some difficulty. Probably Simmons was one of the ones who'd been making it harder for Race to get clearance.

Race leaned casually against the doorframe. "Then you'd better hurry up to General Hammond's office and let him know that there's an intruder on his base. He may just tell you that he brought me here himself, but you can't know that for sure without asking him."

"Actually, I just have a few harmless questions for Jonny. You can be here when I ask them if you like."

Race raised an eyebrow. "I don't," he said shortly. "Jonny, I think you need to go to your room."

"Yes sir," Jonny said. Simmons had taken his hand off the crutches quite casually when he stood up, so Jonny grabbed them and headed for the door.

"Wait a moment, Jonny," Simmons said, but Race shook his head. Jonny kept going out the door and straight for the elevator. He had a feeling that Simmons was going to get the rough side of Race's tongue. That was usually why Race sent him away like this. He didn't care. Simmons had made him awfully uncomfortable.

He went to his room and turned on the PlayStation. It beat sitting with nothing to do.

Jack still wasn't sure why he'd been roped into this meeting. It was stuff and nonsense so far as he was concerned. Daniel needed to be here. Jack had no place in a discussion of tribal ritual and how best to make friends with crazy people who thought that looking a stranger in the eye was a deadly insult and whatnot else.

Hammond was eyeing the little stack of pencils he was building with disfavor when heavy footsteps on the spiral stair from the control room made them all look up. Harriman popped into view looking highly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir," he said. "But there's evidently a loud verbal altercation coming from Dr. Jackson's office. I believe it's Colonel Simmons and Mr. Bannon."

"Shit!" Jack growled. He got up. "That's bound to come to blows if somebody doesn't intervene."

"And you think you're the one to intervene?" Daniel asked incredulously. Jack made a face at him and hurried out of the room.

There was no doubting the ferocity of the argument. Jack could hear them down the hall. He glared at a couple of people who were hovering nearby, listening, looking both nervous and fascinated, and they hurried off. He promptly took the place they had vacated.

". . . no business being in charge of that boy!" Simmons said, his tone an insult.

"Oh, and I suppose you think you should look after him?" Race asked.

"As a matter of fact, no," Simmons replied. "His intellect needs to be nurtured, and I hardly think either you or I is the man to do it."

"But you want to take him away from here."

"You know as well as I do that the boy's father wished him to be kept away from the stargate program. Keeping him here is in direct opposition to Dr. Quest's own decision."

"We also both know that Benton didn't want Jonny to be 'guided' by the NID!" Race snarled. "So somehow I don't think you're all that interested in keeping to Benton's wishes."

"With Quest gone, we have the best alternative environment for the boy."

"Dr. Jackson seems to be an excellent alternate mentor to me," Race replied. "I'm certain Benton would approve."

"Perhaps he would, but we can't know that for certain, and the boy needs guidance that Dr. Jackson can't give him."

Jack found himself wondering just what guidance Daniel was unable to provide, but Race anticipated his train of thought. "You just don't want that pacifist influence emphasized."

"Nothing of the kind!" Simmons retorted. "Dr. Jackson was raised in a series of highly unpleasant foster homes, much the way you were. As a result, neither of you is suited to caring for a sensitive boy. Frankly, I don't know what was in Dr. Quest's mind when he made you his son's guardian."

"Dr. Quest's mind would be beyond your capability to understand," Race replied venomously.

"Oh Lord help me!" Simmons said sarcastically. "I think I'm going to be sick. The idolization of men like Benton Quest and Daniel Jackson is nauseating. They're just men, like other men, not the demi-gods you and O'Neill and Hammond make of them."

Jack felt his spine straighten as rage coursed through him. How dared Simmons insult Daniel after all Daniel had done to save this planet, not to mention Simmons' insignificant life!

"Demi-god?" Daniel exclaimed from just behind Jack. "Do you really think I'm a demi-god?"

"Not hardly!" Jack said instantly, his rage leaking out of him a little. He turned to find Daniel looking curiously at him. "You don't even rate avatar."

Daniel snorted. "Demi-gods and avatars occupy much the same level, Jack," he said, then walked around the door into his office. "Colonel Simmons, may I help you?"

