From Here To Eternity: The Road to Redemption, The Second Step
Part 5
All disclaimers can be found in Part 0
***
The flight into Wichita, KS was uneventful. Daniel had brought along a book to read while O'Neill thumbed through the magazines the flight attendent kept bringing him. After lunch, both men dozed off and on until the wheels of the Boeing 727 touched down on the tarmac. Neither man felt like discussing the reason for their trip. Picking up a rental car, they drove to Ft. Leavenworth. Their main goal to get the paperwork to the warden authorizing him to release Makepeace into O'Neill's custody. Makepeace, who had been moved to the prison infirmary, had been informed that this would be his last night night there. The warden had given him his usual speech whenever one of his prisoners left wishing him a safe journey and luck with whatever was going to come after. Once all the paperwork had been completed, O'Neill and Daniel drove to the town of McPherson and checked into their motel.
In his room O'Neill plunked himself down on top of the bed with the remote control and turned on the television. Surfing through channels he finally settled on The History Channel and the program History I.Q. Crossing his arms over his chest, he settled in to watch but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Knowing who it was going to be, he shot a dirty look at the door, muted the sound on the TV and said, "Yeah?" without getting up.
"Uh Jack ... it's me. Daniel," came the muffled response.
"Yeah?"
Silence. O'Neill had been watching the TV screen and now he looked towards the door. Curiosity finally got the better of him and he got up and yanked open the door finding a grinning Daniel standing outside, leaning against the balcony railing, arms crossed over his chest. Jack shook his head in exasperation, turned around and walked back into his room leaving the door open. Daniel followed shutting the door carefully behind him. Once inside his eyes roamed the room, his head nodding at some unspoken agreement he had made to himself until, that is, his eyes lit on the television and the program that O'Neill was watching. He pointed to the TV. "You're watching this?" he asked.
O'Neill sat back down on the bed not answering Daniel's question but staring at the TV screen instead. Daniel shrugged and sat down in the nearest chair and turned his attention to the muted TV also. Both men sat in silence until the program ended and O'Neill used the remote to turn the television off. Crossing his arms over his chest, he watched Daniel out of the corner of his eye who also continued to stare at the blank screen. Finally O'Neill cleared his throat bringing Daniel's attention to him.
"Jack do you trust him?"
"No Daniel, I don't," sighed Jack. "but right now I don't have a choice ... neither do you."
"He asked for you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
O'Neill moved off of the bed, heading for the door. "Shit Daniel, I don't know. Ask him tomorrow. I'm hungry," he said as he turned the door knob. "You coming?"
Daniel rose slowly, nodding his head. "Yeah, maybe it's time to up the blood sugar level."
***
"Handcuffs stay on, Makepeace," informed O'Neill as the three men, O'Neill, Daniel, and Makepeace got out of the rental car at the airport. Makepeace nodded.
Once the car was turned in, Daniel led the procession to the boarding gate aware of the looks they were receiving. He decided to ignore them but couldn't help wondering what Jack was thinking through all of this. He knew Jack liked to remain unobtrusive and now here they were, parading through a crowded airport with people overtly and covertly watching them and whispering to each other as the three men passed by. He figured it must be driving his friend nuts.
Being the first to reach their gate, he walked over to the young brunette at the small podium. He passed their tickets over to her and turned to see where Jack had gone to with his prisoner.
O'Neill had picked out the area in front of the glass that looked out over the runway to sit. It was the least crowded area. Daniel smiled inwardly to himself as he watched. After sitting and making sure that Makepeace was right next to him, he casually pulled a magazine out of his carry-on and sat back in his chair for all intents and purposes, reading. However, Daniel could see that that wasn't the case. Jack's eyes roved just over the top of the magazine, searching out that one person who didn't belong ... anyone who didn't act 'normal'.
"You're plane will be boarding in 10 minutes, sir."
"Huh?" asked Daniel turning quickly back to the young flight attendent.
"You're plane will be boarding in 10 minutes," the brunette repeated holding out the plane tickets that he had turned over to her.
"Oh," said Daniel taking them. "Sorry and thanks."
"You're welcome, sir," she answered.
