Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the story
so far.
Chapter 4: Reach Out and Touch Someone
Teal'c stood at the threshold of the dining room slightly behind Catherine and stared at the business end of a 9mm handgun, before raising his gaze to the surprised eyes of the man holding the weapon. He lifted one of his eyebrows at the reception, before bowing his head respectfully to the man standing in front of him.
"Daniel Jackson, it is good to see you again."
Daniel seemed to be rather speechless after his initial question and did not lower the weapon.
"Father," Rya'c stated, clearly asking if there was danger.
"It is quite all right, Rya'c. Daniel Jackson was expecting someone else."
Teal'c's gaze never wavered from Daniel, so he caught the younger man's hard swallow as he lowered the weapon and motioned for the other man, Robert Rothman, to do the same.
"Yes, I was expecting someone else. How did you know to come here? Why are you here?" Daniel asked again.
Catherine motioned for everyone to take a seat around the dining table and they did so. Teal'c settled in beside Robert and Rya'c took a position across from his father.
"This is Rya'c, my son." Teal'c made the introduction to Catherine, Ernest and Robert, who had never met the young man. "I believe you already know him, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Yes, I do. How are you, Rya'c?"
"I am well, Dr. Jackson. You look different," the boy replied.
Daniel chuckled. "Yes, it's been a long time."
"Can I get you gentlemen something to drink?" Catherine offered, nodding to Rya'c and Teal'c.
"We do not require sustenance at this time, but thank you," Teal'c replied and bowed his head to Catherine. "As to how I came to be here, Daniel Jackson, that is simple. General O'Neill told me where to find you."
Daniel's eyes narrowed. "He did, did he?"
"Indeed he did. He informed me that you would either contact Dr. Rothman, or Dr. Langford and Dr. Littlefield. It seems O'Neill was correct. I chose to come here first because contacting Dr. Rothman seemed riskier."
"Maybourne is probably looking for me right now," Robert muttered.
"What else did Jack say?" Daniel asked.
Teal'c noted the slightly worried tone of the archaeologist's voice and took note of it for future reference.
"He believes that you are in danger now that you are free. I am here to make sure that nothing happens to you and to offer any assistance in finding General Hammond's real killer." His voice softened suddenly, before continuing. "I only wish that I had been able to do something about this sooner."
"I know, Teal'c and I appreciate it."
"O'Neill did not come himself because he deemed it too risky to leave the off world base so soon after your release. He did not want General Maybourne to suspect him and restrict his movements, or those of Colonel Carter. He, Colonel Carter and Master Sgt. Siler are going to, once again, review the evidence of the murder to see if they can find anything else to use against General Maybourne and his followers."
"So they're willing to help?" Robert asked.
"Yes, they are. General O'Neill wished for me to thank you for informing him of what transpired," Teal'c said to Robert. "And to you," Teal'c turned his gaze to Catherine and Ernest, "he said to tell you to take care and that you'll be protected."
Catherine nodded her understanding, as did Ernest.
"Okay, so you're my bodyguard now? No offense, Teal'c, but I've sort of learned to defend myself over these last dozen years."
"I can see the change, Daniel Jackson. However, no man can fight an army on his own, no matter what the determination is. Rya'c and I are here to provide assistance in any way that we can."
Rya'c nodded in agreement. "Father has filled me in on the situation, Dr. Jackson, and I must say that it is a dangerous situation. Father and I are armed, and have a Tel'tak at our disposal if needed. We can be of help."
"You brought a Tel'tak? Where'd you land it?" Robert asked, his tone incredulous.
"What's a Tel'tak?" Ernest asked.
"A Tel'tak is a small, Goa'uld vessel, capable of hyper drive and equipped with a cloaking device, that the Jaffa army uses in its battles," Rya'c answered. "It is currently situated a short distance from here, in the only available flat surface."
Catherine's eyes widened. "You don't mean the baseball field at the park, do you?"
"Yes, I believe that's what it was, Dr. Langford," Teal'c replied after a moment's consideration.
"Oh, you can't leave it there for very long, cloaked or not. The little leaguers will be there to play ball tomorrow and they're bound to run into it. You have to move it somewhere else."
