Author's Note: You know, I'm kind of disappointed with the amount of reviews I got which was like one. Maybe it was two, I forgot. Maybe I should just withhold the next chapter for a little while. Yea, that sounds like an idea. If I don't get at least four reviews, I won't give you the next chapter for… a week. We'll just have to see then.

Summary: When Jack's conversation is over-heard, what can it possibly do in the wrong hands?

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Paradise

Chapter Five:

The Police

**Infirmary, Monday at 1813 Hours**

Janet and Jack had a long discussion, one that lasted about a half an hour. He told her much about the way his society worked and she had the chance to tell him about Earth's. Of course, much of what they said was the complete opposite of what the other had to say. But Jack seemed to be entirely focused on Janet as she spoke.

When he finally drifted off, Janet looked at his monitor and checked to make sure everything was still fine with him, both physically and mentally. But her mind was only half-focused on the task.

What Jack had told her about the society programmed into his mind was a strange one. A utopia almost. But there were slight flaws- flaws to an American or, perhaps, Humans living on Earth.

**Block Three, House Two**

Jack sat picking at his breakfast, his mind still centered on the conversation he and Janet had had. It was as if the universe was complete flipped around in his "dream". But, the more he came to know the "dream" Janet, the more he came to believe that it wasn't a dream but something more. Something real.

Sam watched him from across the table and saw the look on his face. She knew that something was wrong with him but, what it was, she didn't know. The look he had was one filled with worry. Yet it wasn't worry, it was something she couldn't explain and had never seen. And she knew it was something he was trying to keep from her.

"What is it, Jack?" Sam asked, her voice soft and filled with concern.

"Wh- Nothing, Sam."

"I don't believe that, Jack. I know when there's something troubling you and this is one of those times," Sam told him.

"Sam, it's nothing, trust me. I just, have been thinking lately," Jack said, trying to reassure her.

"Thinking about what?"

Jack hesitated a moment and then responded with, "Just… stuff. It's nothing."

Sam knew that his tone was one showing that he would not change his mind nor tell her anything if he didn't want to. And so she dropped the subject, allowing him to come to her when and if he was ready.

**Level Zero, IC**

Once Sam and Jack exited the airway train, Jack looked off to his left where someone walked in through the doors. It was Daniel. Just the person Jack needed to speak with. Excusing himself from Sam, he walked over to his good friend.

"Daniel!" Jack hissed, attempting to get his friend's attention.

"Oh. Hi, Jack!" He replied, walking closer to the man.

"Daniel, I have to talk to you." Jack looked around the large room for a moment as if making sure no one was listening in on their conversation. Daniel, not understanding the gesture, followed his lead and started to look around, almost nervously. "Stop that!"

"Stop w-what?" Daniel said, completely confused.

"Never mind. What I needed to talk to…" Jack's voice lowered as he moved a little closer to Daniel. "Is about the dream."

"You, um, had it again?" Daniel asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"Yea. This time… we talked about what our "worlds" are like. I may be out of my mind, but, compared to their world, this place is a paradise," Jack commented.

"Well, uh, of course it is. That's w-what it's s-supposed to, um, be," Daniel informed him, his voice just a notch in between normal and a whisper.

Jack looked at him and said, "But it's too perfect. Hearing about their world and what's going on within that world, it's just… too damn perfect. If a world can function like theirs can and like ours can, than this is a… a utopia. And everyone knows, utopias don't exist."

Daniel looked at him and realized what he was saying: that the world they thought they were living in didn't exist. That everything they thought was somehow being controlled. That… no, he couldn't think that way. It could get both of them in trouble. A lot of trouble.

"Look, uh, Jack, maybe you… should let this, um, go. I mean, w-what if someone h-hears us. W-we could be taken away. I've, uh, met some people w-who w-went away, and I don't, um, think I w-want it to happen to, um, me."

Jack looked away and nodded before snapping angrily, "Fine, I just won't tell you anything else. I'll find someone else who believes me."

"No! Jack!" Daniel called out to his departing friend but Jack didn't even spare him a glance.

Off to the side stood a young woman with long flowing hair. Though her eyes were fixed on the panel in front of her, her ears were intensely listening to the conversation going on between two people behind her.

She gave a sad smile when she realized exactly what they were talking about. She knew then that- somehow- they managed to wake up in their world and think that it was merely a dream. But they were starting to believe that dream. And that wasn't good.

