The Past
Jack stalked down the halls of his base. He'd questioned a few members of the other teams--but to no avail. Those who he asked questions to gave vague, cautious, answers, if they spoke at all. The base was so closed off and paranoid, the spy could be anyone.
There was distrust everywhere. Maybe that was the price of playing these games of deception--you could never trust anyone else.
"Jack!"
Captain Jack O'Neill turned around at the voice of his friend. He hadn't spoken to Kowalski since the funeral, not that they had truly spoken even then.
"Kowalski, what is it?"
"This came for you," Charlie said. "It's from General West. Jack, aren't you off duty?"
Jack ignored the question and snapped the manila folder from Charlie's grasp. "He got it already?" he asked in admiration.
"Got what? What is that, Jack? I thought that Holton took you off--"
"Holton's an idiot," Jack said, belatedly looking behind him to make sure no one had overheard. When the hall behind him was empty, he turned back to Kowalski. "Look, I can't talk to you about this right now, okay? Let's just say, whoever's responsible for what happened to David is going to get what's coming to them."
He could feel Kowalski's eyes on him as he walked away. The man was radiating concern and disappointment. Kowalski was probably the only person left he could truly call a friend. With David gone, he didn't have anyone else, and he knew he shouldn't be pushing him away. But Kowalski was a soldier, he didn't need Jack to give him constant reassurances that they were buddies. Kowalski understood. Not like David. He'd used to have to take David to the pool hall at least once a week, just to show the young man he hadn't forgotten him.
David hadn't been a soldier, even if he had worn the same uniform as him. He never should have been here. The young Lieutenant may have been enlisted, but he didn't have the heart of a killer, and whoever had assigned him to this team must have been out of their minds.
______________________________________________________
The Present
Jack sighed and headed back towards his office. He had explained the plan to the General. The General had screamed, "What part of only your team and no one else did you misunderstand?" Jack had pushed the issue anyway--and once again he'd gotten his way.
He had filed the report on the missing items, and then spoken about it with Lt. Marian Cross, the bases resident gossip queen. He had told her the whole thing was very 'hush, hush,' so he was confident everyone would know what was going on before lunch.
Sam and Teal'c were in her lab while she ran did some experiments, and Daniel was looking through the personnel files. He was confident his team would be able to handle things for their end, but he had nothing left to do. That was the thing about traps, all you can do is wait after they've been set.
He heard shouting voices around the next corner, and increased his pace. Two airmen were leaning over an unconscious figure on the floor. He quickly ran over to them. "What happened?" he demanded. Recognizing the unconscious man on the floor as one of their newest recruits, Lt. Marks.
"We don't know, sir," one of the airmen said shakily. "We just found him like this."
Jack cursed and slammed a hand down on the emergency alarm on the wall. The spy was getting careless.
_________________________
Sam was just printing out the results to her latest test on the naquaada reactor when the emergency klaxons started to blare. Teal'c rose to his feet instantly, starting for the door. He turned back around when Sam didn't immediately follow.
"Major Carter?" Teal'c prompted.
"I'll be right behind you, Teal'c," Sam told him distractedly, watching the printer. "I want to make sure this gets recorded correctly first."
Teal'c looked reluctant, so Sam continued, "The Colonel might need you help, Teal'c. I'll be there in a minutes--but this is really important."
Teal'c nodded and jogged out the door. Sam turned back to the printer, watching it anxiously and willing it to go faster. She was trying to get the naquaada reactor more efficient, something she'd been working on for months and she was finally having a break through--but at the moment, she just was dying to get to her friends and find out what was wrong.
The results finally finished printing, and she pulled them out of the carriage. She scanned over them quickly, smiling at the results, and set them down. She darted towards the door, and nearly crashed into the person trying to enter.
Sam frowned. "Major? What are you doing?"
The man pushed his way in, pulling a gun out from behind him and aiming it at Sam's chest. He slammed the door behind them closed.
"Major Sam Carter, I presume?" he said. "I'm going to need you to come with me."
