"Ange do you really have evidence to suggest that Paul Schmitt is actually in America or are we just going on the word of that Gary guy? What was his name Hoofer?" Danni whispered as they boarded the plane with the other passengers.
"Danni this isn't really the time or the place to talk about this, but Pete and I have reason to believe that he followed her, whether to make the deal over there, or not we're not sure, but Gordon gave us the go ahead and we have orders to fulfil from him, as well as our own vendetta to get to Mac and Sarah before he does." She whispered back as they took their seats. As Danni sighed she nodded,
"Okay I get it, that's Ange talk for 'shut up about work Dan'" Danni smiled.
"Yeah something like that," Ange smiled settling down, and sighing, before turning around to see the boys talking about one thing or another. "Hey Pete," she started, kneeling on her seat as he lent forward.
"Yeah?"
"What happens if… You know?" She mumbled, and he smiled.
"Try not to think like that Ange, if anything happens she'll know to contact us,"
"Pete we're on a plane for the next seven hours, before we have a two hour stop over doing shit all, then another fourteen hours probably. Well that's to Europe, so give or take a few hours…"
"Ange we're not stopping over, this flight goes direct to America."
"Oh ok, but still how can she contact us? If he did follow her he'd have someone on us, and they'd tell him that we're on the flight and therefore we can't get her calls or messages for help and…"
"Angela!" He huffed, "stop it alright? Everything is going to be fine! Stop worrying about her," he smiled, as she nodded she sighed and turned back around and sitting, as the airhostess walked past making sure everyone was seated, tray-tables were locked away, all baggage was stowed, and seatbelts were on.
"You right?" Jack asked watching her as he slowly walked up the rise with her by his side.
"This is amazing! You can…"
"Actually see the event horizon, yeah that's what Carter said when she touched it," he smiled; looking at him she smiled nodding. "You must know when you come out the other side your going to feel pretty darn cold…"
"That's because of the reconstruction of your molecules. As we step through we get de-molecularised, for transit then re-assembled on the other side," she stated smiling, before looking at him.
"And that was Carter through and through, come on." He smiled wrapping and arm around her waist as they went through.
"Oh my god, so cold," she whispered
"You'll be right, warm up in no time here," he smiled rubbing her arm gently, before walking off, ahead of the others, who she was quick to follow. As they walked out into the sun she sighed closing her eyes and smiled. She quickly came back to her senses when she sensed movement behind her. Spinning around her eyes widened.
"JACK!" She called, as she was now face to face, with what she thought was an over sized, and over dressed yuppie. Spinning around they all looked back at her as he ran back, grabbing her and pulling her away from him.
"Ba'al should have known!" He hissed.
"Nice to see you again, O'Neill,"
"Pity I can't say the same for you!"
"Jack?" She whispered.
"Just an old acquaintance nothing to worry about," he mumbled back. "What do you want Ba'al?"
"Well I never thought I'd see this day coming," he grinned.
"And what day is this?"
"The day you become my host!" He chuckled, as Jack took a step back.
"Yeah like that's ever going to happen!" No sooner had Jack said that, then several jaffas emerged and Ba'al advanced toward him. Looking around she knew they were out numbered but her police training and adrenalin started to take over, and her next movement could not be helped. Lunging forward at him, she grabbed him, kicking him in the back of his knees he fell to the ground, as she held his left arm high behind his back.
"Now what about telling these extremely angry people to back off?" She whispered.
"My, my you are a strong one, maybe you shall be my host," he chimed.
"Don't count on it, now tell them to back off or they will witness your death," she whispered in his ear.
"Jaffa Kree!"
"That's it," she whispered.
"Leave us!" He stated.
"Wise decision," she mumbled. "Now however," she stated, letting him go, as soon as he moved she kicked him across the face, which caused him to fall backwards, giving her the chance to grab the bottle of Tal'vak acid, and hold it above him. As he saw what she was holding he started to move away.
"Ellen…" Jack stated taking a step closer to her.
"Don't worry Jack I know he tortured you with this," she said smugly, watching Ba'al struggling to retreat.
"What do you want? You will pay for this!" He growled.
"Oh please you're not really in a place to be demanding and throwing insults around!" She stated, turning the bottle upside down and spilling some over his chest. "Oops," she smiled gently, at his yelling.
"Dal Shakka Mel!"