"Where shall we take it so it's not in the way?"
"I have no clue. Ernest, you got any ideas?"
Ernest shook his head. "No ideas, honey. The park is probably the only place for it."
"What about that vacant lot a couple of miles down from here?" Daniel supplied. "I think they're going to build a shopping center there, but for now, the land is empty. No one will bother to go there anytime soon."
"That would be perfect."
Teal'c nodded his agreement. "Daniel Jackson, will you accompany us to direct us to the site?"
"Of course. We should probably go now, while it's dark." He turned towards Catherine and Ernest. "We'll be back in a little bit," he said, and the three of them made their way out of the dining room, then out of the house.
****
"Teal'c is a good man, isn't he, Robert?" Catherine asked when Daniel, Teal'c and Rya'c were gone. She picked up her cup of now cold coffee and took a sip of it anyway.
"Yes, he is. He's always been very loyal to Daniel and he's a good friend. He will do what he says he will, and I have no doubt that Rya'c will do the same."
"Do you think it will come to violence?" Ernest asked.
Robert shrugged. "With Maybourne, I don't doubt it. You know as much as I do about General Hammond's murder and that's all pretty bloody and gruesome. Who knows what they'll do to Daniel if they find out that he's either remembered what happened, or is on to them about their involvement."
"Has Daniel remembered anything?"
"I don't think so. At least, he hasn't mentioned it to me." Robert paused momentarily. "I'm not so sure he'd tell me if he had remembered, unless it was something he could use to clear himself. He still seems pretty confused about the whole thing, but he passes it off as unimportant and shoves it into the back of his mind."
"That's not too healthy," Ernest pointed out. "Sooner or later, it's bound to come back."
"It may not do him any good if he suddenly remembers who really did kill the General, though. He's already paid for the crime."
"But he can clear his name."
"Maybe, maybe not. We don't know how high this thing goes. If it's as far up as the White House and the Pentagon, then Daniel is as good as dead. If it isn't, then maybe we can get some help from them once he does remember what happened. It's all a big if."
"He's willing to bet his freedom on those odds?" Catherine wanted to know.
Robert nodded solemnly. "He's not going back to prison either way, he's already said that much. He's got the tools and resources to disappear now; tools he didn't have when he was convicted. I have no doubt that if this blows up in his face, he can take off and no one will find him."
"If he's not dead at the end of this," Ernest piped up.
"That's my Ernest, ever the optimist," Catherine chided. "Let's not think that way. Let's do what we can do and see what happens."
****
"You have learned the art of self defense and perfected it, have you not Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked, making Daniel jump slightly at the Jaffa's deep voice. He had been completely concentrated on the controls of the small vessel that he'd forgotten there was anyone else with him. He turned away from the view screen and turned to regard his friend.
"It's a necessary evil in prison, Teal'c. The other inmates don't take too kindly to meek individuals. I learned my lesson early on." Daniel shuddered at the unbidden memory of just how that lesson had been learned, and forced it away quickly, before the emotions of that day could take a hold of him. When he refocused his gaze on Teal'c, he realized that the Jaffa had caught his momentary lapse.
"I, too, have been in prison, Daniel Jackson, and am aware of what goes on. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It is to your credit that you managed to survive."
Daniel laughed, but there was no humor in the harsh sound. "It's either that, or it's a testament to my stupidity that I managed to hang on for as long as I did. Let's just say that I'm as eager to know what happened to General Hammond as you are. A little thing like that serves to give one a reason to live."
"I understand. We will find out what happened."
"Or we'll die trying. I will, at least," Daniel whispered. He shook his head, clearing his mind of unnecessary emotional baggage. "You want to head north for a bit, and you'll see a big patch of grass. You can land the Tel'tak there and no one should disturb it.
"Very well."
They landed the Tel'tak with no difficulty and were on their way out of the ship when the radio crackled to life.
"Teal'c, its Jack, come in."
Daniel and Teal'c both stopped in their tracks, turning to the radio.
"Teal'c? Rya'c? I'm on a secure channel on an amplified radio from a hidden location on base, so it's safe to communicate. You gotta love the Tok'ra for giving me the radio. Come in."