Putting the tickets into his coat pocket, he walked over to sit on the other side of Makepeace pointedly ignoring him. Instead he continued to watch Jack survey the people around them.
"She likes you."
"What?" both Daniel and O'Neill asked.
Makepeace motioned with his cuffed hands toward the gate attendent. "She likes Dr. Jackson, but then getting women to like him was never a problem," he said smiling.
O'Neill shrugged and went back to people watching. For the first time since they had picked Makepeace up from the prison, Daniel looked at Makepeace. "What do you mean," he asked.
Makepeace shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Just what I said. Women like you. She'd go out with you in a heart beat if you asked," he added, once again indicating the brunette gate attendent.
"She doesn't even know me. How can she like me?" objected Daniel.
"Has any of the women that have fallen for you really known you, Dr. Jackson? Did Sha're? Did Shyla?"
"Look Makepeace as much as I enjoy these little locker room chats, you aren't exactly the guy I'd like having one with."
Makepeace shrugged again. "I'm sorry Dr. Jackson. I was just trying to start a conversation. Both you and Colonel O'Neill have been trying very hard to pretend that I'm not here."
"Yeah, well live with it Makepeace," interjected O'Neill. "We're not here to have fun."
Makepeace looked from O'Neill to Daniel, shrugged again, and sat back in his chair. Daniel followed suit watching Makepeace out of the corner of his eye while glancing around the room at the different people who were in the boarding area trying to see them the way he knew Jack was and not really sure if he was succeeding.
"Flight 217 to Colorado Springs is now boarding. Those passengers with passes 0-50, please board the plane."
Daniel stood. "That's us."
***
"Colonel O'Neill and Daniel should be here soon," announced Carter as she walked into the kitchen of the safe house.
"You are nervous, MajorCarter."
Carter poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Teal'c at the kitchen table. Taking an experimental sip, she looked over the rim of her cup at the Jaffa. "A little, I guess," she admitted.
"Why?"
"I've been asking myself that same question, Teal'c," she answered setting her coffee cup down on the table, "and I don't know the answer."
"Is it because of the betrayal you felt when O'Neill joined Maybourne?"
"No, I don't think that's it but it might be close. I think it's because of the betrayal I felt when I found out that Makepeace was a part of all of that. Makepeace wasn't the easiest guy to get to know, but he was one of us."
"He also saved your life when Hathor took you as a prisoner," observed Teal'c.
Carter nodded. "It's a little difficult to reconcile that you owe your life to a traitor."
"Is he a traitor, MajorCarter?"
"Of course he is," she asked shocked by the question. "How can you ask that?"
Teal'c shrugged off the anger. "It is easy to see ColonelMakepeace as a traitor, but it is only because his philosphy is different than yours, is it not? He was doing what he thought to be the best course of action when he saved your life and when he joined Maybourne."
"Teal'c ..."
"MajorCarter, I do not take this lightly. I too am a traitor ... a traitor to all I was led to believe was true ... to all of my people who still believe in the gods. I believe that I have done the right thing."
"Teal'c you know you did the right thing by turning against Apophis and joining us," said Carter.
"No MajorCarter, I do not know. I will not know until I am witness to the eventual outcome of everything we are attempting to do. I will not know until all the false gods are no more. I will not know until I see that my people are free and that they can accept that freedom and live with it."
"Teal'c do you think we're wrong?"
Teal'c shrugged one shoulder in his usual way. "No MajorCarter, I do not think we are wrong. I do not believe we are wrong. Your ways of doing things ... your humanity, your compassion is what led me to do what I did so I cannot 'think' that we are wrong."
"Then why?"
"Because I too am a traitor. I too know what it feels like to have everyone I called friend, hate me for my belief."
***
"Makepeace will be arriving today."
Crater smiled into the phone. "Good. Has anything changed?"
"No. Everything still as it was -- camera's, microphones, roving patrols. It's all the same as when I told you about it yesterday."
"Fine. Call as soon as Makepeace arrives."
"Yes, sir."
Crater set the receiver back into its cradle. Everything was going just as he had hoped. At first he had been reluctant working with someone he didn't know especially someone as nervous as Jessica had been on their first meeting. However she was proving herself worthy and almost felt sorry for her because he knew she'd have to die along with the rest of the people at the safe house.