Simmons looked a little wild-eyed as Jack turned the corner. His eyes grew even wider, looking over Jack's shoulder. Jack glanced back and saw General Hammond.

"Colonel Simmons," Hammond said. "I believe I asked you to apprise me of any future visits in advance."

"The NID is not required to inform you of its movements," Simmons said resentfully.

"No, I suppose not," Hammond said softly, and Simmons glared at him. "Do you have an appointment with someone here on base?"

"Not precisely, I have some questions for Jonny."

Hammond glanced around the room. "Odd. Jonny doesn't seem to be here."

"No, Bannon sent him to his room when –"

"Then I will have to assume that he had a good reason to do so," Hammond said, nodding at Race. "As the boy's guardian, he must do as he sees fit. Now, seeing as you have no appointment, and Jonny is unavailable, perhaps you would care to accompany me to my office where we can discuss a few unrelated matters?" Simmons seemed to be stymied. He didn't say anything or move for a moment. "Colonel?" Hammond asked, his mild tone the barest gauze over steel.

"Yes, general, of course," Simmons said, and he followed Hammond out of the room.

The three left in Daniel's office were silent until Simmons was out of earshot, then Bannon slammed his fist down on Daniel's desk. "That stupid bastard had Jonny cornered in here when I got here," he said.

"The general will deal with him," Daniel said. "Charming how he was just passing out personal information like it was nothing."

Race nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Look, I'd better go check on Jonny. He looked pretty unhappy when I got in here."

"Mind if we tag along?" Jack asked.

"Not a bit."

He started follow Bannon, but Daniel didn't move. He was staring at the desk. "You coming, Daniel?"

"Jonny's solved it," he said, and both Jack and Race stopped to look at him. "I've been working on this off and on for the last three days, and Jonny just solved it." He blinked, squinting. "At least, I think he . . . it makes . . ."

"Are you coming Daniel?" Jack asked with a little more volume.

"What?" Daniel said, looking up. "Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry." He followed them out. "I just . . . he's so . . . you rarely find someone who's so intuitive about languages."

"He comes by it honestly," Race said. "You should see his father in action."

"I have, some," Daniel said. "He was utterly fascinated by the Goa'uld I showed him, but he didn't want to risk his boys."

"I can understand that," Jack said, reflecting with pain on what he would give to have his own boy back.

They continued the rest of the way to Jonny's room in silence, both the other men seeming to be sensitive to Jack's mood. Race opened the door without knocking, calling, "It's me, sport. How're you feeling?"

"I'm almost done with this level!" Jonny said urgently. Jack hurried up to see which game he was playing and sat down. "This is the fifth time I've tried, and I don't want to screw up again."

"Tomb Raider," Jack said, grinning. "Do you know the fun jumps?"

"Yeah," Jonny said and proceeded to demonstrate a few as he caused the stacked Laura Croft to bounce her way up a series of platforms. When he had completed his level, he sat back and tossed the controller down on the bed. "Did you chase him off?"

"The general took him away," Race said. "You okay, kiddo?"

"Sure," Jonny said. "He's just an obnoxious guy. He doesn't have any power here, right?"

"Not really," Jack said.

Daniel sat on the other side of the bed. "What did he say to you?"

Jonny shrugged. "He asked about Thoth, but I told him I didn't know his clearance level, so I couldn't talk about it."

"Good answer," Race said approvingly.

"He said he came to see me, but why would he do that? I don't really get it."

"Don't worry about it, Jonny," Race replied. "What else did he have to say?"

Jonny sat up straighter. "Don't tell me not to worry about it!" he exclaimed, and Race's eyes widened. "You can't tell me calmly about people trying to blow up the planet and then tell me not to worry about this guy."

Daniel caught Jack's eye with a mildly alarmed expression. Jack pursed his lips and nodded slightly, not sure how they could escape but fairly certain that they ought to.

"All right, Jonny," Race said, and he walked around to sit on the end of the bed, facing Jonny. "Do you remember the time Simmons came and talked to your dad?" Jonny nodded and Jack listened with some worry, recalling Jonny's story about that event. "Do you know why he came?"

"Because he wanted Dad to come work for the stargate program, or NID or whatever."

Race shook his head. "They wanted you to come work for them."