Teal'c rushed to the radio and immediately responded. "O'Neill, I am here."
"Thank god, Teal'c. I was beginning to get worried. Where are you?"
Jack's voice seemed strained and far away, which Daniel supposed was fitting, as the off world base was light years away from Earth. There was a slight delay in Jack's reply, which Daniel attributed to the distance between them. He took a few steps closer to Teal'c, but stopped before he actually reached the man. He was content to stand there and listen to the conversation.
"I am in Colorado, O'Neill. I arrived with no difficulties, and was not detected by the primitive planetary defense systems of your planet."
"That's great to hear. Have you found Daniel yet?"
"I have indeed. He is standing right beside me."
Jack was quiet on the other end. "He's there? Already?"
"He was with Dr. Langford and Dr. Littlefield like you thought he'd be. I stopped there first."
"That's great. Um, Teal'c, can I talk to him?"
Daniel was tempted to back away from the radio and get out of the ship as soon as he heard Jack ask to talk to him, but he suddenly found that his legs wouldn't cooperate. He didn't know why the prospect of speaking to Jack held such dread for him, but it did.
"You may, O'Neill. Daniel Jackson, please step closer to the radio."
Daniel stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, until he managed to unglue his feet from the deck. He took a few slow steps forward and took the radio from Teal'c.
"Hey, Jack," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
"Daniel, how are you doing?" Jack asked, sounding rather unsure of himself.
"I'm good."
"Good." There was a pause, and then Jack spoke again. "Did Teal'c explain to you why he was there without Carter and me?"
"Yes, Jack, he did. Don't worry about it, it's fine."
"No, it's not fine. Listen to me, Daniel, and listen to me good," Jack's voice had gained an edge that Daniel hadn't heard in a long, long time. "You shut us out for god knows what reasons when you were first sent to prison. I can't even begin to tell you how that felt for all of us, so I'm not going to waste your time and mine. But know this: You're not doing it to us again, you hear me? You can try, but we're not going to go away. We haven't forgotten about you and we sure as hell hope that you haven't forgotten about us."
Daniel closed his eyes momentarily, willing the strong emotions inside him to quiet down and let him think. He'd been afraid to talk to Jack for fear that Jack, Sam and Teal'c would somehow think that he really was responsible for what happened and had spent the entire time in prison hoping that they wouldn't blame him. He was surprised, and yet reassured, that they didn't blame him.
"I haven't forgotten, Jack. I don't think I could."
"Good, because you're stuck with us whether you like it or not. Even if we are on two different planets, you won't get rid of us. Now, I have some men watching Maybourne at the SGC, and they told me that he has been mobilizing some troops. He sent a few men to Chicago for some reason, but he's recalled those. I don't have to remind you that Maybourne knows, or will know soon, where you are and will send agents after you. I will keep a look out for the activity of his men on Earth and contact you with further news."
"Robert went to Chicago," Daniel explained. "Well, he didn't actually get there, but he made Maybourne believe that he had. He must have been tailing Robert all that time."
"Where is Rothman now?" Jack asked.
"He's here with us, at Catherine's."
"Get to a safe place, Daniel, and take Robert with you. You can't stay at Catherine's anymore, because Maybourne is bound to get there soon. I'll send some people to watch her house if I can. Teal'c will stay with you and you can both contact me at this frequency if you need me or Carter. We'll get to Earth as soon as we can."
"I will take the radio with me, O'Neill," Teal'c said, taking the radio from Daniel. "We will keep in touch."
"Very well. Good luck," Jack said and ended the transmission.
Daniel sighed. "So the question now becomes: where do we go from here?"
****
"Did Teal'c make it to Earth?" Sam asked O'Neill as she walked into his office. She took a seat in front of his desk and watched the older man carefully, noting the worried frown on his face.
"He made it with no problem, Carter. He's even managed to find Daniel."
Sam smiled. "Leave it to Teal'c to get the job done right the first time. How are they doing? Where did Teal'c find Daniel?"
"They're fine, as far as I can tell. Teal'c took Rya'c with him, which will greatly increase their chances of making it out of this intact. They're at Catherine's right now."
Sam frowned at the General's uncharacteristically short responses, because it wasn't like him.