***
continued in part 6
Part 5
All disclaimers can be found in Part 0
***
The flight into Wichita, KS was uneventful. Daniel had brought along a book to read while O'Neill thumbed through the magazines the flight attendent kept bringing him. After lunch, both men dozed off and on until the wheels of the Boeing 727 touched down on the tarmac. Neither man felt like discussing the reason for their trip. Picking up a rental car, they drove to Ft. Leavenworth. Their main goal to get the paperwork to the warden authorizing him to release Makepeace into O'Neill's custody. Makepeace, who had been moved to the prison infirmary, had been informed that this would be his last night night there. The warden had given him his usual speech whenever one of his prisoners left wishing him a safe journey and luck with whatever was going to come after. Once all the paperwork had been completed, O'Neill and Daniel drove to the town of McPherson and checked into their motel.
In his room O'Neill plunked himself down on top of the bed with the remote control and turned on the television. Surfing through channels he finally settled on The History Channel and the program History I.Q. Crossing his arms over his chest, he settled in to watch but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Knowing who it was going to be, he shot a dirty look at the door, muted the sound on the TV and said, "Yeah?" without getting up.
"Uh Jack ... it's me. Daniel," came the muffled response.
"Yeah?"
Silence. O'Neill had been watching the TV screen and now he looked towards the door. Curiosity finally got the better of him and he got up and yanked open the door finding a grinning Daniel standing outside, leaning against the balcony railing, arms crossed over his chest. Jack shook his head in exasperation, turned around and walked back into his room leaving the door open. Daniel followed shutting the door carefully behind him. Once inside his eyes roamed the room, his head nodding at some unspoken agreement he had made to himself until, that is, his eyes lit on the television and the program that O'Neill was watching. He pointed to the TV. "You're watching this?" he asked.
O'Neill sat back down on the bed not answering Daniel's question but staring at the TV screen instead. Daniel shrugged and sat down in the nearest chair and turned his attention to the muted TV also. Both men sat in silence until the program ended and O'Neill used the remote to turn the television off. Crossing his arms over his chest, he watched Daniel out of the corner of his eye who also continued to stare at the blank screen. Finally O'Neill cleared his throat bringing Daniel's attention to him.
"Jack do you trust him?"
"No Daniel, I don't," sighed Jack. "but right now I don't have a choice ... neither do you."
"He asked for you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
O'Neill moved off of the bed, heading for the door. "Shit Daniel, I don't know. Ask him tomorrow. I'm hungry," he said as he turned the door knob. "You coming?"
Daniel rose slowly, nodding his head. "Yeah, maybe it's time to up the blood sugar level."
***
"Handcuffs stay on, Makepeace," informed O'Neill as the three men, O'Neill, Daniel, and Makepeace got out of the rental car at the airport. Makepeace nodded.
Once the car was turned in, Daniel led the procession to the boarding gate aware of the looks they were receiving. He decided to ignore them but couldn't help wondering what Jack was thinking through all of this. He knew Jack liked to remain unobtrusive and now here they were, parading through a crowded airport with people overtly and covertly watching them and whispering to each other as the three men passed by. He figured it must be driving his friend nuts.
Being the first to reach their gate, he walked over to the young brunette at the small podium. He passed their tickets over to her and turned to see where Jack had gone to with his prisoner.
O'Neill had picked out the area in front of the glass that looked out over the runway to sit. It was the least crowded area. Daniel smiled inwardly to himself as he watched. After sitting and making sure that Makepeace was right next to him, he casually pulled a magazine out of his carry-on and sat back in his chair for all intents and purposes, reading. However, Daniel could see that that wasn't the case. Jack's eyes roved just over the top of the magazine, searching out that one person who didn't belong ... anyone who didn't act 'normal'.
"You're plane will be boarding in 10 minutes, sir."
"Huh?" asked Daniel turning quickly back to the young flight attendent.
"You're plane will be boarding in 10 minutes," the brunette repeated holding out the plane tickets that he had turned over to her.
"Oh," said Daniel taking them. "Sorry and thanks."
"You're welcome, sir," she answered.
Putting the tickets into his coat pocket, he walked over to sit on the other side of Makepeace pointedly ignoring him. Instead he continued to watch Jack survey the people around them.
