Title: No Way Back
Title: No Way Back
Part: 25/?
Author: Jemma
Story Status: IN PROGRESS
Season: Five
Spoilers: Ascension
Categories: Angst, AU fic
Pairings: Sam/Jack
Rating: K+
Content Warnings: Angst, UST, swearing
Summary: After the events of Ascension, Sam turns down the offer of an 'under-the-covers' operation. But when an old face returns to the SGC, she decides to accept it. However, when her recruiter finds out why she really took the post, they blackmail her into working as a double agent at the SGC. (AU story) Sam/Jack
Archive Permissions: Please ask.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters relating to Stargate. They belong to MGM and any of their associates. I'm just playing around with them for a little while!
Authors Note: Written based on the following challenge:
Challenge #1,968 (Added 20 March 2003)
1. Has to be about S/J (cause I'm addicted gg) 2. Maybourne wants to win Carter for one of his projects, but Sam rejects it. 3. Sam is annoyed as she thinks there is no future for her and Jack, as Laira shows up at the SGC.
4. Sam is really depressed and finally goes to Maybourne. 5. Maybourne realises why Sam is on his side and plans to do something.(good/bad?) 6. Please a good S/J ending. Submitted by Maggie.
This is very much a work in progress!
Date: 7th March 2008
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He'd put off making the phone call for as long as he possibly could, concerned by what he might learn and afraid of what he might not.
As he pushed speed dial for his contact at the NID, he took a deep breath as the line connected.
"Jameson here."
"Steve, it's George Hammond," he answered slowly and purposely, knowing that the man on the other end of the line would remember him instantly.
"George! How you doin, my god, I haven't heard from you in a while!"
"I know, you know how things can be old friend."
"I know I know…" was the reply.
Both knew that working for government agencies was life consuming at best.
"So George, what prompts this call?"
No messing around, that was the Steve he remembered.
"I'm calling in an old favour…" he began. "I need to find out information on a classified reassignment, for a Major Samantha Carter…"
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He could hear the chevrons of the gate engaging as they approached the blast door. He was carrying a small, light weight bag in his hand belonging to the woman who walked next to him.
As he thought of her leaving earth and returning home, once again realising that she would die there, another wave of nausea washed over him.
Though both of them knew that they would never be anything more than friends, it didn't stop him caring about her.
The airmen by the door swiped his security card through to open the blast door, just as the wormhole sprang into life.
Having been confined to the base for so long, the woman beside him had to shield her eyes from the bright light for a few seconds whilst they adjusted.
"You ok?" he asked quietly.
She turned to him and smiled before replying. "I am, though I am sad to be leaving," she admitted slowly.
"Well, we're sad you're leaving too," he replied, whilst indicating to Teal'c and Janet who were stood nearby, and Daniel who was sat in a wheelchair. "But we understand why you want to return home," he added hastily, not wanting to make her feel guilty of her decision.
"Then I feel better," he heard her whisper quietly, as she smiled to each person who had come to say goodbye to her at the gate.
As she eventually looked back to him, he was overcome and pulled her to him, knowing this would most likely be the last time he saw her alive.
"Goodbye Jack, and thank you, for everything."
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She had been sitting next to Agent Barrett for a little over 45 five minutes when the car began to slow and pulled over to the side of the road; she figured outside St. Christina's. She looked out of her window and noted that the disused hospital looked old and abandoned from the outside, and felt a feeling of dread begin to rise within her as to what she might have gotten herself into. She only hoped that the facilities inside were more up-to-date…and that an explanation as to how she was going to find the cure to all disease on earth was forthcoming.
She hadn't noticed Agent Barrett exiting the car beside her, and only realised when he opened her door for her.
"Major," he said, stepping back and indicating that she should exit the car.
"I take we're here," she replied, reaching for her bag before stepping out and onto the sidewalk. The rain had started to come down again, but she didn't feel it. Looking up she noticed that he was holding an umbrella up over her.
"Indeed we are," he answered with a smile, once again removing his sunglasses but this time depositing them into his jacket pocket.
He shut the door of the car behind them and gestured before them with him arm, indicating that they would be going inside.
As they began to walk she decided some gentle questioning probably wouldn't hurt.
"So," she began casually. "Can I expect to meet Adrian Conrad today? I gathered that he was the man in charge?"
She immediately noted that the Agent didn't look to at her as she spoke.
"I'm not at liberty to talk about the project you're going to be working on maam, I'm just you're meet and greet," he stated without emotion.
She smiled at the defensive response. "What happened to Sam?" she asked, grinning at him.
He returned the gesture. "I don't know anything about the ins and outs of the project Sam…I was just sent to get you, and that's it."
As they approached the main door it opened from the inside. Walking through she noted the heavy security; five guards. 'A lot of security for an abandoned hospital' she thought.
As they walked into the building, the door was immediately closed and locked behind them.
"Agent Barrett NID, this is Major Samantha Carter; she's the new addition to the project," he stated calmly and firmly, presenting his ID to the nearest man to him and folding up the umbrella, placing it by the door.
The 6"2, muscled guard inspected the ID carefully before returning it to the Agent.
"Mr Conrad is expecting you," he said gruffly. "You'll find him in his office."
'These clearly aren't men of many words', she thought with a wry smile, because as soon as he had dismissed them she found herself being guided up the nearest set of stairs.