"Yeah right!" She laughed, "the day you die free is the day that I become a host!" She smirked. "Which will be the day hell freezes over and the devil gives free skating lessons! In other words it's never going to happen parasite!"
"What do you want?" He seethed.
"Now that's better!" She smiled. "I want you to tell me how I can help my sister, after all it was you who did this to her was it not?"
"What?" Jack frowned.
"Oh sorry Jack did I forget to mention that?" She asked not taking her eyes off Ba'al.
"Oh yeah you did!" He hissed, at her.
"Oops, sorry about that," she smiled turning around. As Ba'al got up she spun around kicking him square in the chest, which sent him back to the ground. "Did I tell you to get up yet?" She frowned. "No didn't think so!"
"Okay firstly, since when can you speak Goa'uld?"
"Um, blame Sam she was always rattling something or other off, when people were around and she didn't want them to know about something."
"Ah-huh," Jack said slowly. "Secondly, how can you fight like that?"
"I'm in the police force," she shrugged "thirdly?" She smiled at him.
"You planned this right from the start didn't you? You knew Ba'al was going to be here!"
"Mm sort of, I had a feeling, and well when I yelled out it was because he startle me. See there is also something that I haven't told you…" She smiled but stopped, grabbing his p-90 and aiming it at the door, seconds before it opened to reveal Kynthia. Lowering it, she frowned. "Thought he said there was know on left here?" She whispered, at which Jack nodded.
"Kynthia," he smiled gently.
"Jack, what are you doing here?" She frowned.
"Well believe it or not, we came to talk to you."
"Really? I haven't seen you in so long! I didn't think that you would ever come back," she smiled moving forward.
"Don't let her hug you Jack," Ellen whispered quickly, to which he took a step back quickly, which she frowned at and stopped.
"Jack what's wrong?"
"We were told there was know one on this planet, where have you been?"
"What? Of course there, is come outside I'll show you, everyone is here." She smiled, at them.
"We'll stay in here if you don't mind," Mac stated, watching her. "Actually even if you do mind…" She drifted off as something caught her attention. Taking Jack's arm she pulled him back slightly.
"Ellen?" He mumbled.
"Trust me," she whispered.
"Really I don't know what…"
"Shel kree!" She stated, and instantly, Kynthia stopped, looking at her, before glaring at her.
"Shol'vah!" She seethed. Advancing.
"Jack anytime now would be good to shoot her!" Ellen hissed at him. "Ha'shak!"
"I am Kin'dra!" She hissed.
"You are nothing, but a parasite!" Mac retorted.
"You will be a host! You…"
"Dal shakka Mel! We have kelmah and you are kek!" She hissed, still moving back, an arm across Jack's waist moving him back with her. "JACK!" She exclaimed. Just then there were several shots let off. As she fell Ellen turned to see who had shot Kynthia, as did Jack. As they saw Roberts holding a p-90. "Ah thanks," she whispered.
"Welcome Ellen. However what I would like to know is how you know these words?" He questioned. Sighing she moved away from them.
"If you're going to tell me you have a snake in your head?" Jack stated holding up his weapon. Scoffing she rolled her eyes.
"So you have no problem in shooting me with no evidence, but you wouldn't shoot a Goa'uld, nice Jack, real nice!" She huffed, before looking at Roberts. "I can't explain it Roberts, when I saw her they just popped into my head. If you want, when we get what we need to help Sam, you can do any number of tests on me. And Jack if I do have a snake in my head I give you permission to either shoot me, or study me, just don't let the NID get me, alright?" She stated watching him, as he slowly lowered his gun, with a slight smile.
"Yeah alright I promise you that one." He smiled.
"So now what? I mean we have Ba'al, there are shit loads of jaffa out there by the looks of that, and we are here to get something to help Sam, and… What are you doing?" Daniel frowned, watching Ellen taking a blood sample from Kynthia.
"You'll work it out, you're smart enough from what Sam says about you," she stated gently, before rolling the dead body on her stomach, and finding the scar on the back of her neck. Pulling a small knife from one of the vest pockets, she took a deep breath. "Ok, here goes nothing." She mumbled as they watched her, cut into the scar, and further down Kynthia's back, to reveal the dead symbiote. "Ah does anyone have gloves or a container? The container would definitely be preferred if you don't have gloves," she stated.
"Only our flasks," Jack retorted. "We didn't really think we'd be bringing back a symbiote if you know what I mean."
"Flask is fine, just never use it after this!" As she reached back Daniel handed her one.
