Stargate belongs to Showtime, MGM, Gekko, and Double Secret; Godzilla: The Series belongs to Toho and Tristar.

One Phone Call

Sweating, Daniel Jackson fed quarters into the pay phone, blue eyes glued to the massive brawl outside the concourse windows. Fingers danced unwatched over metal buttons, dialing a number he knew by heart.

A glance of sun off black chitin. A trembling in carpet-covered concrete.

"Pick up, Jack. Pick up...."

***

Colonel Jack O'Neill gave his opponent a steely gaze, arranged his weapons of choice in his IV-laden hand. Despite the cottony haze of painkillers, those innocent blue eyes didn't fool him. That casual toss of blonde hair was no more than a carefully-calculated battle tactic, strategically chosen to set him off guard. His enemy had a mind like a titanium vise, quick to capitalize on any moment of weakness. "Go fish."

Lips pursed, Major Sam Carter plucked the next card off the deck. Her gaze flicked across the cards in her hand. Face set, she laid down a set of threes.

Figures. "Guess it's up to you now, Teal'c," Jack sighed, watching the casual tilt of Carter's head as she leaned back in her chair. Sam and Teal'c were dead-even, four stacks of cards decking white sheets on either side of the infirmary bed. Propped up against a rocky pillow, Jack had mustered a paltry two. "Hit me."

Dark fingers pulled a card from Teal'c's hand, reinserted it two cards left. "I do not believe Dr. Frasier would approve," the Jaffa said thoughtfully.

"That's not what I... never mind." Hah. There was a glint of humor in that dark gaze.

Teal'c let it linger in plain view a half-second longer, turned to Sam. "Major Carter. Do you have any fives?"

"Darn!" Sam surrendered three cards, leaving a scant pair in her hand. "So what did Daniel run into yesterday? The general was in a huff about government agencies getting his legal status straight."

"Do you have any eights, O'Neill?"

"Go fish. Hammond in a huff?" Jack raised a gray brow.

"Pretty close, sir. Sent Naomi off tracking down agencies for two hours, just to find out who's still flagging Daniel as dead."

"Good grief. Any tens?"

"Go fish, sir. I-"

Ring.

Three hands scrambled for the phone. Janet had said quiet visits only; if she figured out they'd smuggled a line in, Jack could kiss tonight's takeout pizza goodbye. "Carter," Sam stated. "Daniel! Yes, he's - here." She thrust the receiver into Jack's grip.

"Jack!" Relief rang through the archaeologist's voice. "Gods, I'm glad I got to you. You wouldn't believe how much the pay phones here charge; it ate half the change in my pocket before it'd even turn on-"

"Daniel. Breathe." Pay phone? Daniel ought to have a cell phone... unless whoever he'd crossed paths with yesterday had confiscated it. Hammond hadn't told Jack any details - yet. Only that the problem would be handled. "What's going on?" There was a strange thudding noise in the background, coupled with crackling crunches. Something in the airport? Didn't sound like any engine Jack had ever heard.

"Ahh... I think I'm going to be a little late."

"Late?" Daniel's flight last night had been canceled; overbooking on the part of the airline. Go figure. "What is it this time-"

Something roared, loud enough to jerk Sam and Teal'c out of their chairs. A scream of primeval rage, that woke primate instincts 65 million years old. Jack found himself curled in a combat crouch, ignoring the screaming stitches in his side.

"Wow." An awe-struck whisper. "That's... big."

"Daniel!" Jack made himself uncoil, accepting Sam's help to lie back. Ow. "What's going on?"

"I think Hicks called it Godzilla."

Jack felt the blood drain out of his face. Now he could hear screams, tearing metal, the incessant blare of car alarms. "Daniel. Get out of there. Now."

"Get out of there where, Jack?" Something crunched, loud and close. "There's some sort of... giant cockroach-things running around out here. Everyone's trying to get into the terminal. They're - oh, gods!"

Chittering, shrill and ominous. A crystal cascade of shattering glass.

"Daniel!" Jack shook the receiver, trying to deny the buzzing of the empty line. "Carter! Trace the call. Find him!" He started to stand; met Teal'c's determined grip, as the room spun around him. "And someone get Janet!"

***

Pinned under a mound of plasterboard, Daniel sneezed. Regarded the ripped end of the phone cord with a glare. Terrific. Janet had insisted Jack needed rest. Not standing, not walking, not running around the countryside after errant archaeologists.

Rest he wasn't going to get, after a call like that-

Gleaming black speared down.

Daniel froze. Held himself still, as serrated chitin probed the rubble. Didn't blink, even when the mutant roach's settling brown wings raised concrete dust that scratched his eyes. Barely breathed, as multi-part mandibles clacked in search of prey. Don't move don't move don't move-

Massive jaws tore the beast away, flung it against asphalt.

Splat.

Dripping goo, Daniel spat out a shard of slimy chitin. "Ohh... yuck."