"Did something else happen, sir?"
Jack sighed, and Sam could tell that he was a bit troubled. "No, nothing happened, Sam. Teal'c is fine, Daniel is fine. he just doesn't seem like himself anymore."
"What do you mean, Jack?"
Jack shrugged. "I talked to him, Carter. It was like talking to a stranger with Daniel's voice. But it didn't stop me from yelling at him."
Sam's smile widened when he saw Jack's own smile. "What do you mean, you yelled at him?" she asked, glad that the General had been able to personally confirm that Daniel was doing okay.
"I told him that he wasn't going to get rid of us as quick as he did when he first went to prison and that he was stuck with us. I wasn't being very nice about it either."
"That's okay, I'm sure Daniel is used to having you yell at him," Sam replied. "You were right to tell him that, though. He's not going to get rid of us this time."
Jack nodded in agreement. "That's why we need to get moving and find out what Harry is up to. The more we know, the better we'll be able to help."
"Right away, sir. Oh, one more thing," she added, suddenly remembering the reason she'd come to the office in the first place. "I was able to track some NID records from twelve years ago. There are some documents that mention an operation named "Chat Noir", which was to have been carried out some time in 2001. I'm not sure how many people were involved in this operation, but the documents do note that the SGC would be the main entity affected by however this operation turned out. I've tried hacking further into the NID computers on base, but the fact that we're not on Earth severely limits the information I have access to."
Sam paused to gauge Jack's reaction. He seemed thoughtful and even more worried.
"That name would mean?"
"Black Cat, sir."
"Ah, nice... Someone at the NID must have run out of ideas. If the SGC was to be the most affected, then it's likely that Hammond's murder could be part of that."
"Exactly what I was thinking," Sam added. "The next time you speak to Teal'c and Daniel, you should mention that to them. Teal'c is fairly good with computers and should be able to do some digging. Daniel could probably help him, though I'm sure his computer knowledge is limited only to knowing how to run them, not hack into them. It's worth a shot, though."
"Agreed. Keep digging and see what else you can come up with. In the mean time, I'll keep track of our good friend Harry."
Chapter 4: Reach Out and Touch Someone
Teal'c stood at the threshold of the dining room slightly behind Catherine and stared at the business end of a 9mm handgun, before raising his gaze to the surprised eyes of the man holding the weapon. He lifted one of his eyebrows at the reception, before bowing his head respectfully to the man standing in front of him.
"Daniel Jackson, it is good to see you again."
Daniel seemed to be rather speechless after his initial question and did not lower the weapon.
"Father," Rya'c stated, clearly asking if there was danger.
"It is quite all right, Rya'c. Daniel Jackson was expecting someone else."
Teal'c's gaze never wavered from Daniel, so he caught the younger man's hard swallow as he lowered the weapon and motioned for the other man, Robert Rothman, to do the same.
"Yes, I was expecting someone else. How did you know to come here? Why are you here?" Daniel asked again.
Catherine motioned for everyone to take a seat around the dining table and they did so. Teal'c settled in beside Robert and Rya'c took a position across from his father.
"This is Rya'c, my son." Teal'c made the introduction to Catherine, Ernest and Robert, who had never met the young man. "I believe you already know him, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Yes, I do. How are you, Rya'c?"
"I am well, Dr. Jackson. You look different," the boy replied.
Daniel chuckled. "Yes, it's been a long time."
"Can I get you gentlemen something to drink?" Catherine offered, nodding to Rya'c and Teal'c.
"We do not require sustenance at this time, but thank you," Teal'c replied and bowed his head to Catherine. "As to how I came to be here, Daniel Jackson, that is simple. General O'Neill told me where to find you."
Daniel's eyes narrowed. "He did, did he?"
"Indeed he did. He informed me that you would either contact Dr. Rothman, or Dr. Langford and Dr. Littlefield. It seems O'Neill was correct. I chose to come here first because contacting Dr. Rothman seemed riskier."
"Maybourne is probably looking for me right now," Robert muttered.
"What else did Jack say?" Daniel asked.
Teal'c noted the slightly worried tone of the archaeologist's voice and took note of it for future reference.