"Ah it's still got water in it,"
"That's fine, it'll help revive it for a short period of time," she stated, before reaching in and grabbing it just under its 'head' so if it was still slightly alive it couldn't try to get inside her. As she got it into the flask she quickly closed and screwed on the lid, clipping it to her vest, she looked at them. "Alright let's go," she grinned.
As they alighted the plane, the four went for their bags, before hiring a van, with no back windows, and tinted front windows. As they drove to their motel, Ange had booked for them; they left a few bags in the back, and took only their clothes into the unit with them.
"So what now?"
"Now we try and get a hold of Mac, and ask her out for dinner," Pete smirked.
"Pete I'm trying to be serious!" Ange huffed.
"So am I, we have to let her know that we're here and that she has reason to worry about her self and Sarah! I mean unless you wanted to kill someone or really, really screw up their life you wouldn't follow them half way across the globe!" He stated as they sat in the small lounge room, while Stoney and Danni were out setting up the van with some of the equipment that they had been able to bring with them, for the job.
"I am aware of that, but what if he was just here for a holiday? What if we're jumping the gun? We never really had any hard evidence that he was after Mac. I mean when we landed we came in at the same airport as Mac did…"
"That's because her friend lives in Colorado Springs, and so that's were I got tickets too." Pete stated smiling at her. There is no way you believe in coincidences anymore Ange. Come on this is not one, he is following her. He wants to do something, I can just feel it." He said gently. Sighing she nodded.
"Ok, look I don't really know what's going on, but Pete I want you to promise me that what ever happens we'll make sure Mac is in one piece and alive, and if we have to Paul will be in one piece but not necessarily alive," she whispered gently.
"Ange don't be like that, look I know your worried, hell so am I, but we have to work this like we would any other case, alright? We'll get the guy and Mac and Sarah and Paul will all go back to Australia with us, and all of them will be alive." He smiled at her, as she nodded. Looking up he smiled slightly at his two blurry eyed friends and work colleagues. "All done?"
"Yeah what we can get done, I don't know about you two, but we're bloody exhausted!" Oscar stated flopping on the lounge next to Ange who smiled at him.
"Yeah I'm feeling a bit tired, but we have to stay awake for…" As she turned to see the clock, she hummed, before looking at the trio in front of her. "Another 2 hours at least. That will make it six o'clock. If we can manage to stay awake until eight, it would be better because then we can just sleep through the night and get up and go," she explained to the three tired faces.
As the four got up the following morning at nine o'clock, they had breakfast, in the small kitchenette, after buying food the night before, and started to plan their next few days carefully. When it came to Paul Schmitt, they weren't going to be taking any chances.
"Right so, we call Mac and tell her we're here, and that we need to wait for him to contact her right? Then what?"
"Then we're going to wire her up and its going to go down just like any other drug case." Pete finished.
"But we don't know the area!" Danni protested.
"That's why today before we do anything we are going for a drive, and are going to familiarise ourselves with this area, and this town, so that we can get Mac to choose a spot, well rather it'll be us, getting her to get him to meet her there, but it'll be easier this way. As we will know the area that we choose just like we know the areas back home," Ange stated, while eating her toast.
"And then what?" Dan questioned.
"Danni why are you asking so many bloody questions?" Pete huffed.
"Because neither of us are really sure about this Pete. It's like you and Ange have everything worked out and we're just here for the ride. Don't get me wrong I hope this is a false alarm and Mac and Sarah are perfectly fine, but I just don't think that we're doing what we know how to do. We're UC's! For Christ sakes, why aren't we acting like them?" Stoney questioned which got the others to look at each other.
"That's true and I honestly can't answer that Stoney. I thought we were working like we normally do." Pete sighed. "But then again we are in a different country maybe its all just getting to us, with one of our own out there in a place that none of us know anything about." He replied looking between them, which got them all thinking and bowing their heads, in acknowledgement of the truth to his statement.
As the group of four stepped through the gate, they looked at Ellen, as she was almost running down the ramp.
"Did you get it?" Jacob questioned, to which she smiled at him, and produced the flask. "Good work lets go," he stated wrapping an arm around her waist as he took her to the infirmary.
"Colonel?"
"You don't want to know, general. Trust me you don't want to know." Jack stated walking after them, gripping his p-90, as he got to the infirmary. "Right time for questions," he stated at which Ellen turned to him, and smiled slightly.