"They did not!" Jonny exclaimed incredulously. "Why would they want me? I mean, I can see that they might use me to get a hold on Dad, but not by asking him for me. That's crazy."
"I know, sport, but you've got to believe me. They weren't trying to get a hold on your dad. They were trying to get you. They had some school they wanted him to send you to, some special program. Simmons tried to put some pretty heavy pressure on your dad. He was livid when I got home."

"But why me?" Jonny asked. "I'm nothing special."

Race sighed. "Jonny, I wish you'd stop saying that. It's not true, and I think you know it."

"Look at Dad and Hadji. I'm not saying I'm dumb, I know I'm not. But I'm not like them."

"No, you're not," Race said. "You've got an entirely different kind of mind, and the kind of mind you've got is what the NID wants, and they want you young enough that they can shape you."

Jonny blinked, and Jack refrained from nodding. He was pretty sure Bannon was right. It rang true. Daniel had that blank look he got when he was really worried but didn't want to show it. "Don't you think it's a little too late for that?" Jonny suggested.

Race snorted. "Yes. It was too late when you were twelve, but that doesn't mean the NID agrees."

Jack hated to think about it, but there were ways they could still bend Jonny to their will. It might sacrifice a bit of his flexibility, but it could still be possible. Nevertheless, there was no point in terrifying the kid with that kind of thing.

"Besides, how would the NID know what kind of a mind I've got?" Jonny asked. "Dad's never let the results of any tests out of his hands, so where could they have found out?"

"Your dad didn't control all of the tests you were given, Jonny. Remember?"

Jonny opened his mouth but then his eyes went distant and filled up with a terrible pain. "You mean the Corporation, don't you?" he asked, his voice curiously flat. Race nodded. "I thought . . . didn't they kill all the computers?"

"They did, but they didn't take the paper copies with them, or the test itself."

"I didn't know that," Jonny said. He looked up at Race in nascent anger. "Why didn't anyone ever tell me?"

"We didn't know for a long time, sport, and when we did find out, your father didn't want to bring it all up again," Race said frankly. "I'm not even sure Phil knew right away. There was more than one agency in on that rescue, and I didn't know that till later."

"Was the NID in on it?" Jonny asked.

"No, they weren't."

"But, then . . ." Jonny paused. "Were they in on the search for them?"

"Not so far as I know," Race said. "It's kind of outside their arena."

"Then why do they need my test results?" Jonny asked cannily. "Why would they have them?"

Jack felt somewhat out of place in this conversation, but he needed to find out more about what had happened with Simmons. Besides, he and Daniel probably needed to know about all of this too. It was just the intensity of Jonny's emotions that they didn't need to witness.

"I'm not altogether sure how they got them, or why, but the fact is they have them."

"But they can't have said anything all that important," Jonny said. "I'm not –"

"Jonny, stop it," Race said, his voice a little uneven. He leaned forward. "I don't want to alarm you, but they do say something important. Think about it. I know you haven't examined the end of that time real close, but think about it if you can."

Jonny's face went utterly white and blank. "Think about . . . you mean Crandall, when he . . ." Race shook his head. "What do you mean, then?"

"They took you away first, Jonny. There were two reasons for that, we've since learned. One, they were pretty sure that your father wouldn't leave the island without you."

"And two?" Jonny asked in the tone of one who doesn't really want to know the answer.

"If they couldn't keep both of you, they wanted to keep you more," Race said.

The empty terror that abruptly took over Jonny's eyes told Jack that it was time to go and let Race handle things. They could find out about Simmons later. Daniel was already moving. Jack stopped outside the door and pulled it mostly shut. "Go get Fraiser. I want her here if he needs her."

Daniel didn't even speak, he just hurried off, and Jack listened with one ear to the panic attack in the room behind him. It was dreadful. The hoarse sobs from Jonny tore at Jack, but Race spoke to the boy in a low, soothing voice. Jack could tell it was having the desired effect, but only gradually. It had been clear from Jonny's behavior when he'd spoken of his imprisonment by the Corporation that he still had some lingering emotional trauma, but Jack had not been prepared for this. Of course, the reaction was undoubtedly enhanced by the current situation, but . . .

Rage filled him, making him want to find the people who had caused this and strangle them all. There was nothing to be done right now, however, except stand outside this room and ward people off so as to keep some of Jonny's privacy intact. He didn't dare shut the door all the way, though, in case Race needed help.