"He believes that you are in danger now that you are free. I am here to make sure that nothing happens to you and to offer any assistance in finding General Hammond's real killer." His voice softened suddenly, before continuing. "I only wish that I had been able to do something about this sooner."
"I know, Teal'c and I appreciate it."
"O'Neill did not come himself because he deemed it too risky to leave the off world base so soon after your release. He did not want General Maybourne to suspect him and restrict his movements, or those of Colonel Carter. He, Colonel Carter and Master Sgt. Siler are going to, once again, review the evidence of the murder to see if they can find anything else to use against General Maybourne and his followers."
"So they're willing to help?" Robert asked.
"Yes, they are. General O'Neill wished for me to thank you for informing him of what transpired," Teal'c said to Robert. "And to you," Teal'c turned his gaze to Catherine and Ernest, "he said to tell you to take care and that you'll be protected."
Catherine nodded her understanding, as did Ernest.
"Okay, so you're my bodyguard now? No offense, Teal'c, but I've sort of learned to defend myself over these last dozen years."
"I can see the change, Daniel Jackson. However, no man can fight an army on his own, no matter what the determination is. Rya'c and I are here to provide assistance in any way that we can."
Rya'c nodded in agreement. "Father has filled me in on the situation, Dr. Jackson, and I must say that it is a dangerous situation. Father and I are armed, and have a Tel'tak at our disposal if needed. We can be of help."
"You brought a Tel'tak? Where'd you land it?" Robert asked, his tone incredulous.
"What's a Tel'tak?" Ernest asked.
"A Tel'tak is a small, Goa'uld vessel, capable of hyper drive and equipped with a cloaking device, that the Jaffa army uses in its battles," Rya'c answered. "It is currently situated a short distance from here, in the only available flat surface."
Catherine's eyes widened. "You don't mean the baseball field at the park, do you?"
"Yes, I believe that's what it was, Dr. Langford," Teal'c replied after a moment's consideration.
"Oh, you can't leave it there for very long, cloaked or not. The little leaguers will be there to play ball tomorrow and they're bound to run into it. You have to move it somewhere else."
"Where shall we take it so it's not in the way?"
"I have no clue. Ernest, you got any ideas?"
Ernest shook his head. "No ideas, honey. The park is probably the only place for it."
"What about that vacant lot a couple of miles down from here?" Daniel supplied. "I think they're going to build a shopping center there, but for now, the land is empty. No one will bother to go there anytime soon."
"That would be perfect."
Teal'c nodded his agreement. "Daniel Jackson, will you accompany us to direct us to the site?"
"Of course. We should probably go now, while it's dark." He turned towards Catherine and Ernest. "We'll be back in a little bit," he said, and the three of them made their way out of the dining room, then out of the house.
****
"Teal'c is a good man, isn't he, Robert?" Catherine asked when Daniel, Teal'c and Rya'c were gone. She picked up her cup of now cold coffee and took a sip of it anyway.
"Yes, he is. He's always been very loyal to Daniel and he's a good friend. He will do what he says he will, and I have no doubt that Rya'c will do the same."
"Do you think it will come to violence?" Ernest asked.
Robert shrugged. "With Maybourne, I don't doubt it. You know as much as I do about General Hammond's murder and that's all pretty bloody and gruesome. Who knows what they'll do to Daniel if they find out that he's either remembered what happened, or is on to them about their involvement."
"Has Daniel remembered anything?"
"I don't think so. At least, he hasn't mentioned it to me." Robert paused momentarily. "I'm not so sure he'd tell me if he had remembered, unless it was something he could use to clear himself. He still seems pretty confused about the whole thing, but he passes it off as unimportant and shoves it into the back of his mind."
"That's not too healthy," Ernest pointed out. "Sooner or later, it's bound to come back."
"It may not do him any good if he suddenly remembers who really did kill the General, though. He's already paid for the crime."
"But he can clear his name."
"Maybe, maybe not. We don't know how high this thing goes. If it's as far up as the White House and the Pentagon, then Daniel is as good as dead. If it isn't, then maybe we can get some help from them once he does remember what happened. It's all a big if."
"He's willing to bet his freedom on those odds?" Catherine wanted to know.