**Unknown**

Rebecca knew Daniel and Jack's conversation wasn't good. Jack was beginning to believe his memories or whatever they may have been. Daniel was confused and unsure, he could easily be swept either way at that point. Jack needed to be out of the picture soon, or Daniel would sway Jack's way.

Which was why she was quickly walking from the dream room and toward the center hall where she knew she could find Alexander. She needed his permission to do what was necessary, no matter how much she wished she didn't have to.

"Rebecca, how can I help you?" Andreievich's voice echoed through the gigantic hall filled with little more than tapestries and gold.

"I need to speak with Alexander. Where is he?" She asked, her own voice echoing.

"Uh, I think-"

"Right here," Alexander announced. "What is it, Rebecca?"

"It's the Colonel. He's remembered a lot more. And I think Daniel maybe starting to believe," Rebecca told him as Andreievich walked down the many gold stairs to join in on the conversation.

Alexander sighed and said, "Then send in the Police. Have them remove him from his work, then inform the Major yourself… do it as if you witnessed everything."

"Yes, sir," Rebecca told him before turning and exiting the way she came in.

"Do you really think that's necessary?" Andreievich asked.

"Of course it is, brother. They mustn't remember."

**Level Zero, IC**

Rebecca had timed it perfectly. The Police came in and had Jack out just seconds before everyone would be leaving their offices and heading home. Rebecca had made up the perfect excuse giving her an easy excuse that allowed her to have been in the path of the Police with Jack in their hands.

She waited for the elevator she knew Sam would be on. Masking her face, she acted as if she had seen the worst thing in her life and ran up to the elevator. "Sam!"

"Rebecca? What is it?" Sam asked, her voice hushed but calming and soothing.

"I just… I just saw two Police leave… and they… they had… they took Jack!"

"What?!" Sam said, her voice unbelieving. "They… why?"

"I don't know," Rebecca said, fake tears actually flowing down her checks.

**Unknown**

Jack had been taken from his work almost in the middle of talking to a patient post-surgery. They had cuffed him and pulled him down the hall and into the elevator before forcing him out and across Level Zero until he was outside and then in their vehicle.

Before he knew what was going on, they took him inside of a large building. The place was horrific. Dark walls and the atmosphere alone was enough to scare even the strongest of men.

Jack soon was in a room of his own and being stripped of his uniform before having a pure white jumpsuit forced on. Jack struggled against a good portion of it, not understanding what was going on. But, then again, perhaps that was their only true defense: the unknown for those they brought there. They didn't know what was going on for so long that the people had time to get them where they want them.

After having the outfit put on, he was quickly strapped down to a gurney of sorts and felt something prick his arm. The sensation lasted only seconds. And it took only instant for Jack to figure out what happened: they injected him with a sedative.

**Infirmary, Monday at 1942 Hours**

Janet watched as Jack's heart began to race. Something was going on but she didn't have a clue as to what it was. Within the minute it took her to notice the problem and rush to his side, he had started to come out of it.

"Jack, Jack. It's ok, it's alright," Janet whispered hushed words to sooth him as he awoke. His breathing was ragged and his heart was still racing when he opened his eyes. After a short time of disorientation, Jack figured out where he was and calmed himself down.

"Janet?"

"Yes, Jack. It's me. Everything's alright."

"No it's not. The… the Police took me. They… did something to me… I think they sedated me," Jack told her.

"The Police? Didn't you tell me that they only take people who brake a law and bring them somewhere where they can be helped?"

"Yes, but… it's not supposed to be like that. It's not."

"Just calm down, Jack. It's all right. Ok, it's all right. Tell me, what do they do to people there?" Janet asked, trying to help him.

Jack thought for a moment. They help people understand what they did and make them promise not to do it again. But they also lied about other things, he was sure that that might be one of them.

Jack had never seen anyone who had been taken away, but he had heard stories. They never acted the same again… it was as if they had been brainwashed. That was it! Maybe they were brainwashed. Maybe…

"Jack?"

Jack looked up at Janet, it seemed that he had been quiet for some time and she had gotten worried. "I think… they are brainwashed. Maybe what they're going to do to me is brainwashing."

"Brainwashing?"

"Yea, I think-" Jack stopped his talking. Suddenly he felt tired and knew that he was about to wake back up or go to sleep… whatever was real. Janet watched as she realized the same thing. Sighing, Janet stood and allowed Jack to fall asleep.