Finally, Daniel came back with Fraiser. Jack opened the door quietly and looked across the room. Jonny was leaning against Race's chest and Race was stroking his hair, murmuring softly. He looked up at Jack's entry and raised his eyebrows. Jack eased inside and let Fraiser past, and Race nodded. Fraiser headed over to the bed and put her hand on Jonny's back.

"You fellas okay?"

Jonny looked up and nodded weakly. He looked horrible, his eyes red and swollen. "I'm sorry I'm such an idiot," he said, his voice rough from sobbing.

Fraiser sat down and pushed a stray lock of hair out of Jonny's face. "You're not an idiot," she said, cupping his cheek in her hand. "Don't say things like that. It's fine." Jack couldn't see Fraiser's face, but he could see Jonny's, and there was a sudden desperate vulnerability there. He wrapped his arms around her and held on as if for dear life. Fraiser looked startled briefly, but then she put her arms around him and rocked him soothingly. "You'll be okay," she said softly. "You'll be okay."

Race looked stunned. Not upset, just stunned. Jack had a feeling that the mommy figures in Jonny's life had been few and far between since the death of his own mother, and Fraiser was just about perfect for that role. She had mommy written all over her.

Jack turned to Daniel, about to indicate that they should leave, but Daniel had evidently anticipated him. He was holding up a hastily scrawled note that read, "We'll be in my office. Call if you need us." Jack turned back in time to see Race nod with a grateful smile.

This time Jack shut the door firmly behind them, then he followed Daniel back to his office. Daniel walked over to his desk and set to work. Jack contemplated some of the things that Colonel Simmons had said. After a couple of minutes, he said, "So, Daniel, I recall you mentioning foster care, but you somehow managed not to convey the impression that there was anything unpleasant about them."

"You can't believe everything you hear from snakes, Jack," Daniel said with a casual air that belied the sudden whiteness of his knuckles.

"You said he was passing out personal information," Jack observed and though Daniel's lips compressed, he still didn't look up. "You wouldn't have said that if it was a load of crap."

"Jack, do we have to do this now?"

"I just find it a little odd that I find out about my friend's early life not from him but from greedy aliens and snakes like Simmons."

"What do you care about my procession of foster homes, Jack?" Daniel asked, looking up irritably. "Yes, there were a few of them, and no, I wasn't lucky in who I got stuck with. There's no point in hashing it over. It's been more than fifteen years since I left the last one."

"What do I care?" Jack asked incredulously. "Daniel!"

"I mean, what does it matter?" Daniel asked. His expression bore that stamp of obstinacy that Jack had come to know so well. "It's over and done with, end of story."

"Fine," Jack said, and Daniel's shoulders relaxed with relief. Jack raised an eyebrow. "We'll talk later. Right now, I'm going to go check on Carter."

Daniel's eyes widened. "Race will be expecting to find you here."

"And you'll know where I am. It works out that way. Call Carter's lab if you need me."

Daniel shrugged. "Whatever. I've got work to do."

Jack walked out. He had a feeling that Daniel had expected more diligent digging than Jack had done, and that he wasn't altogether sure whether he was glad that Jack had given up or not. Jack headed down to Carter's lab where he found her comparing a diagram in some kind of alien text to a machine she had partially disassembled in front of her.

"How's it going?" he asked, walking over and sitting down on one of the stools by her workbench.

"Fine, sir," she said, looking at him suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"

Jack blinked, realizing that she deserved a Jonny update. "Well, actually, not really. Simmons came on base and cornered Jonny, which seemed to necessitate Bannon telling Jonny something that sent the kid into a severe panic attack. Fraiser's with him now, providing motherly comfort."

Carter's eyes widened. "And I take it that's not why you came?" she asked.

"Nope," Jack said. "Tell me, has Daniel told you anything much about his life after his grandfather abandoned him?"

Carter shook her head. "I kind of hinted around a couple of times to see if he felt like he needed to confide anything, but he never did. I don't think he wants to talk about it."

"Tough," Jack said shortly.

"Sir?" she said. "I don't know . . . pushing him usually makes him clam up tighter."