Robert nodded solemnly. "He's not going back to prison either way, he's already said that much. He's got the tools and resources to disappear now; tools he didn't have when he was convicted. I have no doubt that if this blows up in his face, he can take off and no one will find him."
"If he's not dead at the end of this," Ernest piped up.
"That's my Ernest, ever the optimist," Catherine chided. "Let's not think that way. Let's do what we can do and see what happens."
****
"You have learned the art of self defense and perfected it, have you not Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked, making Daniel jump slightly at the Jaffa's deep voice. He had been completely concentrated on the controls of the small vessel that he'd forgotten there was anyone else with him. He turned away from the view screen and turned to regard his friend.
"It's a necessary evil in prison, Teal'c. The other inmates don't take too kindly to meek individuals. I learned my lesson early on." Daniel shuddered at the unbidden memory of just how that lesson had been learned, and forced it away quickly, before the emotions of that day could take a hold of him. When he refocused his gaze on Teal'c, he realized that the Jaffa had caught his momentary lapse.
"I, too, have been in prison, Daniel Jackson, and am aware of what goes on. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It is to your credit that you managed to survive."
Daniel laughed, but there was no humor in the harsh sound. "It's either that, or it's a testament to my stupidity that I managed to hang on for as long as I did. Let's just say that I'm as eager to know what happened to General Hammond as you are. A little thing like that serves to give one a reason to live."
"I understand. We will find out what happened."
"Or we'll die trying. I will, at least," Daniel whispered. He shook his head, clearing his mind of unnecessary emotional baggage. "You want to head north for a bit, and you'll see a big patch of grass. You can land the Tel'tak there and no one should disturb it.
"Very well."
They landed the Tel'tak with no difficulty and were on their way out of the ship when the radio crackled to life.
"Teal'c, its Jack, come in."
Daniel and Teal'c both stopped in their tracks, turning to the radio.
"Teal'c? Rya'c? I'm on a secure channel on an amplified radio from a hidden location on base, so it's safe to communicate. You gotta love the Tok'ra for giving me the radio. Come in."
Teal'c rushed to the radio and immediately responded. "O'Neill, I am here."
"Thank god, Teal'c. I was beginning to get worried. Where are you?"
Jack's voice seemed strained and far away, which Daniel supposed was fitting, as the off world base was light years away from Earth. There was a slight delay in Jack's reply, which Daniel attributed to the distance between them. He took a few steps closer to Teal'c, but stopped before he actually reached the man. He was content to stand there and listen to the conversation.
"I am in Colorado, O'Neill. I arrived with no difficulties, and was not detected by the primitive planetary defense systems of your planet."
"That's great to hear. Have you found Daniel yet?"
"I have indeed. He is standing right beside me."
Jack was quiet on the other end. "He's there? Already?"
"He was with Dr. Langford and Dr. Littlefield like you thought he'd be. I stopped there first."
"That's great. Um, Teal'c, can I talk to him?"
Daniel was tempted to back away from the radio and get out of the ship as soon as he heard Jack ask to talk to him, but he suddenly found that his legs wouldn't cooperate. He didn't know why the prospect of speaking to Jack held such dread for him, but it did.
"You may, O'Neill. Daniel Jackson, please step closer to the radio."
Daniel stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, until he managed to unglue his feet from the deck. He took a few slow steps forward and took the radio from Teal'c.
"Hey, Jack," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
"Daniel, how are you doing?" Jack asked, sounding rather unsure of himself.
"I'm good."
"Good." There was a pause, and then Jack spoke again. "Did Teal'c explain to you why he was there without Carter and me?"
"Yes, Jack, he did. Don't worry about it, it's fine."
"No, it's not fine. Listen to me, Daniel, and listen to me good," Jack's voice had gained an edge that Daniel hadn't heard in a long, long time. "You shut us out for god knows what reasons when you were first sent to prison. I can't even begin to tell you how that felt for all of us, so I'm not going to waste your time and mine. But know this: You're not doing it to us again, you hear me? You can try, but we're not going to go away. We haven't forgotten about you and we sure as hell hope that you haven't forgotten about us."
