Laura Cadman had been waiting outside the briefing room for over an hour concerned about what was happening. When Caldwell radioed her to report to the room and she appeared three seconds later she found amusement in his surprised look. That amusement quickly turned to worry when she saw how agitated the occupants looked.

"Lieutenant Cadman. As of this moment Dr Keller is no longer part of the Stargate programme. You are to escort her down to Earth to this location." Caldwell explained handing Cadman a file.

"Why not the safe house Sir?"

"As Dr Keller is no longer part of the programme she is not entitled to IOA protection. We have been ordered to return her to Earth. The best we can do is offer the use of an old air force safe house that the IOA don't know about."

"What?" Laura exclaimed, sure that she was missing something fundamental. "Those bastards are still out there, you can't abandon her." She ranted. When she saw Caldwell's stern expression she added a, "Sir."

"It's my choice." Jennifer said.

"Why? Have you lost your mind?"

"I couldn't do what they wanted. I knew the consequences of refusing."

"Refusing?" Laura asked ignoring her two senior officers and staring bewilderedly at Jennifer.

"Lieutenant." Caldwell snapped. "You have your orders. Straight there no detours. If you are not capable of following that simple instruction there are plenty around who are."

"Yes Sir." Cadman replied as Jennifer stood. As the door to the briefing room opened Sam called.

"Jennifer, I am sorry it has come to this. We will do everything we can to reverse the situation."

"Just make sure my father is ok." Jennifer asked, clearly shaken, before leaving the room. As soon as they were clear Laura asked.

"What the hell just happened?"

"I...they...the IOA wanted my help to capture the other Goa'ulds, but I couldn't do it. I can't...after the Wraith...I can't do it anymore." Jennifer explained.

"So you quit?"

"No. When Caldwell informed the IOA of my decision they threw me off the programme and from now on I am on my own. They will be watching to make sure I don't sell off my research, but will not interfere unless it is in their interest."

"This is nuts. Why didn't Carter tell them to jump?"

"She did. But she and Caldwell have their orders. There is nothing that they can do. As it is they are risking a lot letting me stay at the safe house."

"And you are just going to take this? Give up, just like that?" Laura questioned, raising her voice and attracting an ever growing audience.

"Don't you get it, I have had it." Jennifer shouted back. "I thought my work would help people, now everyone wants to use it as a weapon and my friends get hurt because of it. The IOA are no better than the Wraith or the Trust, or whoever it is now. Everyone wants something from me and I can't cope any more."

"What about Ronon? You quitting on him too?" Laura asked. She knew it was a low blow, but she was desperate for her to see reason.

"He is better off without me. Everyone is. Please can we go down to Earth now?" Jennifer said.

"You are not even saying good bye to him?"

"I can't. It is better this way." Jennifer replied, her voice thick with emotion.

"Fine." Laura responded, still unable to believe what was happening. The lieutenant gave the co-ordinates to the transport controller and the two women found themselves in a small house.

"So what now?" Laura demanded.

"I start to rebuild my life."

"You wouldn't have to if you weren't so hellbent on destroying your old one."

"I haven't got a choice. I can't do what they want."

"What exactly did they want?" Laura asked, her voice softening.

"To use me as bait. Let the Goa'ulds capture me and then they would capture them, but I couldn't. After the Wraith I couldn't. I am not like you, I am scared. I'm sorry that you are disappointed, but that is how it is."

"But now you are alone and they can still capture you."

"They won't capture me."

"Wishful thinking. The only way to guarantee they don't capture you would be to not be here to be captured. And the only way to do that would be to ki...you are not planning anything really stupid are you?"

"No. But if they come for me I have a fallback plan." Jennifer said leaving her friend staring at her dumbfounded.

"Laura, before you go I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Can you give me a few minutes?"

"Sure." Laura replied as Jennifer searched the nearby drawers and pulled out some paper and a pen.

"I want to write a letter to my dad and Ronon. I want you to deliver them, but please don't give Ronon his for two days."

"Fine." Laura said as she sat down and waited for Jennifer to finish writing the letters, fuming at the current situation.

When Jennifer had finished and passed the letters to her friend, Laura asked. "So what now? You lock yourself away and hope they don't find you?"

"Something like that." Jennifer replied. "Laura, thank you for everything."

"I should go." Laura said angrily, radioing the Daedalus, leaving Jennifer alone in a strange house.

As soon as the Daedalus had returned her to the SGC Laura marched her way to Sam's office and barged in. "What the hell are you doing? You can't do this to her."

"Laura." Sam shouted. "Calm down. I don't like it anymore than you. There is nothing I can do."

"Bull-" She started only for Sam to cut her off.

"Lieutenant!"

"What?"

"You need to calm down."

"I am finding that a bit hard seeing that my friend has lost her mind and has been abandoned." Cadman shouted just as General Landry walked past the office.

"Lieutenant I think the whole complex now knows your opinion. None of us like it and we are trying to fix it. Don't even think about opening your mouth." He warned. "I believe you have a mission departing first thing tomorrow so I suggest you get some rest. And Lieutenant that was not a suggestion." Landry said.

"Yes Sir." Cadman replied half-heartedly before stalking off down the corridor planning her next move, whilst Sam put her head in her hands and once again wondered how it had come to this.

Laura knew she needed to contact Sheppard and Ronon, but had no link to the Daedalus. She entered the locker room and kicked her locker in frustration before a solution came to her, she still knew where Jennifer was. Pulling a map from her locker she plotted her route and calculated a journey time of six hours. Cursing she grabbed her side arm and hurried out of the facility.

Several hours later Laura was driving a rental down a dirt track, which she hoped would lead to Jennifer. By now she was angry, frustrated and tired. Had she not been so focused on the rant that was going through her head she might have noticed the other tyre marks on the dirt track, but she didn't.