"Well, if Simmons knows all about it, I think we should," he replied, and Carter stared at him in surprise. "Yeah, he just popped out with more information than me, and I don't think we need to be blindsided."

"Sir, would you want to talk about your –"

"I have, in great and gruesome detail," he said, and she blinked at him. "With Daniel. The little twerp's been holding out on me."

"Sir, it is Daniel's business," Carter said hesitantly. "If he doesn't want to talk about it, then –"

"Tough!" Jack repeated, and Carter broke off, her eyes wide. "Apparently Simmons knows all about it and is attempting to use it to Daniel's detriment. As such, I think it's my responsibility to find out the whole truth of the matter."
"I'm afraid I agree," General Hammond said, and for the second time Jack turned to find that the general had come up behind him without his being aware of it. "It isn't the only issue that Simmons has elected to bring up, either," he added, looking grimly at them. He shut the door to the lab and walked over to the table. Jack was getting a bit nervous. "Evidently the NID is contemplating putting it to the courts that leaving Jonny in the care of two men who were raised in unpleasant, abusive circumstances and a third who . . ." Hammond paused, his jaw clenching, and Jack abruptly knew what he was about to say.

"Don't say it," he said with sour anger. "Who was careless enough to let his own son shoot himself."

"In a nutshell," Hammond replied. "However, he has no standing at this point. While the boy's guardian was out of reach and his clearance was denied, they had some possibility of forcing the issue, but now they'd have to show that Race is specifically acting in a fashion contrary to Jonny's interests. Nevertheless, I want to know more about Dr. Jackson's background."

"Daniel doesn't want to talk about it, sir," Jack said.

"Encourage him," Hammond said. "The records we have are very rudimentary. I'd like a bit more detail. Simmons implied that he knew something that would cause us to question Dr. Jackson's even being a part of this program."

"Yeah right," Carter said. "What could he possibly know?"

"I want to find that out, and I'd rather find out from Dr. Jackson."

Jack nodded. "I'll go have a chat with him. What do you want me to tell him?"

"I don't . . ." Hammond sighed. "I'd better talk to him myself. Is he in his office?"

"Yes sir."

Hammond nodded and left the room. Jack fiddled about in Carter's lab till she chased him out, then he went to Hammond's office to wait. Knowing Daniel, he would be none too welcoming if Jack approached him after he and Hammond talked. Daniel was sure to think that Jack had sicced Hammond on him. Besides, surely Hammond could be prevailed upon to share whatever knowledge he'd gained with his second in command, who also happened to be Daniel's commanding officer.

He paced back and forth in front of the desk, wishing he was a fly on the wall in Daniel's office. Hammond had been closeted with him for quite awhile. The door opened behind him when he was at the far end of his pacing. Turning, he saw the general entering the room, looking ten years older than he had earlier in the day.

"What?" Jack demanded instantly, alarmed by the evidence of Hammond's dismay.

"Jack, I wasn't expecting to find you here," Hammond said. He walked over and sat down heavily in his chair. "I'm just as glad, though, I couldn't want you to go bother Dr. Jackson right now. Bad enough that Simmons made me drag it all out of him."

"Drag all what out of him, sir?" Jack asked impatiently.

The general didn't respond immediately. He picked up his phone and asked his secretary to bring them some coffee and pastries. When those were on their way, he leaned back in his chair and fixed Jack with an uncertain look. "I'm not really sure how he'd react to my telling you."

"Sir, I have to know."

"I think you do, but I can't tell you." Lt. Rodriguez walked in with a tray of sweet pastries and a carafe of coffee. "Thank you, Rodriguez. Now, please have someone send the same to Dr. Jackson's office." Rodriguez nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Sir, what did he say to you?"
Hammond shook his head. "I can't break Dr. Jackson's confidence, Jack," he said. "However, I think I'm going to ask him to talk to you. The last thing we need is for Simmons to pop out with something that makes one of the three of you explode all over him."

Jack was finding all of this extremely alarming. "Sir –"

"I can't and I won't, Jack," Hammond said sharply. "Do not ask again."

"I wasn't going to," Jack said, but he had been and they both knew it. "Daniel won't like this."

"I know," Hammond said with a sigh. "But that's the way it is." He pursed his lips briefly then picked up his phone. "Send Major Carter and Teal'c to me please."