"Chatty aren't they?" she joked.
"Oh yeah, full of laughs," he replied dryly, but as she looked across at him she noted he was grinning.
As they ascended the stairs she noted that they stopped and entered a new corridor on the second level.
"So, can I expect to be seeing you again then, Agent Barrett?" she questioned as they began to slow towards the nearest door.
They stopped and the Agent knocked firmly. She heard someone call 'Come' from inside.
"It's Malcolm," he answered slowly. "And I expect I'll be seeing you around, Sam."
Knowing the conversation was over; she reached for the door handle and pushed it down, preparing herself to meet the infamous Adrian Conrad.
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As he hung up the phone, he sighed deeply. He had been successful in gathering more information on Major Carter's whereabouts, but he knew he didn't have the answers he needed; the answers that would pacify his 2IC.
He heard the faint sound of the wormhole disengaging and knew that it would be better to tell his friend sooner rather than later what he had discovered.
Pushing up from his desk slowly he walked towards the briefing room door, but as he looked up through the star map he saw the man he was seeking walking across the room towards him.
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After the wormhole disengaged, he hadn't hung around in the gateroom. He hadn't wanted to deal with the looks and the questions he would have received from his friends, no matter how well meaning they were.
So, he'd made his way immediately to the General's office, hoping by now that he would have news about Carter.
He had ascended the stairs to the control room quickly and then again to the briefing room. He looked across towards his CO's office and saw that he was walking towards the office door.
He continued forwards and as he arrived at the General's door it opened for him.
"Come on in Jack."
He smiled at his friend and entered, remaining standing until his commander was ready to be seated.
"Take a seat son."
"Thank you General," he replied quietly, though he was already on edge. The General was quiet and seemed defeated; not a good indicator that he had gotten to the bottom of the situation.
As the older man sat down opposite him, he observed him breathe in and out slowly, whilst interlocking his fingers together on top of the desk.
"Jack I have good news, and I have bad news."
His stomach rolled at the words 'bad news'.
"What's going on Sir? Do you know where Carter is? What she's doing?"
"Yes and no. I've spoken to an old friend of mine now working at the NID and he's managed to find out some information for me. He had been unable to discover the nature of Major Carter's new assignment or where she is. All he knows is that regard is what we do; that officially she is assigned to NID headquarters."
He took a moment to digest all of the information. "So, I take it that's the bad news...?"
The General smiled. "It is."
"Sooo, what's the good news Sir?"
"He knows for sure that she isn't working at the headquarters in Washington."
He had to catch himself from laughing out loud. "That's it?" he queried. "That's all he could find out?" He felt his anger closing in on him once again; the anger that made him want to jump a plane and go to every major city in the country just to find her and get the answers out of her himself. "Even on the inside, that's all the information he could glean?"
"I'm sorry Jack, that's it. The only other thing he could hazard a guess at, was that Major Carter's transfer directive came from high up in the organisation. He also theorises that they could have links with the SGC, to have known about Major Carter in the first place."
"Cause that wasn't obvious," he found himself mutter under his breath.
They were no where. They knew no more now than they did two hours ago. And he doubted whether they were going to; not until Carter resurfaced anyway.
"Isn't there any other favours you can call in on this one Sir?"
"I'm sorry Jack, but I've gone as far as I can with this one. There is no one else to call. Major Carter is reassigned; the reassignment is classified top secret and is beyond my reach. Whatever she's working on, we can only assume it's something vitally important…she wouldn't have gone otherwise I'm sure."
"I'm glad you're sure Sir," he said bitterly.
"Jack?"
"Sir, you know as well as I do, if I hadn't of hauled her out like that in front of everyone…after everything that happened with Orlin and her suspension…she'd still be here."
"We don't know that Colonel."
Not wanting to argue with his superior, he bit his tongue and didn't reply. But he knew. He knew why she was gone. She'd accepted god knows what assignment to get away from him. The very fact that not even the General could find out what it was made him 100 per cent sure it was dangerous. He also knew that there wasn't a damn thing he could do to get her back.
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"Major Samantha Carter! Take a seat, take a seat, please."
She was greeted by a dark haired man as she stepped into the room; all smiles and pleasantries. She immediately put herself on her guard.
She walked slowly towards the desk at the opposite end of the room. Conrad was sat on the other side but didn't make to stand up. She sank down into a chair slowly.
"I take it your Adrian Conrad…" she began. "Maybourne anywhere around here?" she queried, looking around the office slowly.
"I wouldn't know where Harry Maybourne is Major, we aren't in direct contact."
Her curiosity was immediately peaked. "So who's your middle man?"
He leant forward towards her and she didn't like the look in his eye.
"We're not here to discuss contacts Major," he began, almost threatening. "We're here to discuss your new project."
Not one to be intimidated, she leant forwards and placed her elbows on the desk in front of her. "And apart from the vague reference to curing all disease on earth…what exactly does my new position involve?"
"Well now," he smiled, standing from his chair and walking around to stand next to her. "Why don't I just show you?"
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THANK YOU!! To everyone for the lovely, wonderful reviews! I think I've replied to everyone now! Here's another chapter for you, and I really hope it isn't too long before I can get another one posted!
I hope you all enjoy this chapter…let me know!! :-)