**Unknown**

When Jack had awoken from his latest talk with Janet, he had found himself in a cell. It was about five meters by ten meter and so dark he could hardly tell that he had opened his eyes. Blinking a few times, he looked around his newest "home". Because of the darkness he could see almost nothing except for the shape of the rectangular room.

Pushing himself into a sitting position, he slid backward until his back hit the wall. Leaning up against it, Jack closed his eyes. Doing so, his mind was able to relax slightly while his body tensed and readied itself to attack if necessary. At the same time, his ears strained to hear what was going on around him, trying to hear if anyone was coming.

The feeling that he was being watched was strong; it was like he knew they were somewhere. Perhaps a surveillance camera or something. But, as he looked around, he saw nothing of the sort. However that didn't mean there wasn't any.

Only minutes after Jack awoke, a door somewhere in front of him had opened, letting in a bright light from outside. Then, a man's large shadow overcastted most of the light, allowing him to remove his arm, attempting to shield his eyes.

The man was about half a head shorter than Jack and weighed just under two hundred pounds. His age was approximately fifty, maybe older. He wore an outfit resembling that of an IC worker: navy blue pants with a matching over-shirt hiding his white undershirt.

Confused, Jack said nothing to the man but merely took in every feature he could see. In the lighting, the man's head shinned but, once he stepped closer and out of the blinding light, Jack could see that it was because he was bald. His eyes were not something Jack could see from his position, but his face was. It was set in a 'business man's' face: neutral and unconcerned by his current statues.

Stepping inside the room, the man looked down at Jack and said, "Good mourning. I trust you had a good sleep." Jack said nothing, he just continued to stare at the man. "Oh, come now. It isn't polite to stare, you should know that. I would bet your mother taught you that at a young age."

Without even the slightest hint that he cared about Jack's condition, the man sat down on the chair close to the door. Something Jack hadn't even noticed before. The chair seemed simple enough but, oddly, it was as black as the room Jack was trapped in.

"How are you doing, Jack? Enjoying your stay here, I know I am," the man continued but Jack had no idea what to say. It seemed that, perhaps, the man was another unlucky subject of whatever was going on around him. "Aren't you even going to talk to me? Well, perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is George."

Deciding he might as well play along, Jack said, "Hi." From the little Jack had seen of him, he seemed nice enough. But Jack couldn't be sure.

"So, why did they take you?" George said, braking his thoughts. "I know why they took me. I understand now that it was wrong. I would like to help you."

Jack looked at him. No, he wasn't certain why they had taken him, but he was pretty sure. Not that he would tell that to George. So, instead of answering, Jack shrugged his shoulders and looked away, making it seem that he was still taking in the place.

Though the answer would have annoyed Jack, it didn't seem to bother George. It was as if he didn't care about anything. "That's ok, they'll explain it all to you sooner or later. Then you'll understand. And once you do, you'll be able to leave."

Jack looked back at George, his face trying not to betray his mixed feelings and confusion. "If that's the case, and you understand what you did wrong, why are you still here?"

"I'm here to help you. They're sending me home today, I just thought I could help. They mentioned that you were struggling a lot. I thought my words might help calm you and make you understand that's it's for your own good… and everyone else's."

Jack nodding, not believing a word of it. Whatever they did to the people there, it wasn't medical help, Jack deduced. Something drilled into every child was that doing something wrong brought you to a nice hospital that helped you understand what you did wrong and fix it. But, wherever he was, wasn't a hospital and he wasn't expecting the kind of help he always assumed they give.

Looking at George, the strange man smiled and stood the second the door reopened. This time, instead of the bright light Jack had seen there before, it was a very dark hallway with no light. Creasing his brow, Jack tried to understand why, only a moment ago, it had been bright only to find that it was completely dark out.

But that was easily answered when three large men, similar to those he remembered handling him and forcing the medication into him, walked inside the room. "Nighty night time, Jack," one of them said.

George gave Jack an encouraging smile and said, "It's time for me to go home… and for you to go to bed. I should leave now. Good night, Jack." Walking out of the room, Jack watched him go, his mind in complete chaos. Because of that, Jack had little struggle in him when two of the three guards grabbed his arms and held him down.

While they did that, the third took out a long needle. Tapping it gently and squirting a little out, he brought it down to Jack's arm, just where he felt the pain of something piercing his skin.

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