"You're not second guessing me yet are you Jack?" She smiled
"Possibly, just don't screw up." He stated raising the gun and pointing it at her, as Janet, Daniel, and Hammond walked in to see him, holding the gun on her.
"Colonel, what are you doing? Put that weapon down!" Hammond stated watching him.
"Sorry general I made a promise, and I intend to make sure both sides are kept," Jack stated watching as Jacob, got the symbiote out of the flask, before moving away letting Ellen work.
Several hours had passed before she emerged from the room, looking at the group, with a glum expression.
"Ellie?" Jacob questioned, gently as they others finally looked up at her.
"Well what the hell have you been doing in there?" Jack questioned standing next to Jacob, when she bowed her head.
"Oh god, Ellie," he whispered pulling her into a hug, and she clung to him tightly as she buried her head into his chest. "You did your best," he whispered. Sniffling she shook her head and pulled back, looking at Jack.
"She was pregnant, I… I'm sorry," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes, before seeing them glaze with tears.
"Ellie?" Sniffling she looked at him.
"She's ok; she woke up and is asking to see Jack." She said gently, looking at them.
"She's awake?" He gasped, looking at her. Smiling gently she nodded.
"Yes, and its all thanks to you," she smiled. Moving forward he grabbed her, not caring about the blood and guts that she was covered in. hugging her tightly he grinned setting her gently back down. Smiling she nodded. "Follow me, you have to be careful, she's not out of the woods yet." She said gently, as he nodded and followed. As they walked into the room, he saw her lying there, eyes closed, and groaning in pain.
"Jack… Colonel… Sorry… No it'll…"
"Sammy, its Ellie sweetie, look at me," and as if she was hypnotised, Sam stopped her dream and looked at her. Smiling she nodded. "There's someone here to see you," turning she nodded for him to come closer. "Look its Jack," she whispered, looking to the other side of the bed, where Sam's eyes followed Ellen's gaze. Frowning she looked at him.
"Who?" She mumbled.
"Its Jack, it's the Colonel, sweetie." Looking at him Sam smiled and sighed closing her eyes.
"Jack," she mumbled, before drifting off, and shifting in pain. Turning quickly Jack watched her, as she injected some blue liquid into the IV. Which he noticed had settled her.
"What's that?"
"It's the blood from the symbiote, its all that's keeping her alive at the moment. I have enough to last her the next month, but if she doesn't pull through and start to fight this before then, then there's nothing else that can be done, other then giving her a symbiote." She said gently. "Jack I knew she was pregnant, I never said anything before, because of my father, I hope you realise that this was the only way to bring Sam back to us, the foetus would not have survived, she was only eight weeks. She told me a few days before she went on that mission." She whispered, before looking at Sam.
"There is no way I'm allowing anyone to put a snake in her head!" He hissed suddenly. Nodding she looked at him.
"I understand that, so let's hope that she pulls through this okay? She needs you here more then Jacob and me. I have to get back, and start working on something, back home. But I'm more then happy to come back and visit you all, and see how she's going. I won't be gone long, because I have a feeling that she'll need me, more then anyone here is willing to admit."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He frowned, as her mobile rang.
"Nothing," she whispered before answering. "Mackenzie," smiling she couldn't help it, but laugh. "Ange what are doing calling me? I thought… You're what?" She gasped. "Ange, please…" Closing her eyes, she nodded, taking a shaky breath. "No, its ok, thanks I'll be there as soon as I can. Yeah," she whispered looking at Sam. "We're hoping she'll pull through, she's got a massive fight on her hands," she mumbled. "Anyway thanks I'll leave now," she whispered, before hanging up. Looking at him, she quickly left the room.
"What's going on?" Hammond asked as they both walked out of the room, Ellen quickly changing and cleaning her self up.
"I have to go," she said gently, looking at Jacob, who frowned.
"What is it?"
"Peter and my friends came here, because of my work, and…" Taking a shaky breath, she watched him, before bowing her head. "He was shot and isn't expected to pull through," she whispered, before looking at Jacob, who pulled her into a hug. "I have to go, I have to take Sarah." She replied pulling away.
"I can take you, what hospital is he at?"
"Um, I can't remember the name of it, but Ange said there was one near their motel, which is about twenty minutes drive from the airport," nodding he smiled slightly.
"I know it," sniffling she nodded.
"Thanks," she mumbled.