Daniel closed his eyes momentarily, willing the strong emotions inside him to quiet down and let him think. He'd been afraid to talk to Jack for fear that Jack, Sam and Teal'c would somehow think that he really was responsible for what happened and had spent the entire time in prison hoping that they wouldn't blame him. He was surprised, and yet reassured, that they didn't blame him.
"I haven't forgotten, Jack. I don't think I could."
"Good, because you're stuck with us whether you like it or not. Even if we are on two different planets, you won't get rid of us. Now, I have some men watching Maybourne at the SGC, and they told me that he has been mobilizing some troops. He sent a few men to Chicago for some reason, but he's recalled those. I don't have to remind you that Maybourne knows, or will know soon, where you are and will send agents after you. I will keep a look out for the activity of his men on Earth and contact you with further news."
"Robert went to Chicago," Daniel explained. "Well, he didn't actually get there, but he made Maybourne believe that he had. He must have been tailing Robert all that time."
"Where is Rothman now?" Jack asked.
"He's here with us, at Catherine's."
"Get to a safe place, Daniel, and take Robert with you. You can't stay at Catherine's anymore, because Maybourne is bound to get there soon. I'll send some people to watch her house if I can. Teal'c will stay with you and you can both contact me at this frequency if you need me or Carter. We'll get to Earth as soon as we can."
"I will take the radio with me, O'Neill," Teal'c said, taking the radio from Daniel. "We will keep in touch."
"Very well. Good luck," Jack said and ended the transmission.
Daniel sighed. "So the question now becomes: where do we go from here?"
****
"Did Teal'c make it to Earth?" Sam asked O'Neill as she walked into his office. She took a seat in front of his desk and watched the older man carefully, noting the worried frown on his face.
"He made it with no problem, Carter. He's even managed to find Daniel."
Sam smiled. "Leave it to Teal'c to get the job done right the first time. How are they doing? Where did Teal'c find Daniel?"
"They're fine, as far as I can tell. Teal'c took Rya'c with him, which will greatly increase their chances of making it out of this intact. They're at Catherine's right now."
Sam frowned at the General's uncharacteristically short responses, because it wasn't like him.
"Did something else happen, sir?"
Jack sighed, and Sam could tell that he was a bit troubled. "No, nothing happened, Sam. Teal'c is fine, Daniel is fine. he just doesn't seem like himself anymore."
"What do you mean, Jack?"
Jack shrugged. "I talked to him, Carter. It was like talking to a stranger with Daniel's voice. But it didn't stop me from yelling at him."
Sam's smile widened when he saw Jack's own smile. "What do you mean, you yelled at him?" she asked, glad that the General had been able to personally confirm that Daniel was doing okay.
"I told him that he wasn't going to get rid of us as quick as he did when he first went to prison and that he was stuck with us. I wasn't being very nice about it either."
"That's okay, I'm sure Daniel is used to having you yell at him," Sam replied. "You were right to tell him that, though. He's not going to get rid of us this time."
Jack nodded in agreement. "That's why we need to get moving and find out what Harry is up to. The more we know, the better we'll be able to help."
"Right away, sir. Oh, one more thing," she added, suddenly remembering the reason she'd come to the office in the first place. "I was able to track some NID records from twelve years ago. There are some documents that mention an operation named "Chat Noir", which was to have been carried out some time in 2001. I'm not sure how many people were involved in this operation, but the documents do note that the SGC would be the main entity affected by however this operation turned out. I've tried hacking further into the NID computers on base, but the fact that we're not on Earth severely limits the information I have access to."
Sam paused to gauge Jack's reaction. He seemed thoughtful and even more worried.
"That name would mean?"
"Black Cat, sir."
"Ah, nice... Someone at the NID must have run out of ideas. If the SGC was to be the most affected, then it's likely that Hammond's murder could be part of that."
"Exactly what I was thinking," Sam added. "The next time you speak to Teal'c and Daniel, you should mention that to them. Teal'c is fairly good with computers and should be able to do some digging. Daniel could probably help him, though I'm sure his computer knowledge is limited only to knowing how to run them, not hack into them. It's worth a shot, though."
"Agreed. Keep digging and see what else you can come up with. In the mean time, I'll keep track of our good friend Harry."