"She likes you."
"What?" both Daniel and O'Neill asked.
Makepeace motioned with his cuffed hands toward the gate attendent. "She likes Dr. Jackson, but then getting women to like him was never a problem," he said smiling.
O'Neill shrugged and went back to people watching. For the first time since they had picked Makepeace up from the prison, Daniel looked at Makepeace. "What do you mean," he asked.
Makepeace shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Just what I said. Women like you. She'd go out with you in a heart beat if you asked," he added, once again indicating the brunette gate attendent.
"She doesn't even know me. How can she like me?" objected Daniel.
"Has any of the women that have fallen for you really known you, Dr. Jackson? Did Sha're? Did Shyla?"
"Look Makepeace as much as I enjoy these little locker room chats, you aren't exactly the guy I'd like having one with."
Makepeace shrugged again. "I'm sorry Dr. Jackson. I was just trying to start a conversation. Both you and Colonel O'Neill have been trying very hard to pretend that I'm not here."
"Yeah, well live with it Makepeace," interjected O'Neill. "We're not here to have fun."
Makepeace looked from O'Neill to Daniel, shrugged again, and sat back in his chair. Daniel followed suit watching Makepeace out of the corner of his eye while glancing around the room at the different people who were in the boarding area trying to see them the way he knew Jack was and not really sure if he was succeeding.
"Flight 217 to Colorado Springs is now boarding. Those passengers with passes 0-50, please board the plane."
Daniel stood. "That's us."
***
"Colonel O'Neill and Daniel should be here soon," announced Carter as she walked into the kitchen of the safe house.
"You are nervous, MajorCarter."
Carter poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Teal'c at the kitchen table. Taking an experimental sip, she looked over the rim of her cup at the Jaffa. "A little, I guess," she admitted.
"Why?"
"I've been asking myself that same question, Teal'c," she answered setting her coffee cup down on the table, "and I don't know the answer."
"Is it because of the betrayal you felt when O'Neill joined Maybourne?"
"No, I don't think that's it but it might be close. I think it's because of the betrayal I felt when I found out that Makepeace was a part of all of that. Makepeace wasn't the easiest guy to get to know, but he was one of us."
"He also saved your life when Hathor took you as a prisoner," observed Teal'c.
Carter nodded. "It's a little difficult to reconcile that you owe your life to a traitor."
"Is he a traitor, MajorCarter?"
"Of course he is," she asked shocked by the question. "How can you ask that?"
Teal'c shrugged off the anger. "It is easy to see ColonelMakepeace as a traitor, but it is only because his philosphy is different than yours, is it not? He was doing what he thought to be the best course of action when he saved your life and when he joined Maybourne."
"Teal'c ..."
"MajorCarter, I do not take this lightly. I too am a traitor ... a traitor to all I was led to believe was true ... to all of my people who still believe in the gods. I believe that I have done the right thing."
"Teal'c you know you did the right thing by turning against Apophis and joining us," said Carter.
"No MajorCarter, I do not know. I will not know until I am witness to the eventual outcome of everything we are attempting to do. I will not know until all the false gods are no more. I will not know until I see that my people are free and that they can accept that freedom and live with it."
"Teal'c do you think we're wrong?"
Teal'c shrugged one shoulder in his usual way. "No MajorCarter, I do not think we are wrong. I do not believe we are wrong. Your ways of doing things ... your humanity, your compassion is what led me to do what I did so I cannot 'think' that we are wrong."
"Then why?"
"Because I too am a traitor. I too know what it feels like to have everyone I called friend, hate me for my belief."
***
"Makepeace will be arriving today."
Crater smiled into the phone. "Good. Has anything changed?"
"No. Everything still as it was -- camera's, microphones, roving patrols. It's all the same as when I told you about it yesterday."
"Fine. Call as soon as Makepeace arrives."
"Yes, sir."
Crater set the receiver back into its cradle. Everything was going just as he had hoped. At first he had been reluctant working with someone he didn't know especially someone as nervous as Jessica had been on their first meeting. However she was proving herself worthy and almost felt sorry for her because he knew she'd have to die along with the rest of the people at the safe house.
***
continued in part 6