Jack stalked down the halls of his base. He'd questioned a few members of the other teams--but to no avail. Those who he asked questions to gave vague, cautious, answers, if they spoke at all. The base was so closed off and paranoid, the spy could be anyone.
There was distrust everywhere. Maybe that was the price of playing these games of deception--you could never trust anyone else.
"Jack!"
Captain Jack O'Neill turned around at the voice of his friend. He hadn't spoken to Kowalski since the funeral, not that they had truly spoken even then.
"Kowalski, what is it?"
"This came for you," Charlie said. "It's from General West. Jack, aren't you off duty?"
Jack ignored the question and snapped the manila folder from Charlie's grasp. "He got it already?" he asked in admiration.
"Got what? What is that, Jack? I thought that Holton took you off--"
"Holton's an idiot," Jack said, belatedly looking behind him to make sure no one had overheard. When the hall behind him was empty, he turned back to Kowalski. "Look, I can't talk to you about this right now, okay? Let's just say, whoever's responsible for what happened to David is going to get what's coming to them."
He could feel Kowalski's eyes on him as he walked away. The man was radiating concern and disappointment. Kowalski was probably the only person left he could truly call a friend. With David gone, he didn't have anyone else, and he knew he shouldn't be pushing him away. But Kowalski was a soldier, he didn't need Jack to give him constant reassurances that they were buddies. Kowalski understood. Not like David. He'd used to have to take David to the pool hall at least once a week, just to show the young man he hadn't forgotten him.
David hadn't been a soldier, even if he had worn the same uniform as him. He never should have been here. The young Lieutenant may have been enlisted, but he didn't have the heart of a killer, and whoever had assigned him to this team must have been out of their minds.
______________________________________________________
The Present
Jack sighed and headed back towards his office. He had explained the plan to the General. The General had screamed, "What part of only your team and no one else did you misunderstand?" Jack had pushed the issue anyway--and once again he'd gotten his way.
He had filed the report on the missing items, and then spoken about it with Lt. Marian Cross, the bases resident gossip queen. He had told her the whole thing was very 'hush, hush,' so he was confident everyone would know what was going on before lunch.
Sam and Teal'c were in her lab while she ran did some experiments, and Daniel was looking through the personnel files. He was confident his team would be able to handle things for their end, but he had nothing left to do. That was the thing about traps, all you can do is wait after they've been set.
He heard shouting voices around the next corner, and increased his pace. Two airmen were leaning over an unconscious figure on the floor. He quickly ran over to them. "What happened?" he demanded. Recognizing the unconscious man on the floor as one of their newest recruits, Lt. Marks.
"We don't know, sir," one of the airmen said shakily. "We just found him like this."
Jack cursed and slammed a hand down on the emergency alarm on the wall. The spy was getting careless.
_________________________
Sam was just printing out the results to her latest test on the naquaada reactor when the emergency klaxons started to blare. Teal'c rose to his feet instantly, starting for the door. He turned back around when Sam didn't immediately follow.
"Major Carter?" Teal'c prompted.
"I'll be right behind you, Teal'c," Sam told him distractedly, watching the printer. "I want to make sure this gets recorded correctly first."
Teal'c looked reluctant, so Sam continued, "The Colonel might need you help, Teal'c. I'll be there in a minutes--but this is really important."
Teal'c nodded and jogged out the door. Sam turned back to the printer, watching it anxiously and willing it to go faster. She was trying to get the naquaada reactor more efficient, something she'd been working on for months and she was finally having a break through--but at the moment, she just was dying to get to her friends and find out what was wrong.
The results finally finished printing, and she pulled them out of the carriage. She scanned over them quickly, smiling at the results, and set them down. She darted towards the door, and nearly crashed into the person trying to enter.
Sam frowned. "Major? What are you doing?"
The man pushed his way in, pulling a gun out from behind him and aiming it at Sam's chest. He slammed the door behind them closed.
"Major Sam Carter, I presume?" he said. "I'm going to need you to come with me."